YuGiOh! The Thousand Year Door
by Cyber Commander
Summary: The final chapter! Don't miss it!
1. Prologue

Greetings duelists and anime fans!

You might remember me, Cyber Commander, from my "Yu-Gi-Oh Junior" fanfics.

Now, welcome to "Yu-Gi-Oh! The Thousand-Year Door".

First, some words on the rules of the game in this fanfic.

Most of the rules of the actual game are in effect. Duelists start out at 8,000 Life Points. One sacrifice is needed to normal summon a Monster of five or six stars, two for more stars than that.

Unlike my other fics, players do NOT lose Life Points when a Monster is destroyed via a means other than battle (in most cases).

Like the anime, Fusion Monsters have to wait a turn before attacking. Ritual Monsters require both a Ritual Magic Card and a Monster Card. Some anime effects are in play as well – others are not. You'll just have to see.

Take, for example, the effect of "Card of Sanctity". This fic will be using the more powerful anime effect, which allows each player to draw until they have six cards in their hands. The real card is much less powerful – its effect is as follows: You discard your hand and all cards you have on the field, and then draw two cards. As you can tell, this is situational at best, and worthless at worst. However, we'll be using the anime version.

Also, a little word on the setting. This takes place in the same universe as the anime, but appearances by anime characters will be minimal. The time is shortly after the Doma Arc.

Also, like my previous fic, this fic is rated PG-13. However, it is not due to religious connotations.

Also, I am asking all readers to _review_! Reviews slacked off recently in my last fanfic, and I ask you, don't be shy.

With that in mind…

Let's begin!

**0**

**0**

**0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Yu-Gi-Oh!**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**The Thousand Year Door**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**By Cyber Commander**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_I do not own the rights to "Yu-Gi-Oh", or to "Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door". The former is a registered trademark of Konami, and the latter is a registered trademark of Nintendo of America._

**0 0 0 0 0**

**PROLOGUE**

**0 0 0 0 0**

_The years haven't been kind to me. And I've got the wrinkles to show it. I should have even more. I've lived a lot of years._

_Who am I? My name isn't important yet. Maybe you'll find out later. But I've got a lot of stories to tell._

_Here's an interesting one… Let me tell you the story of The Thousand Year Door…_

_See, five thousand years ago, Egyptian kings and nobles played a deadly competition, drawing on a mysterious place called the Shadow Realm. They used powerful magic and ferocious beasts to strike down their enemies. These Shadow Games got so dangerous, they threatened to turn into a war that would rip the world apart!_

_And it would have – were it not for a brave Pharaoh. He crafted the seven powerful Millennium Items, to halt the Shadow Games, and end the evil practice once and for all._

_At least, that was what they were supposed to do… Things don't always go as planned._

_You see, over the aeons, unsavory folk have tried to use Shadow magic on their own – some more successfully than others._

_A little over one thousand years ago, someone became very successful. Her real name is forgotten, maybe even to herself. Let's refer to her by what she calls herself now – the Shadow Queen. _

_Her origins are unclear – some say that she was as much demon as she was human. Her powers over sorcery were unmatched, and she had used foul rituals and unholy bargains to make herself practically immortal._

_The Shadow Queen's goal was world domination, and she wielded the might of powerful Shadow Games. Using magic and monsters from the forbidden Realm, she would leave foes groveling at her feet, begging for mercy._

_And they got none from her. She wouldn't kill them either. The fate she had for her enemies was far worse. She constructed an extradimensional prison which she called The Graveyard, and would simply banish her defeated foes there. With her enemies safely entombed, they were out of the way, and her empire grew._

_This went on for years. More kingdoms were conquered, their rulers becoming buried in The Graveyard and their subjects cowering under the merciless Shadow Queen._

_Eventually, she built herself a grand palace of her own, situated on an island in the middle of the Atlantic. Built into the side of a mountain, this fortress was the stuff of nightmares to anybody who visited. She ruled from this dark Palace of Shadows, where howls of demons and fell creatures echoed throughout the chambers._

_Of course, thoughts of rebellion were on the minds of all the countries whom she had enslaved. But what were they to do? Who could stand up to this tyrant who had defeated the most powerful warriors already?_

_It was then that three saviors appeared from three corners of the globe. Some say they were gathered together by a mysterious wizard whose identity was known only to them. These Three Heroes knew the ways of Shadow themselves, and boldly went to confront the Shadow Queen. Confront her they did – in her own Palace._

_The battle was long and hard. For days, the evil queen clashed with the Three Heroes. Monsters were summoned from portals and were blasted to oblivion by each other. _

_Finally, the Shadow Queen fell. Defeated._

_But for all their might, the heroes could not kill the Shadow Queen. She was far too powerful. Instead, they managed to cast a powerful spell that would turn her grand palace into a magical prison. _

_Having done that, they left, leaving the Shadow Queen sealed behind the grand doors of her palace, a captive of it, hopefully for eternity._

_It is said that on an island somewhere in the mid-Atlantic, you can find a huge door built into a mountainside. This is The Thousand Year Door. Behind it lies the Shadow Queen's prison, where she will hopefully remain._

_Hopefully._

_But as I said, things do not always go as planned._

_For one thousand years, the immortal Shadow Queen has one thought on her mind – escape. Through her servants, who are not as imprisoned as she is, she has become active in the outside world, gaining information, and adjusting to the modern era. And now, after ten centuries, she has found an escape clause in the spell that holds her prisoner._

_It reads as follows: If she or servants working for her can defeat the blood heirs of her three jailers in a fair fight, she will be freed. _

_And she will escape to start her reign of terror once more._

_Now, after years of planning, her goal is within reach. _

_Her prey is within sight._

_Anyway, that's my story. Call it a tall tale if you want, but I'm sticking to it._

_Oh, by the way…_

_Do you like to play Duel Monsters?_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

New York City.

Madison Square Garden.

Right now, it was hosting the Big Apple Duel Monsters Tournament.

Final round.

On one side was a boy named Stanley Mason. He wore a jean jacket and blue jeans, and a Yankees cap on backwards. His long brown hair was tied in a short ponytail.

He had 2,000 Life Points remaining, and on his side was Blast Magician. (1,400/1,700)

On the other side was a boy names Patrick Malta; he had 1,500 Life Points remaining, and his side was clear.

However, it was his turn.

"Make your move, Pat," smiled Stan. "Send out another one of your Machines so I can junk it!"

"Yeah, I'm moving!" growled Patrick.

He drew a card from his Disk.

"I play my Pot of Greed!" he announced, plugging a card into a slot.

The evil jar appeared in front of him, and two cards popped out of the lid.

He made two draws.

"My Blast Magician thanks you," smiled Stan.

"Huh?" said Patrick.

He looked, and saw that Blast Magician was absorbing the energy from the Magic Card!

He glared.

"I'll place this Monster facedown in Defense and end my turn," he said.

Stan drew.

Monster Reborn.

Don't really need this now, he thought.

"I summon Skilled Dark Magician in Attack Mode!" he shouted.

He placed the card down, and the shadowy magician in bulky black robes appeared, carrying his steel staff. (1,900/1,700)

"Blast Magician," he ordered, "attack his facedown Monster with blast attack!"

Blast Magician raised his sickle-ended blade, and it burned with fire! He shot forth a stream of flames at the facedown card!

"Ha!" laughed Patrick. "Always be wary of facedown cards, Stan!"

A Cyber Jar appeared on the card!

"NO!" yelled Stan.

Blast Magician and Skilled Dark Magician were sucked into the Jar, and it exploded.

"Now then," smiled Patrick, "we both have to make five draws, and summon all the four-star or less Monsters we draw!"

"I know the rules!" growled Stan.

He made the draws.

"I summon Battle Footballer, and Cyber Commander, both in Defense Mode!" announced Patrick.

He set the cards down. First, an android in a football jersey and helmet appeared, crouching as if ready to receive a play. (1,000/2,100) Then a cyborg soldier in army fatigues, and a gas mask, with a rocket launcher on his shoulder, holding a rifle appeared. He knelt in Defense. (750/700)

Stan looked at the cards he had drawn. He had only one Monster he could summon – Apprentice Magician. His other four cards were Dark Magician Girl, The Sage's Stone, Polymerization, and Miracle Restoring.

But a plan started to form…

"And I summon a Monster facedown in Defense," he announced. "That will end my turn."

"Great," said Patrick, drawing.

He looked at his card.

"I sacrifice my Cyber Commander to summon my Machine King!" he exclaimed, putting a card down.

Cyber Commander burst into pixels, and a tall form arose. It was a huge robot covered with lights, gears, pistons, and gewgaws. (2,200/2,000)

"This mean Machine gains 100 extra Attack points for every Machine on the field," he laughed, "including itself!"

(2,400/2,000)

"Now," he said, "Machine King, blast his facedown Monster with photon beam!"

Machine King blasted a beam of energy out of its chest!

A female wizard in purple robes carrying a wooden staff appeared on the card. She cringed and was vaporized.

"You just killed my Apprentice Magician," smiled Stan. "And when she's destroyed in battle, I get to search my deck for a Spellcaster of two stars or less, and summon it in facedown Defense Mode!"

He took his deck and leafed through it until her got what he wanted. He placed it down on his Disk, and the facedown card appeared.

"Now I'll just shuffle my deck…" he said.

He shuffled.

"And is that your turn?"

"Yeah," grinned Patrick. "As if your Magician of Faith will do you much good…"

Stan drew.

"This isn't my Magician of Faith," smiled Stan. "Would you like to see who it is?"

He hit a command, and the facedown Monster flipped into Attack Mode. It was a gnarled old wizard in colorful robes, leaning on a large staff. (450/600)

"It's my Old Vindictive Magician!" smiled Stan. "And when he's flipped, he destroys one opposing Monster! Old Vindictive Magician, destroy his Battle Footballer!"

Old Vindictive Magician chanted a spell, and strange symbols appeared in the air. He thrust his staff forward, and black magic shot out, vaporizing Battle Footballer.

Machine King's Attack went down to 2,300.

"You fool!" gloated Patrick. "You could have destroyed Machine King!"

"I have other plans for him," smiled Stan. "Because now I sacrifice my Old Vindictive Magician for Dark Magician Girl!"

Old Vindictive Magician vanished, and beautiful music started playing. The gorgeous female sorceress appeared in a flurry of hearts. She smiled sweetly. (2,000/1,700)

"Nice try, Stan," chuckled Patrick, "but your magical fairy isn't strong enough!"

"Yes, _she_ isn't…" said Stan, ominously.

He took a card from his hand.

"So I'll use this Magic Card," he continued. "The Sage's Stone!"

He threw it into a slot. A diamond appeared in the air, and Dark Magician Girl took hold of it. A light shone on the entire area…

"What does THAT do?" sputtered Patrick in fear.

"It let's Dark Magician Girl summon her master from my hand or deck!" smiled Stan.

"Master? You don't mean…" stuttered Stan.

Stan removed a card from his deck and threw it down on his deck.

:"That's right," he said. "Meet **Dark Magician**!"

The light coalesced into darkness, and the mighty Dark Magician appeared beside his protégé! (2,500/2,100)

"Dark Magician," yelled Stan, "destroy Machine King with dark magic attack!"

Dark Magician aimed his staff and fired, blowing Machine King into scrap!

"Now, Dark Magician Girl, blow him a kiss!" he yelled, "with a direct attack!"

Dark Magician Girl giggled. She leapt up into the air and fired with her scepter! Patrick screamed and fell over, and his Life Points fell to zero.

The referee came up and held Stan's hand up in the air.

"The winner of the Big Apple Duel Monsters Tournament is… Stanley Mason!" he proclaimed.

The crowd cheered.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Hmm…" said a voice.

In a dark room, a figure was seated on a throne, watching the action.

"You certainly have skill, Stanley," said the figure. "Perfect strategy, perfect timing, good deck construction, the right amount of luck…

"And not just any duelist can properly wield the power of Dark Magician. My first spouse would commend you…

"…posthumously.

"Well, enjoy your award money while you can. As dark as your sorcerers are, things are going to get darker…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Boston.

The Civics Center.

Currently hosting the Annual Massachusetts Regional Duel Monsters Tournament.

Final round.

On one side was a boy named Thomas Ghelding. He had an Unshaven Angler (1,500/1,600) on his side of the field, and one card facedown. The Monster was a frightening thing – a fishlike creature with teeth the size of knives.

But his opponent wasn't frightened. She was an absolutely gorgeous teenage girl. She had long, wavy blond hair, wore a red halter top, and a white leather jacket and miniskirt. Her name was Francesca Benedict.

Her side consisted of Amazoness Fighter (1,500/1,300), and Amazoness Paladin (1,700/300), who's Attack had been upped to 1,900 due to the presence of two Amazons.

Both of her Paladins wore skimpy clothing, but they clearly meant business. The muscular Fighter wore a blue bikini top and skirt, and had her hair was tied in a ponytail. The Paladin wore a white bikini top, skirt, and tattered cape, along with a gold tiara, and held a sword.

Francesca had 2,000 Life Points left, Tom had 4,900. Although she was losing, she was keeping cool.

And it was her turn.

"You think your little fish with the big bad teeth scares me, honey?" she mocked. "My Paladin could scale and gut it without half trying!"

"Yeah?" chuckled Tom. "Well why don't you attack it and see what happens!"

Francesca looked at his facedown card.

_My Life Points are low enough as it is…_ she thought. _I can't risk it…_

"I end my turn," she said.

_She fell for my bluff!_ thought Tom.

He looked at his hand.

_And I have almost all I need to finish her!_

He drew.

"I play… Card of Sanctity!" he exclaimed.

He plugged it into his Disk. A bright blue light shone in the air above them.

"Now we both must draw until we have six cards in our hand!"

They both made their draws.

_Yes!_ he thought.

"Now, I play Swords of Revealing Light!" he exclaimed.

He plugged the card into his slot, and a cage of swords rained down upon Francesca!

"That will keep you occupied for three turns!" he smiled.

"Big deal!" growled Francesca.

"And to finish my turn," he said, "I summon Whirlwind Prodigy in Attack Mode!"

He put the card down, and a whirlwind appeared on his side of the field. A young boy in brown clothing surrounded by wind and a swarm of birds and bats formed out of the whirlwind. (1,500/1,600)

"All right," said Francesca, drawing.

She smiled.

_Mirror Force! This will shake him up._

"I'll place a card facedown," she said, plugging it into her slot.

The facedown card appeared.

"And now I'll summon Amazoness Tiger!"

She placed another card on her Disk, and a fierce tigress appeared next to her two Amazons. (1,100/1,500)

"Not only does this lovable creature give my Paladin even more power…" smiled Francesca.

Amazoness Paladin's Attack went up to 2,000.

"…but the Tiger gains 400 Attack points for every Amazon on the field, including herself!"

(2,200/1,500)

"Also, you can't attack any Amazon except for her. Two more rounds, and you're tiger chow."

"We'll see," said Tom, drawing.

"For now I sacrifice my Unshaven Angler to summon the mighty Suijin!" he exclaimed.

He switched cards, and Unshaven Angler vanished. In its place rose a huge, watery creature with a demonic face and two powerful claws! A Japanese symbol was situated above its face. (2,500/2,400)

"WHAT?" gasped Francesca. "Wait… You cheated! You have to sacrifice _two_ Monsters to summon Suijin!"

"Do I?" explained Tom. "When I use Unshaven Angler as a sacrifice, it counts as two Monsters so long as I use it to summon a Water Monster, such as Suijin! So my move was perfectly legal!"

Francesca frowned.

"So…" she said. "Aren't you going to attack?"

"Not yet," he smiled. "I can't ignore your facedown card, and I can't risk losing Suijin right now. So I end my turn."

Francesca drew. She was getting nervous.

"I summon Amazoness Blowpiper in Defense Mode," she exclaimed.

Another Warrior woman, this one armed with a blowgun, appeared. She wore her hair short, and wore a green bikini and leather boots with skull-like kneecaps. She sat in Defense. (800/1,500)

The Paladin's Attack rose to 2,100, and the Tiger's rose to 2,700.

"Now my Tiger is stronger than your water elemental!" exclaimed Francesca.

"True," agreed Tom, "but if she attacks it, its special power will reduce her Attack Score to zero for that attack! And you're still a prisoner of my Swords…"

"I know! I end my turn," she responded.

"Lovely," he said, drawing. "Now, remember that effect that Unshaven Angler had? Well Whirlwind Prodigy has the same effect, but it works for Wind Monsters! So I sacrifice him to summon… Kazejin!"

Whirlwind Prodigy vanished, and in his place appeared a bulky green creature with no head, another Japanese symbol on its front, and two large claws. (2,400/2,200)

Francesca didn't like this. She could see where it was going…

"You're move, darling," said Tom.

"Don't call me darling…" she growled, drawing.

"I pass this turn," she said.

The Swords vanished.

"Excellent," said Tom. "And now I play…"

He revealed the card to her.

"Graceful Charity!"

He plugged it into his Disk.

"I won't insult you by telling you what this card does…" he said.

He drew three cards, added them to his hand. He quickly discarded two other cards.

"Now," he smiled, "I'll reveal my facedown card…"

He hit a button on his Disk, and the Trap Card revealed itself.

Call of the Haunted.

"You're going to revive a Monster you just discarded!" gasped Francesca.

"Heh, heh," chuckled Tom. "Did you figure that out yourself, or did somebody give you a strategy guide? Yep, that's just what I'm doing… So meet Sanga of the Thunder!"

A huge green and gold torso with two huge claws and a Japanese symbol on the front with electricity sparkling all over it appeared next to the other two deities, and lightning struck! (2,600/2,200)

_No!_ thought Francesca in fear. _He managed to summon the whole Trinity!_

"Now I'll blow away your Trap Card, with Mystical Space Typhoon!" he exclaimed, throwing a card into a slot.

Dark winds whipped around the field, and Francesca's Mirror Force was shattered!

"Now," chuckled Tom, "I fuse all three of these elementals to form one of the mightiest beasts in the Duel Monsters universe!"

He slapped a card down on his Disk, and the arena darkened, and thunder started to roll. Suijin, Kazejin, and Sanga of the Thunder swirled into orbs of multicolored energy…

…and they transformed into a creature standing nearly twenty feet tall! It looked like a combination of all three deities, with huge clawed hands. It let out a bellowing roar! Some children in the audience screamed!

"Bow down before... the unstoppable **Gate Guardian**!" shouted Tom.

(3,750/3,400)

"Heh, heh," laughed Tom. "I seem to remember you saying that I could only attack your Tiger. Well, no problem! Gate Guardian, attack her Tiger with dark storm of fury!"

Thunder and lightning flashed, and the three Amazons screamed as their pet was blown to atoms!

Francesca shielded herself from the blast, as her Life Points fell to 950.

"Not much left you can do," mocked Tom, "except move your Amazons to Defense Mode and let me pick them off…"

_Ooh,_ thought Francesca, _This best be a good draw…_

She drew.

She looked at the card.

"Well, Tom," she said, "I must say I'm impressed. You must be quite a duelist to be able to summon a Monster like Gate Guardian. That's the sort of power that my Amazons respect!"

"Why thank you," smiled Tom.

"Too bad they have to destroy you now…" said Francesca, softly.

"They can't!" yelled Tom. "Nothing you have can be that powerful!"

"Want a bet?" grinned Francesca. "First I have to activate my Blowpiper's effect…"

Amazoness Blowpiper loaded a dart into her weapon and put it to her lips. She fired, hitting Gate Guardian in the chest with the dart! It roared!

"What's the point?" sneered Tom.

"My Blowpiper's poison dart can, once during my Standby Phase, lower any enemy Monster's Attack points by 500 for the turn," she responded.

"Big whoop!" he laughed. "So he has an Attack of 3,250 for this turn…"

"Now I'll move her to Attack Mode," continued Francesca.

She turned the card, and Amazoness Blowpiper stood up.

"And now I play a Magic Card," she said. "Amazoness Spellcaster!"

She placed the card in her Disk, and an old female witchdoctor appeared behind Amazoness Blowpiper. She started chanting. The Blowpiper's eyes glowed, and Gate Guardian glowed red. Energy flowed between them.

"What's happening?" gasped Tom.

"Amazoness Spellcaster swaps the original Attack Score of one of my Amazons with that of an opposing Monster for the duration of the turn!" exclaimed Francesca. So now, Amazoness Blowpiper has an Attack of 3,750, while Gate Guardian has an Attack of 800, _minus_ the 500 it just lost!"

"WHAT?" shouted Tom. "That gives it only 300 Attack points!"

"Exactly!" smiled Francesca. "So now that your 'unstoppable' Monster is basically a wimp, Amazoness Blowpiper, attack that behemoth!"

Amazoness Blowpiper leapt forward, and delivered a savage kick to the great beast! It exploded in a burst of elemental energy!

Tom stared in disbelief as his Life Points tumbled to 1,450.

"Ugh…" he moaned. "I lost 3,450 Life Points…"

"You're about to lose more," smiled Francesca.

Tom looked up in fear at the other two Amazons on her side of the field…

"Tell you what," said Francesca, "I'll let YOU decide which one of these gals I'll attack you with."

"Uh…" stammered Tom.

"Come on," smiled Francesca. "The Paladin or the Fighter? Fifteen seconds…"

The Amazons smiled.

Tom didn't like the look of that Paladin's sword…

"The… Fighter…" he stuttered, closing his eyes.

"Eh, suit yourself," said Francesca, "but that was a poor choice. Amazoness Fighter, finish him off!"

Amazoness Fighter charged up and delivered a savage kick to Tom's groin with her knee! He screamed and fell over.

A lot of people in the crowd cringed.

"That _had_ to hurt…" muttered Francesca.

But truthfully, she always loved seeing that.

The referee came up and held Francesca's arm in the air.

"The winner of the Annual Massachusetts Regional Duel Monsters Tournament is… Francesca Benedict!" he announced.

The crowd cheered.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

In the dark throne room, the dark figure watched.

The figure chuckled.

"Impressive, Francesca," said the figure. "Your female army is potent… No wonder the dueling circuit calls you The Femme Fatale. You are a woman I can certainly admire…

"A shame, actually. In another place, at another time, we could have made great allies…"

The figure shook its head and sighed.

"But alas, that cannot be so. I'm sorry things must happen the way they must. I'll tell you now, what will happen to you is nothing personal…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Orlando, Florida.

The Disney World resort.

Currently hosting the Florida Regional Duel Monsters Tournament.

Final round.

On one side was a young girl wearing pigtails in her raven hair and an black dress. Her name was Ronda Belvins. She had Regenerating Mummy on her side of the field, its rotting form dripping holographic ichor all over her side. (1,800/1,500) She had 4,800 Life Points remaining.

On the other side of the field was a tall, muscular youth with short blond hair, dressed in a white tank top and a black leather vest and jeans. His name was Andy Markova. He had Masked Dragon on his side of the field in Defense Mode, and the reddish Dragon in an iron mask looked rather worried… (1,400/1,100)

Andy's Life Points were at 2,400. He was losing, but in the midst of a duel, fear was unknown to him.

And it was Ronda's turn.

"Regenerating Mummy," she ordered, "Attack his Dragon with rotting blast!"

The Mummy shot forth a wave of pestilence, and the Dragon was disintegrated.

"I think that was your last Masked Dragon," she chuckled.

"But its effect still lets me summon _this_," sneered Andy, reaching for his deck. "Troop Dragon in Defense Mode!"

He put a card down, and three small Dragon-men holding swords appeared, crouching in Defense. (700/800)

Ronda growled. "Your move," she pouted.

Andy drew.

"Now you're in trouble, Rhoda," he chuckled. "I sacrifice my Troop Dragon to summon Luster Dragon #2!"

The Dragon soldiers vanished in a gust of wind, and a huge emerald appeared. It burst, and a giant Dragon made of emerald gems appeared. (2,400/1,400)

"Luster Dragon," demanded Andy, "rot that Mummy with emerald flash blast!"

Luster Dragon shot forth a blast of green light, and Regenerating Mummy was blasted into shards of rotting flesh!

Ronda cringed as her Life Points fell to 4,200.

"Make your move," gloated Andy. "My Dragon is hungry!"

Ronda drew.

She grinned with her perfect white teeth.

"First," she said, putting a card down, "I'll play Monster Reborn, to bring back my Vampire Lord!"

A large coffin appeared on the field, and a creepy vampire with pale hair in a dark cloak stepped out of it. (2,000/1,500)

"Ugh!" snarled Andy in disgust. "I thought I took care of that creepy thing!"

He paused.

"Besides, he's no match for my Luster Dragon…"

"_He_ may not be strong enough," smiled Ronda, "but I can now remove him from play to summon an even stronger vampire! Vampire Lord, I banish you!"

Vampire Lord was obliterated.

"And having done so," she continued, "I can summon Vampire Genesis!"

A dark shadow appeared on the field, and a huge, muscular creature appeared. Resembling a cross between a Zombie and a Fiend, it had purple skin, a demonic face, and wore a spiked harness and a thick cape with spikes protruding from the edges of it! (3,000/2,100)

"And I'm activating his effect right now!" she laughed. "By discarding one Zombie from my hand, I can special summon a Zombie with fewer level stars from my Graveyard! So I'll discard my Dark Dust Spirit…"

She discarded the card.

"And Andy, meet Vampire Lady… again!"

Another coffin appeared on the field, and a beautiful female vampire in a purple dress with green skin and an evil smile stepped out of it. (1,550/1,550)

"Now, Vampire Genesis, shatter his Luster Dragon with Wrath of the Undead attack!"

Vampire Genesis threw back his arms, and shot forth a wave of unholy energy! Luster Dragon was blown into green pixels!

Andy's Life Points fell to 1,800.

"Vampire Lady," she laughed, "attack Andy directly, with vampire's kiss!"

Vampire Lady pounced! Andy screamed as she sank her teeth into Andy neck and drank her fill.

His Life Points were now at 250.

"Ugh," he groaned. "Actually, that was better than a lot of my dates…"

"You know what happens now," giggled Ronda. "You have to discard a card from your deck! I think… a Trap Card!"

Andy got up and skimmed through his deck. He took out Burst Breath and discarded it.

Then he reshuffled it and put it back in.

"Make your move," she said sweetly.

He looked at his hand.

_I have one of the cards I need for my killer combo, that would get me out of this,_ he thought, _but it isn't much good without the other two…_

He drew.

"I play Graceful Charity!" he said, placing the card into the slot.

He drew three cards and looked at them.

His eyes narrowed.

He made two discards.

"Watch this…" he started.

"I summon Red-Eyes Black Chick in Attack Mode!" he announced.

He put a card down. A small red egg appeared in front of him, and it slowly hatched. A tiny Dragon's head poked out and chirped. (800/500)

"You gotta be kidding…" laughed Ronda.

"I'm not half done!" exclaimed Andy. "When I summon this little guy to field, I can immediately sacrifice him for… Red Eyes Black Dragon!"

He put another card down, and the small hatchling started to grow, until it grew into full-grown adult Dragon size! (2,400/2,000)

"Red-Eyes Black Dragon?" exclaimed Ronda. "Where'd you get a card that rare?"

"That's quite an interesting story," smiled Andy. "Remind me to tell you some time."

"Yeah, well, fat lot of good it'll do you," chuckled Ronda. "He's hardly a match for Vampire Genesis!"

"I'm still not done!" exclaimed Andy. "As rare as this card is, I have an even rarer one! When Red-Eyes Black Dragon is on the field, I can immediately sacrifice it for a beast called Red-Eyes Darkness Dragon!"

He put another card down, and Red-Eyes grew even bigger, becoming even darker and becoming more fiendish! His eyes glowed with a feral red light! (2,400/2,000)

"_That's_ an improvement?" asked Ronda.

"Red-Eyes Darkness Dragon gains 300 extra Attack Points for every Dragon in my Graveyard!" exclaimed Andy. "And counting the two Dragons I used to create it, there are twelve of them!"

(6,000/2,000)

"Red-Eyes Darkness Dragon, attack Vampire Genesis with dark inferno blast!"

The Dragon belched forth a blast of dark fire, and Vampire Genesis was incinerated! Ronda screamed, as her Life Points fell to 1,200.

"Okay," smiled Andy, taking his last card. "I'll place a card facedown, and that will be all for my turn."

Ronda shivered as she drew…

"Disappointed with your draw, Ronda?" mocked Andy.

Ronda turned the card on her disk.

"I'll shift Vampire Lady into Defense Mode," she said, "and that will be all."

Vampire Lady knelt.

"You lose, Ronda," grinned Andy, drawing.

"Huh?" she said, shaking.

"I activate the Trap Card, Dragon's Rage!" shouted Andy, as his Trap lifted. "This card gives all my Dragons the ability to damage your Life Points even when your Monsters are in Defense Mode!

"Now, Red-Eyes Darkness Dragon, destroy her Vampire Lady and the rest of her Life Points!"

Red-Eyes blasted forth its dark flames, and Vampire Lady screamed. She was blown out of existence, and Ronda was thrown backwards from the blast! Her Life Points fell to zero.

The referee came up.

"And the winner of the Regional Duel Monsters Tournament is… Andy Markova!" he announced.

The crowd cheered.

A weight was lifted off Andy shoulders, as the "tough-guy" persona faded.

_Phew!_ he thought. _Wonder if there's still time to go on Space Mountain today?_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

As usual, someone was watching in a dark room.

"Ugh," said the figure in disgust. "Dragons. Vile, unpleasant, dirty, smelly, _disgusting_ creatures. I lost interest in them long ago. Of all the Monsters those fools threw at me, I hated them the worst. It took me a year for the burns alone to heal…

"You think you're so special because your Monsters are so powerful, don't you Andy? Well, there are stronger things. Nothing is indestructible. I should know.

"You'll learn it the hard way…"

At that point, a light flashed.

"Enter," said the figure.

Another figure entered and knelt.

"All the preparations have been made, sire," he said. "The invitations are on their way, and Monster Island is ready to receive the guests."

"Has everything been double-checked?" asked the figure on the throne.

"Yes," was the reply.

"Then do a triple-check," commanded the figure. "Everything must be perfect.

"After all, I've spent years preparing for this, and I won't tolerate imperfections…"

The figure rose off the throne, and lifted an object off of an ornate table…

A Duel Disk.

"Soon," muttered the figure, "it will all be over…"

She turned back to her monitors.

"I feel sorry for them, I truly do…"

She slid the Disk onto her arm.

"But it's either them… or me…"

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**Coming up next:**_

_**Introductions have been made, now we get serious. **_

**_Stan, Francesca, and Andy get letters that lead them on a journey to a strange locale that promises a friendly competition and a free vacation, but when they get their, odd things start already. Be here for Act One, and Chapter One, "Doorway to Destiny", coming soon._**


	2. Doorway to Destiny

_I thought I'd go ahead and put up the next chapter so the chapter after this could get up sooner. Enjoy._

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**You may have heard of a guy called Yugi Mouto. The greatest Duel Monsters duelist in the world. Most people would agree to that point. (Well, except maybe Seto Kaiba…)**_

_**He's made a lot of achievements – he won the Duelist Kingdom tournament, and the Battle City tournament. **_

_**I've won quite a few tournaments too, but of course, they were all chump change compared to what he's done.**_

_**Who am I? Well, um… **_

_**I'm his apprentice…**_

_**Well, truthfully, not really. We've never really met, but I like to call myself that. He inspired me to use his two favorite Monsters to create a Spellcaster-themed deck. And I hope to meet him someday…**_

_**But the important thing is, I've finally been invited to a major tournament myself. And should I go far in it, my dream of meeting my idol may become closer to reality.**_

_**My name is Stanley Mason, and I'm sixteen years old. **_

_**And it's time to take the Battle Ox by the horns.**_

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Yu-Gi-Oh!**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**The Thousand Year Door**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**ACT ONE**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER ONE**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Doorway to Destiny**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

Miami.

Sunday evening.

Andy was still feeling sick as he got home, carrying his luggage in one hand, and his tournament trophy in the other.

He had learned one important lesson about Disney World:

It was as follows:

If you're going to ride the Whirling Tea Cups, don't eat until _after_ you do so.

"'Happiest Place on Earth', they say," he grumbled, "more like the noisiest, most nauseating, most sugary, and most overrated."

As he walked in, his kid sister was parked in front of the television, and the distinctive sound of old _Loony Tunes_ cartoons were on.

"A burglar could waltz in here and steal everything we own," he mumbled, "and if cartoons were on, you wouldn't notice."

"I would so if he took the TV," she mused. "Hi, big brother… You won again, huh?"

"Yeah," replied Andy, "and I wish you'd have come to watch me!"

"I already told you," she shuddered, "Duel Monsters scare me…"

Andy sighed. This all went back to the time she watched him compete in his first tournament. He had taken a direct attack from a Dark Necrofear, and the blow had knocked him down for a few seconds. Trisha had been freaked out by it – she had honestly believed that the Fiend was _real_, and was going to _kill_ him. He ended up winning the duel, but after that, Trisha refused to watch him duel, no matter how much he assured her that he could take it.

He guessed he couldn't blame her. His sister cared for him a lot. But he wished she would shake this fear of scary Monsters…

He looked in disgust at the sight of Bugs Bunny blowing up Yosemite Sam with a cannon.

"Trisha," he moaned, "did you know that when some of these cartoons were made, our grandparents were in grade school?"

"You should watch," suggested Trisha. "They're funny."

"Much as I _love_ the sight of anvils being dropped on people's heads, I think I'll pass," sighed Andy sarcastically.

"Suit yourself," answered Trisha. "Mom and dad are working tonight at some special meeting, so they left money for pizza, and your mail is on the counter. There was a weird letter yesterday, by the way."

"Weird?" asked Andy.

"Yeah," she replied. "Is pepperoni okay?"

"Uh, sure," he answered.

He went to the counter.

His mail consisted of a copy of _Dueling Today,_ a letter from his pen pal, and…

He held up a strange envelope. It was larger than normal, had a lot of postage, and was made of golden paper. The front had his address, and a strange return address:

**Sydney Meyers**

**Rogueport**

**Monster Island**

Even stranger was the way it was sealed. The envelope was sealed with wax, and stamped with a signet ring that had a design like a strange eye on it.

Curious, he broke the seal and opened it.

Inside were four things – a letter, a train ticket, and two strange cards. They were the size and shape of Duel Monsters cards, but they seemed strangely made of crystal – or… something. They had the images of golden stars on the center.

He read the letter:

_**Dear Mr. Markova,**_

_**Congratulations on winning your latest tournament! I shake you warmly by the hand! I am writing to offer you the chance of a lifetime – to compete in one of the greatest of tournaments that the free world can offer.**_

_**I am one of the members of a council who heads Monster Island, a new community located in the south Atlantic. Though we have yet to obtain an official UN charter, we are a populous territory who have decided to open our shores for a great Duel Monsters tournament, where great duelists such as yourselves can compete for fame, prizes, and glory like none other.**_

_**To compete, you need only your Disk, your deck, and your skill!**_

**_Enclosed you will find a train ticket for a train to Annapolis. A special ship will be leaving from Chesapeake Bay on July 1st at noon. The instructions on the back of this letter will tell you how to get there. Simply show the two Crystal Cards that I have enclosed to the attendants, and you will be granted free passage. Do not lose these Cards. More info will be given about them upon your arrival. _**

_**I hope to see you soon. Do not miss this opportunity to duel like you never have before in our island paradise!**_

_**Sincerely, **_

_**Miss Sidney Meyers**_

_**Council of Monster Island**_

Andy took the strange letter to his room and read it several times.

_A community called "Monster Island"?_ he thought. _They must take Duel Monsters seriously!_

He took out his deck and looked at his favorite cards.

_Heh, why not?_ he thought._ I've got nothing to lose, and so much to gain!_

He took his Disk out his duffle bag.

"Disk," he said, "you and I are going places!"

Of course, it never occurred to him that this letter had to have been sent _before_ he had actually won the tournament…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Boston

3PM, the following day.

Two girls were walking out of class of Paul Revere High School, with books in their arms.

"So Fran," perked one of the girls, "wanna stop at the mall?"

"I'd love to Cindy," sighed Francesca, "but the algebra final exam is coming up on Wednesday, and I need to study."

"Why bother studying?" frowned Cindy. "You know you're gonna ace it!"

"Only an idiot gets too sure of herself," replied Francesca. "Besides…"

"Oh Fran…" called a voice.

"Uh oh," groaned Francesca, "egotist at two o'clock…"

A boy in a football jersey came up.

"Hey Fran, I…" he started.

"The name is Francesca, Steven," growled Francesca. "Only my friends are allowed to call me Fran. Not dopes who mistakenly believe that they're God's gift to women…"

"Heh, heh," smiled Steven. "Resistance – nice."

"I know what you want, Steve," frowned Francesca. "And you know the rules – I won't go out with you unless you can beat me in Duel Monsters."

"Well, I'm taking you up on that offer!" exclaimed Steve.

He pulled a deck out of his pocket.

"I've got a killer deck now!"

Francesca sighed.

"Fine," she replied, pulling her deck out of her belt (she was never without it). "I have a half hour to kill. There's a table over there. But if I win, you have to mow my parents' lawn tomorrow!"

"You're on!" he smiled.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Ten minutes later.

"There any reason you're hiding behind a nothing but a Wall of Revealing Light and a Mask of Restrict?" asked Francesca as she drew from her deck.

"You'll see," smiled Steve.

"I place a card facedown," she said, placing it behind her five Monsters. "It's your turn."

Steve drew a card.

"I activate Dust Tornado!" shouted Francesca. "It destroys your Wall!"

Doesn't matter laughed Steve, discarding it.

He placed a card down.

"I play Card Destruction!"

Francesca shrugged. She discarded her hand and drew a new hand, as did Steve.

"Now I play my facedown card," he continued, "The Warrior Returning Alive!"

He took a card from his discard pile.

"Then," he continued, picking up his discard pile, "I remove one Light and one Dark Monster from play to summon Black Luster Soldier, Envoy of the Beginning!"

He threw the card on the table.

"How long did you have to beg your dad before he bought you _that_?" frowned Francesca.

"Cute," smiled Steve, "he'll win the duel for me!"

"Now he'll attack your Amazoness Paladin _and_ your Amazoness Fighter!"

Francesca smiled and discarded the two cards.

"Anything else?" she asked.

"No, your move."

"Fine," she said, drawing.

"I play Monster Reborn, to bring the Paladin back," she said.

She recovered the Paladin and replaced the card.

"Then I summon Amazoness Tiger," she continued.

She put another card down.

"With five Amazons on my side, her Attack is 3,100, just enough to destroy your Soldier," she smiled, "so she'll attack…"

Steve gasped.

"And seeing as your Life Points are now 4,900, the combined Attack of my four other ladies is more than enough to finish you off."

The crowd gathering around them cheered.

"Really, Steven," she mused, gathering her cards, "if you ever want to be a true duelist, you have to learn better strategy. Had we been dueling with Disks, losing 4,900 Life Points from direct attacks would have seriously hurt you. That Envoy was powerful, but nothing in this game is indestructible."

Steve was dumbfounded.

"Be at my parents' house at four tomorrow, and bring your own refreshment," she snickered, walking away.

"Do I have to?" moaned Steve.

"Steve," frowned Francesca, "In Duel Monsters, wagers are sacred. You _must_ honor them. If you don't, you'll never be a true duelist."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Hi daddy!" she exclaimed, as she walked onto her patio.

She kissed him on the cheek. Her father was doing what he loved doing – barbecuing.

"Hi Fran," he smiled. "I'm trying something new tonight – mesquite ribs."

"Good news," grinned Francesca. "I found someone who'll mow the lawn tomorrow – for free."

Her father frowned. He knew about the dueling wagers she had often made.

"You got a letter on the counter," he sighed.

Fran went inside and looked at the letter, a similar one to the one Andy had gotten.

She read the letter.

_Wow,_ she thought. _The opportunity of a lifetime!_

_After all, I've got nothing to lose, and so much to gain…_

"Daddy?" she called, walking back out. "Remember when you said I could have anything you could afford for my birthday?"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

New York City.

The same day.

4 PM.

At a public library, Stan was playing a tabletop duel with his girlfriend. She was new at this, but he never went easy on anybody…

Especially with the bet she had made…

"Okay…" said Colette, drawing. "A Legendary Ocean lets me summon Terrorking Salmon with no sacrifice…"

She put a card down.

"And I'll attack _that_ facedown card!"

Stan lifted the card, and smiled.

"Sorry," he smiled, but you activated Magician of Faith's special effect, which lets me recover one Magic Card from my Graveyard, and I'm getting back the one you made me discard with your Delinquent Duo!"

He skimmed through his discard pile and retrieved a card.

"My turn?" he asked.

"Go ahead honey," she smiled.

He drew.

"Now you're gonna see the combo that won me Saturday's tournament!" he exclaimed. "First I flip summon my Old Vindictive Magician!"

He flipped the card.

"…which destroys one opposing Monster, so goodbye to Terrorking Salmon!"

Colette moaned as she discarded the card.

"Now," he continued, "I'll sacrifice Old Vindictive Magician for Dark Magician Girl…"

He switched cards on the table. Colette gasped in surprise.

"…AND, I'll use the Magic Card, the Sage's Stone, to summon Dark Magician!"

He leafed through his deck and took his prize card out, placing it beside Dark Magician Girl.

"Now I attack, and say bye-bye to your Life Points!" he laughed.

"Oh…" moaned Colette.

Stan slowly gathered his cards.

"You lost," he grinned evilly. "Now you must pay the price…"

Colette sighed. Then she walked up to him…

She held his head in her hands and gave him a big, deep kiss on the lips.

After thirty seconds, she let go, and Stan caught his breath.

"Think about that the next time you make dumb wagers," he gasped.

"How on earth did you get Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl?" pouted Colette. "I thought only Yugi Mouto had those two!"

Stan chuckled. "They are rare cards," he answered, "but they aren't unique. Yugi inspired me – I like to think that I'm his… apprentice.

"You know, as he would say, a card like Dark Magician is special. With most cards in a deck, the duelist chooses them when he builds the deck… but in some cases, a Monster chooses _him_. That's the case with Dark Magician…

"See, it was strange how I got this card, and many of the rare cards in my deck. I had a rich, snobbish great uncle named Julius Taft Mason who my family barely even spoke to. When he died, we didn't expect to be mentioned in his will. And I certainly didn't expect an old codger like him to have any Duel Monsters cards. But to my surprise, he left me a bunch of rare cards when he died, including the two Magicians. He left no explanation, but his will did have a requirement – that I use them to become a great duelist. So I built a deck, eventually got a Disk, and the rest is history."

"So why are you playing for kisses when you could do so much more?" asked Colette. "Surely, there must be an even bigger tournament out there than the Big Apple Tournament."

"Maybe," replied Stanley. "But I'll just have to wait until I'm invited to one…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The subway ride home was short and aggravating.

At his Manhattan townhouse, he smelled pasta sauce cooking.

"Mom, I'm home!" he exclaimed, entering the kitchen.

"Hi dear," she answered. "You got a letter."

Stan looked strangely at the letter. He took it to his room and opened it.

He read the letter, one almost identical to the one Andy and Francesca had gotten.

A light sparkled in his eyes.

He took out an old family album and opened to a specific page. A picture of a fat, frumpish man in anjudge's robewith a huge moustache was there.

"Uncle Julius," he smiled, "I'm finally going to meet your demands… I may not know why you gave me those cards or why you wanted me to become a great duelist, but this tournament will make me one!

"After all, I've got nothing to lose, and so much to gain."

He ran out of his room.

"Mom!" he shouted. "Hey mom!"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

For each of the three teenagers, it had taken a great deal of persuasion and promising, but eventually, permission was granted. One of the perks of being straight-A students with no discipline problems was that your parents trusted you. And after Francesca promised exactly fifty times not to let any boys touch her, her father consented. (Even then, he insisted she take a canister of mace with her).

School ended on a high note. Grades came in, and celebrations started. But for three teens at three cities on the East Coast, preparations were made.

On June 30th, Stan, Francesca, and Andy packed up everything they could carry, along with their trusty Duel Disks. They stowed their decks in their belts, along with the strange Crystal Cards, and head for the train stations.

They each had a boat to catch.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Annapolis, Maryland.

Chesapeake Bay harbor.

The right boat had not been hard to find – it was huge, after all.

Stan looked around. There must have been every major duelist in America gathered here. No one he knew, but plenty of competition.

He sighed. He wondered when they would begin boarding.

A man mounted a platform and went up to a microphone. He had a doughy face, and wore sunglasses and a microphone.

"Is this thing on?" he asked, speaking into. "Oh, uh, I suppose it is…"

Everyone chuckled.

"Hello everybody," he said.

It was clear he had a bad case of stage fright.

"I'm Hector Jacobs – call me Heck, everyone does – and I'm part of Monster Island's council.

"Anyway, I'll be running things until we arrive at our destination at 8 AM tomorrow. As you all board, be sure to show your two Crystal Cards to the attendant and sign your names.

"Now, accommodations aren't perfect, but they're the best we have. We have eight common rooms, five for men, three for women, which should be what is needed. Now I notice some of you already have your Disks strapped on – let's not get ahead of ourselves. Please no Disk dueling while on the ship. Our insurance doesn't cover you there. Feel free to talk, trade, or… whatever…

"When we take off, cold sandwiches, snacks, and drinks will be served free in the galley… hamburgers, chicken, and hot dogs will be served for dinner at six o'clock… uh, Easter Standard Time, that is. Monster Island is on Atlantic Daylight Time, which is… two hours later than now. I hope no one has trouble with jet lag.

"Anyway, there's no time like the present, so everyone try to do this orderly…"

Everyone started to rush up to the entrance.

"Wait!" he gasped. "I said _orderly_!"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

After a half an hour, all the guests were on board. "Heck" was the last one on.

"I'm getting too old for this," he moaned, as he went to the bridge.

When he got there, a radio phone rang.

He answered it.

"Jacobs here," he stated.

"Hello Heck," said a voice. "Just checking in…"

"Your excellence!" he gasped. "Uh… we're about to shove off…"

"Yes," hissed the voice. "Are our three special invitees on board?"

"Uh…" stuttered Heck, looking at the signatures on his clipboard. "Let me see here…"

He scanned the list.

"Yeah, they're here."

"Excellent," was the response.

"So what else do you want me to do?" he asked.

"Exactly what you're supposed to do," said the voice. "Keep the guests comfortable and happy. If any harm befalls them on this trip, even so much as seasickness, you'll answer to me personally…"

Heck gulped.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Slowly, the boat pulled out of the harbor…

The common room that Andy had been assigned to was crowded. He sat on a bunk, while going over his cards. He watched as two others were in the middle of a trade.

"Airknight Parshath?" asked the boy. "I dunno… Mazera DeVille is worth more than that…"

"Um," said the other. "Throw in Scapegoat?"

"Well, I could always use another one of those…" answered the first. "Okay, deal."

They swapped cards.

Andy sighed. He could never trade away any of the cards in his deck. The Dragons he used were like his children – they weren't for sale. Not for any price.

He looked at his Red Eyes Black Dragon card.

"Well, that's a rare card," said a voice over him.

He looked up, and saw Stan standing over him.

"Sorry," answered Andy, "but I'm not trading it."

"Didn't expect you to," replied Stan. "I know what cards like that mean to a duelist."

He skimmed though his deck.

"I have quite a few rare cards myself."

He held up his Dark Magician.

"Wow," smiled Andy. "That's mega-rare!"

He put his deck back in his case.

"Well, I'm going down to get a bite. Maybe we'll see each other later. Ciao."

_Well,_ thought Stan, _there's one guy who I can tell will be hard to beat…_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

In the cafeteria, the food seemed a tad limited. But at least it was free.

While in line, Andy couldn't help but look at the duelist who was next to him, who happened to be Francesca.

He sighed as he looked at her.

Francesca turned and noticed him. She frowned.

"Buddy, if you're going to hit on me," she warned, "three people already tried in the past hour, and they regretted it."

"What?" gasped Andy. "Oh, I wasn't going to hit on you! The way my luck is with women, you'd likely have rejected me anyway.

"Besides, I'm not someone who thinks a gorgeous woman can't have a brain…

"Even though you are gorgeous…"

He grinned a weak grin.

Francesca paused.

She smiled. _Finally_ there was someone who wasn't trying to get into her pants…

"The name's Francesca," she responded. "You can call me Fran if you want. Are you any good with your cards?"

"Well, I should hope so…" answered Andy.

"Well, maybe once this tournament starts we can meet up again," smiled Fran. "Maybe we can even duel – then you can show me for yourself…"

She smiled sweetly, and walked to a table.

_Why do you get so flustered around women?_ thought Andy. _You can stand up to The Masked Beast with no sweat, but girls make you quake in your boots. Maybe I should see a psychiatrist about this…_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Afternoon turned to evening.

As the boat moved on, Stan was on the upper deck, watching the sunset.

He skimmed through his cards, and looked at his more powerful Monsters.

_Dark Magician of Chaos,_ he thought, _Chaos Command Magician, Mind On Air, Buster Blader…_

He took out another.

"Ooh, Dark Magician Girl!" cried a voice behind him.

He looked up and saw Francesca.

"I've heard about her!" exclaimed Francesca. "Where did you get such a great Monster?"

"Long story," sighed Stan. "Do you play Spellcasters?"

"Naw," answered Francesca, "but Dark Magician Girl is a lot like the Monsters in my deck – and like me. She's a woman who's tough, independent, and doesn't take any crap from anyone!"

Francesca chuckled.

"Some lowlife slapped me on the ass the other day and got a black eye for it. Any of my Monsters would have _killed_ him if he did that to them! I think Dark Magician Girl is the same way…"

"Well, you're probably right," sighed Stan. "She's an independent woman, even though her dress is a little… revealing. There is only one man she takes orders from…"

He skimmed through his deck and lifted up his Dark Magician.

"This guy," he continued. "He taught her everything she knows, and she'll follow him everywhere. And she'll avenge him if he falls – when Dark Magician is defeated, she becomes stronger. And I have another strong female in my deck…"

He showed her another card. It was a frightening woman with green skin, black hair, a slick black leotard, and a smoky glass dome in place of the upper part of her head.

"Yeek!" gasped Francesca. "Who's that?"

"Her name is Mind On Air," smiled Stan. "And she may not look powerful, but she has a secret power…

"But I think I'll keep it secret for now…"

He shuffled his deck.

"Okay," smiled Francesca. "Maybe we'll meet again."

She turned to leave.

"Wait!" shouted Stan, "I didn't get your…"

She was gone.

"…name…" sighed Stan.

He shrugged.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Sleeping in a common room with thirty other people is difficult, but anyone can sleep if they're exhausted.

As several scores of duelists slept, a vision of the ship appeared in a crystal ball in a dark room. Two slender hands with long, elegant, fingernails with black polish caressed the surface.

"That's it," purred a female voice. "Come to my domain. Sleep now, for soon a new type of sleep will await you…"

The dark figure glanced over her shoulder and looked at six figures watching her.

"Have patience, everyone," she assured. "Soon you'll have all the action you can crave…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

At 6 AM (Atlantic Daylight Time), and announcement spoke over the loudspeakers.

"Attention," spoke Heck's voice. "Breakfast is now being served in the cafeteria. We will be reaching our destination, the town of Rogueport on Monster Island, in approximately two hours."

_Well,_ thought Stan, _best grab some breakfast before we see this place…_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Eventually, Stan walked up to the upper deck with his dufflebag in his hand. He looked out towards their destination…

And then he saw it for the first time.

Monster Island.

At first, the large island only had one remarkable feature – a huge mountain in the center. Then he started to make out several other features as they got closer. Forests, plains, valleys, strange structures…

He had heard of Maximillion Pegasus's Duelist Kingdom – but it had nothing on this place. This looked like it was almost the size of Manhattan itself! Clearly, Monster Island was nearly its own country. He suddenly had a thought – he might have to do a lot of walking during this tournament.

Fortunately, he had brought new sneakers.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The ship eventually docked in a large harbor. Several ships were already docked there – they seemed to be merchant ships, bring in supplies to the town that the harbor was a part of.

As for the town itself, it was easily identifiable. From the ship, everyone could see a wooden archway with the following sign:

**ROGUEPORT**

"Rogueport?" muttered Stan. "That sounds familiar…"

"Okay everybody!" shouted Heck. "Everybody disembark in an orderly manner! Once you are off the ship, follow me to the town square, where the director of this tournament will debrief you! I repeat, an orderly manner!"

Everyone started to scurry off the ship.

"This is NOT an orderly manner!" cried Heck.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Nonetheless, getting to the town square was a simple matter.

Stan looked around. All the buildings were old fashioned and made of wood. The street had cobblestones.

He looked around and saw some of the locals. Their dress suggested Elizabethan England. They seemed pretty cheery at the sight of the outsiders – likely they were expecting this duelist invasion.

The most intimidating sight in the town square was something in the center of it – a large gallows with a single noose. Some people started to murmur…

Then a woman stepped onto the gallows. She wore a black business suit and glasses, and wore her blonde hair in a bun.

"Okay folks, quiet down!" she called out in a demanding voice. "Don't worry, there won't be any hangings today! I'm sure you're very eager to get started. My name is Miss Sydney Meyers, part of the council of Monster Island, and head director for this tournament.

"Anyway, I have a question for all you kids… Who here has played the video game called _Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door_?"

Several duelists in the crowd raised their hands.

"Good," she continued. "For those who have, this tournament will seem like reminiscing. You may have seen the large mountain in the center of the Island. In the side of the mountain is something we call The Thousand Year Door…"

More murmurs broke out among the crowd.

"What's behind the Thousand Year Door?" she smirked. "Does the Shadow Queen wait inside for you? That's a secret, but I will tell you that the goal of this tournament is to gain access to the Thousand Year Door. And only eight duelists can do so.

"Now, Mario had to find seven Crystal Stars in order to gain access to his Thousand Year Door – you only need one to be allowed to enter, but getting one is hard to say the least.

"I'll explain carefully. I hope you all have those two strange cards made of crystal that were included with your invitation. These cards are your life as a duelist! Do NOT lose them!

"Or at least _try_ not to…"

She smiled.

"See, like all tournaments, you get ahead by dueling your competition. When you win a duel, you get to claim one Crystal Card from your defeated opponent. If you lose them all, I'm afraid you'll have to leave.

"Win seven Crystal Cards, and you'll be eligible to claim a Crystal Star. Insert the cards into your Disk, in any way, and it will lead you to the location of one of the eight Stars. Of course, getting it even then is far from easy. That's a secret I can't tell you about.

For the lucky few who get the Stars, head for the Thousand Year Door. Once you get in, new rules regarding dueling will be implemented."

_New rules?_ thought Stan. _What kind of new rules?_

"I'm afraid I can't tell you what those new rules are," continued Sydney, "but most of you won't have to worry about that anyway.

"Now, I hope you all didn't load yourselves down with supplies, because that's taken care of. Monster Island has several small towns like Rogueport here, where food and other basic amenities will be supplied for free to anyone wearing a Duel Disk. You'll find the population friendly and eager to help, so long as you don't abuse them. Rogueport is special case, however – it is a neutral territory where dueling is not allowed. After all, we wouldn't want you all plowing into each other the minute I stop talking.

"Rogueport has five roads leading out of it. Four of them lead to towns, while the north road leads directly to the Thousand Year Door. I advise you to steer clear of that one for now. If you don't have a Crystal Star… well, we can't guarantee your safety if you go near it.

"Anyway, good luck to all of you. Let the dueling commence!"

She stepped down from the gallows, and quickly walked away, vanishing into a side street.

The crowd muttered for a minute, and then started to disperse.

_Well,_ thought Stan, _might as well get started…_

He whipped out his Duel Disk and strapped it onto his arm. He took his deck out of his case and shuffled it. Then he loaded it into the deck tray.

"Monster Island," he shouted, "look out!"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Ten minutes later, he was stepping out of a store, looking at a map he had gotten.

"Petalburg… Twilight Town… Keelhaul Key…" he pondered. "Man, whoever designed this place played too many video games!"

And then, a man in a dark cloak bowled into him, knocking them both over!

"Oh, I'm s-s-s-sorry," stuttered the man. "My f-f-fault!"

He got up and took off.

_Well that was unpleasant,_ thought Stan.

Then he looked down.

Several Duel Monsters cards were spilled on the ground.

"Hey, mister!" he screamed, picking them up. "You dropped your cards! You dropped your cards!"

He looked around, but the cloaked man had vanished.

"Nuts," said Stan.

Getting curious, he looked through the dropped cards.

He frowned. Almost all of them were weak Monsters with no effects.

_Mokey Mokey?_ he thought. _Skull Servant? Kozaky? Petite Dragon? Goblin Calligrapher? The only deck these would be good in would be one of those that uses Triangle Power or Thousand Energy and that other card… What's it called? The Law of the Normal?_

He continued to leaf through them. Then he saw a Magic Card among them, one called…

"_Sweet Treat"?_ he thought. _Never heard of this one…_

He read the description.

"HOLY…" he shouted.

"This is mega-powerful!" he gasped. "It must be worth a fortune! Whoever that guy was is gonna panic! I've gotta find him!"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

For the next half hour, he questioned several of the locals. Eventually, a woman gave him some info:

"A chap in a black cloak?" she answered. "Yes, I just saw him. He took the road to Petalburg."

"Uh, thanks," answered Stan. "Then that's where I'm going."

He looked at the Sweet Treat card.

A great temptation came over him.

"I _will_ give this back to him when I find him," he muttered. "But I'm sure he won't mind me using it until then."

He shuffled the card into his deck.

"So," he said, "off to Petalburg… and a challenge or two along the way!"

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**Bet you want to know just what "Sweet Treat" does. Well, you'll have to wait until next chapter to find out.**_

_**And speaking of next chapter…**_

_**The preliminaries are over – time for the duels!**_

**_On the road to Petalburg, Stan finds his first challenge, meeting someone with a strange connection to a memorable character from the anime! Don't miss "Everything's Relative" coming up soon._**


	3. Everything's Relative

_I want to thank "generic reviewer" for pointing out that the language in this fic is inappropriate for a K+ rating. This fic is now rated T, the equivalent of PG-13._

_But anyway, on with the story, and the first full duel._

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**I've been on Monster Island for forty-five minutes, and already I've found my first challenge. **_

_**And she's no rookie either. This cute, ponytailed, spectacled girl can duel pretty well. And while she seemed friendly on the outside, her style of dueling is as ruthless as most of my opponents.**_

_**That I can handle, but there's something I can't shake about her… Something familiar… I'm almost certain that this kid is hiding a secret that she doesn't want me to know about…**_

_**And before this duel is over, I'm going to figure out what it is, whatever it is…**_

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER TWO**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Everything's Relative**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

After leaving Rogueport, the road to Petalburg was clearly laid out.

The long dirt road wandered through peaceful meadows full of daisies and fruit trees, with a babbling brook here and there. It was a peaceful and serene environment.

Stan looked at his map. Apparently he was in Petal Meadows, a mile and a half from Petalburg.

He wondered where his competitors were. He'd have liked to get at least one duel in before stopping at another town.

_Humph,_ he thought. _Likely everyone who went this way are already at Petalburg. I spent so much time trying to track down that guy who dropped those cards. Sigh, that's me, Mr. Good Samaritan…_

Then he noticed the sound of somebody humming. It was coming from off the trail.

Curious, he followed the sound.

About one hundred yards off the path, underneath a tree, a young girl, about fourteen years old or so, was on her knees, looking at something on the ground. She had light green hair tied in a ponytail, and wore silver-rimmed glasses. She also wore green overalls and a blue shirt. A Duel Disk was on her arm.

She seemed to be examining something on the ground with a magnifying glass.

"Strange," she muttered. "It… looks like some variety of mantis… But I've never seen this particular species before… Strange coloring, misshaped mandibles…"

"Ahem," said Stan.

The girl looked up.

"Oh, uh, hullo," she smiled. "Heading to Petalburg?"

"Yeah," acknowledged Stan. "I guess you had the same idea."

"Mmm," she nodded, "but I thought I'd take in the local wildlife first… get the basic gist of this island…"

"I take it you're a competitor and not a native…" stated Stan.

"Um, yes," answered the girl, raising her Disk, "but I haven't found anyone to duel yet…"

Stan grinned.

"Well," he smiled, raising his, "maybe I can give you a chance!"

The girl giggled and stood up.

"I warn you," she grinned. "I'm quite good…"

"We'll see," said Stan. "Oh, where are my manners… My name is Stan… Stanley Mason."

"I'm Wanda," replied the girl.

"Uh yeah," said Stan.

He looked at her strangely.

"Do you have a last name?" he asked.

Wanda's eyes shifted nervously.

"Um, no," she stammered. "I don't have a last name… I'm kinda like Cher…"

Stan looked at her again.

_Kind of like Cher?_ he thought. _Is this girl hiding something?_

_There's something awfully familiar about this kid… I can't quite put my finger on it, but something is really familiar…_

"Well," he asked, "do you accept my challenge?"

"You're on!" she smiled.

"Then it's time to duel!" smiled Stan. "As they say…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

As Stan and Wanda stood five meters apart, Stan noticed something: They had drawn an audience.

And it wasn't a human audience.

It seemed a great deal of the wildlife had gathered to watch them. Several deer, dozens of rabbits, a few foxes, a wolf or two, and one large bear had formed around them, keeping a safe distance. Eagles, hawks, and a few owls perched in the nearby trees.

This was strange – wolves, foxes, and birds of prey preyed on rabbits, and wolves often preyed on deer. What made carnivores and herbivores call a truce to watch them? And since when were animals interested in Duel Monsters anyway? For as long as he could remember, animals were frightened of these kind of things.

He nervously shuffled his deck.

"Ready Stan?" smiled Wanda, loading her deck.

"Ready!" announced Stan. "See my hat?"

He slowly turned his baseball hat, so that the brim was behind his head.

"I turn my hat backwards, and it's like a switch! Activate holo-imagers!"

With twin bursts of steam, the holo-imagers shot out of his Disk and set up on either side of him. The twin halves of the Disk snapped into place. Wanda repeated the trick.

The Life Point Counters set to 8,000 apiece.

"Since I challenged you, you may go first," said Stan.

Wanda giggled and made her first draw.

"For my first move," she smiled, "I'll place this Monster facedown in Defense."

She placed the card down on her Disk, and the card appeared in front of her.

"And, that's my turn."

Stan made his first draw.

_Humph,_ he thought, looking at his hand. _Mediocre at best. Well, this guy isn't half bad…_

"I'll summon a Spellcaster known as The Illusory Gentleman, in Attack Mode!" he stated.

He put a card down, and a tall creature appeared out of the shadows. He wore a fancy orange and black suit with a cape, and carried a knobbed cane. His expressionless face had one glaring eye. (1,500/1,600)

"Gentleman," ordered Stan, "attack with dark illusion!"

The Illusory Gentleman raised his staff and shot forth a blast of multicolored light...

A spherical creature with three eyes, three claws, and a toothy mouth appeared on the card, and was vaporized.

"Huh?" said Stan. "Sangan?"

"Uh huh!" smiled Wanda. "So now I get to take a Monster with low Attack power from my deck!"

A card slipped out of Wanda's deck, and floated into her hand.

"Eh?" she mused. "Well that's a neat trick…"

Stan was surprised to say the least. The Duel Disks weren't _that_ advanced. How did it even know which one she wanted?

He looked at his own Disk, and shrugged.

"Now it's my turn," said Wanda, drawing, "and I'll summon the mighty Neo-Bug!"

She put a card down, and a frightening form appeared. It looked like a huge cross between a scorpion and a dragonfly, with huge pincers, mandibles, and droning wings, covered with a blue exoskeleton! (1,800/1,700)

Stan didn't know what to feel – shock that she had played an Insect Monster, or worry that this particular Insect was stronger than his Monster…

"Neo-Bug," commanded Wanda, "attack The Illusory Gentleman with neo-bite!"

Neo-Bug flew forward, and clasped The Illusory Gentleman with its mandibles! He gasped, and burst into pixels!

Stan's Life Points fell to 7,700.

"I'll set a card facedown and end my turn," commented Wanda, setting a card down.

The card appeared behind her Neo-Bug.

Stan drew.

"I'm activating a Trap!" smiled Wanda, tapping her Disk. "DNA Surgery!"

The Trap Card lifted, and a giant double-helix appeared in the middle of the field!

"That lets you change the Type of all Monsters summoned to any Type you desire!" exclaimed Stan.

"Exactly!" smiled Wanda. "And I desire Insects!"

"What's the point?" asked Stan.

"You'll see soon enough," giggled Wanda.

Stan placed a card down.

"I summon Skilled Dark Magician in Attack Mode!" he stated.

A sorcerer in a bulky robe and a flat-topped hat appeared, clutching a long, steel staff. (1,900/1,700)

Then his eyes turned compound, he grew antennae, and his hands turned to claws.

"Eww," grunted Stan. "Skilled Dark Magician, attack her Neo-Bug with dark magic blast!"

The Magician aimed his staff, and blasted the Neo-Bug into bug juice!

Wanda's Life Points fell to 7,900.

"Your bug just went splat," smiled Stan.

"That's okay," smiled Wanda, "now the real fun can begin!"

She drew. She added the card to her hand.

She put another card down.

"I summon Prickle Fairy in Defense Mode!" she exclaimed.

A large plant sprouted out of the ground, and it shaped into a pretty plant-like woman covered with thorny vines, dressed in a purple dress. She grinned at Stan. (300/2,000)

"Prickle Fairy?" asked Stan. "What does she do?"

"So long as she's on the field," smiled Wanda, "none of my Insects can be attacked. And since my DNA Surgery card makes Prickle Fairy _herself_ an Insect, you can't attack her either!"

_Nuts,_ thought Stan. _I've gotta destroy that Trap Card!_

"It's your move," smiled Wanda.

Stan drew. He looked at the card.

_Pixie Knight,_ he thought. _Not the best time for her, but I might as well put her on the field…_

"I summon Pixie Knight in Attack Mode," he stated.

He put a card down, and a pretty female Spellcaster with a blue suit, a witch's hat, and gossamer wings appeared, carrying a dagger strapped to her side. (1,300/200)

And then, she too developed compound eyes, antennae, and claws.

"Your move," he sighed.

_Man, that Trap not only is a nuisance,_ he thought, _it's making my Monsters ugly!_

Wanda drew.

"Now I'll play Anti-Aircraft Flower, in Defense Mode!" she exclaimed.

She put another card down, and a new plant sprouted. This one looked like it was a cross between an orchid and a television satellite antennae. (0/1,700)

"And remember," she explained, "since my Trap Card makes this Monster an Insect too, my Prickle Fairy protects it!"

"Your move," she giggled.

Stan was confused. He drew.

"Um, I pass this turn," he said.

Wanda grinned with her pure white teeth as she drew.

"Now I can strike!" she smiled. "I summon… Cockroach Knight!"

She put down a card, and a beetle-like insect-man in armor with a sword appeared. (800/900)

"Now let me explain the special effect of Anti-Aircraft Flower," she started. "I can sacrifice an Insect Monster, and it can attack you directly for 800 points of damage to your Life Points! So Cockroach Knight, buh-bye…"

Cockroach Knight was consumed in an aura of energy that flowed into the Flower. The Flower took aim at Stan.

"FIRE!" shouted Wanda.

Anti-Aircraft Flower shot forth a blast of energy, striking Stan and sending him staggering back! His Life Points fell to 6,900.

"Oh, and by the way," giggled Wanda.

Her deck glowed, as a card reformed on the top of it.

"When Cockroach Knight is sent to the Graveyard, it returns to the top of my deck, allowing me to keep sacrificing it!"

"Lovely," groaned Stan. "Well, it's my turn…"

He drew.

_Well that's useful,_ he thought.

"I summon Blast Magician in Attack Mode!" he exclaimed, placing a card down.

A bonfire appeared on his side of the field, and a tall figure stepped out. He looked sort of like Dark Magician, but was dressed in scarlet, and carried a staff with a scythe-like blade at the end. His eyes glowed with fiery light.

And then he was transformed, just as his comrades were.

"Impressive," smiled Wanda.

"I end my turn," smirked Stan.

Wanda drew.

"I summon Cockroach Knight again!" she yelled.

She put the card down, and the Insect reappeared. Again, it was absorbed into the Flower.

"FIRE!" yelled Wanda.

The Flower blasted Stan again, knocking him down and lowering his Life Points to 6,100.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

On a hill overlooking the knoll, someone was watching the battle with binoculars.

_That guy I saw on the ship is in trouble,_ thought Francesca. _Too bad. It would be embarrassing to be beaten by a bunch of bugs…_

She sighed as she remembered a tough opponent who used an Insect deck with DNA Surgery. She didn't use Prickle Fairy, but she used Insect Barrier to keep her Amazons from attacking, and then summoned Insect Queen to pound away at her. Fortunately, after her opponent had four Insect Tokens, she managed to win using an Amazoness Archers Trap, which forced the Queen and three remaining Tokens to Attack her two Amazoness Swords Women, dealing her opponent 5,800 points of damage in one turn and winning the duel.

Now, she couldn't help but wonder how this would turn out…

If Stan lost, perhaps she'd challenge Wanda herself…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Stan drew.

"I play my Pot of Greed!" he exclaimed.

He fit the card into the slot, and the grinning jar appeared before him.

"Now..." he started.

A phantom hand reached out of the Pot of Greed and took two cards from the top of his deck. It handed them to him.

"Uh, thanks…" muttered Stan, taking them.

_Boy, that was weird,_ he thought, as the Pot vanished.

Then energy flowed into Blast Magician and Skilled Dark Magician. Blast Magician's blade burned with fire, and Skilled Dark Magician's staff turned from steel to copper.

"Now to utilize Blast Magician's special effect!" smiled Stan.

"Effect?" asked Wanda.

"Yes!" grinned Stan. "For each Magic Card that is played, he gains a Spell Counter that can destroy 700 Attack Points worth of Monsters! And since your Prickle Fairy has only 300 Attack Points, I only need to expend the Spell Counter he just got. So, Blast Magician, blast that Prickle Fairy!"

Blast Magician's scythe blazed with fire, and he shot flames forward! Prickle Fairy screamed as she caught on fire, and was burned up! She was reduced to cinders!

"Now, Skilled Dark Magician, attack her Anti-Aircraft Flower!"

Skilled Dark Magician aimed, and fired his dark spell! The Flower exploded.

"Pixie Knight, attack her Life Points directly with pixie dust!"

Pixie Knight raised her arms, and shot forth a blast of sparkling dust, which slammed into Wanda! She staggered back, and her Life Points fell to 6,600.

"Blast Magician, your turn! Attack her with blast attack!"

Blast Magician shot forth a stream of fire, and Wanda screamed as it hit her! Her Life Points fell to 5,200.

"Well Wanda," smiled Stan. "I end my turn. But what are you going to do? All you can do is draw your Cockroach Knight."

"Then I'll have to get rid of him," grumbled Wanda, getting up.

She drew.

"I place one card facedown," she said, slipping a card into a slot.

A card appeared in front of her.

"Then I'll summon Cockroach Knight to the field," she continued.

She put the card down, and Cockroach Knight returned a third time.

"Now, a Magic Card," she said. "Dark Core!"

She slid a card into a slot, and a huge black hole appeared over her head!

"I simply have to discard one card from my hand…" she explained.

She made a discard.

"…and this removes Cockroach Knight from play!"

Cockroach Knight was sucked into the black hole, which snapped shut.

Stan's two Magicians absorbed the energy from the Magic Card again, and Skilled Dark Magician's staff glowed silver.

"Now another Magic Card," she smiled. "Card of Sanctity!"

She plugged it into a slot, and a bright blue glow flashed over their heads.

"Now we must draw until we each hold six cards!" she giggled.

Stan frowned. That was far more of a benefit for her than it was for him. But now his two Magicians absorbed even more energy, and Skilled Dark Magician's staff glowed golden.

Wanda made her draws and looked at the cards.

"Out of those cards, I'll play my Dian Keto the Cure Master card," she stated.

She placed a card into a slot, and the graceful form of Dian Keto materialized behind her. He gestured over his crystal ball, and sparking motes fell upon Wanda. Her Life Points rose to 6,200.

"Now I'll place another card facedown and end my turn," she finished.

She slid another card into a slot, and it appeared.

Now she had two facedown cards in front of her – and no Monsters.

Stan was suspicious… He drew.

Monster Reborn.

_I'll save this,_ he thought.

"Well," he smirked, "now that more than three Magic Cards have been played…"

A card slipped out of his deck and floated into his hand.

"Um," he stuttered, "as I was saying, now that more than three Magic Cards have been played, I can sacrifice my Skilled Dark Magician for Dark Magician!"

He switched cards on his Disk.

"But just in case one of those cards is a Mirror Force, I'll summon him in Defense Mode."

Skilled Dark Magician vanished, and Dark Magician appeared, kneeling and holding his staff across his lap. Huge moth wings grew out of his back and antennae sprouted from his forehead, but he didn't seem to care. (2,500/2,100)

"Now, Blast Magician, attack her again with blast magic!"

Blast Magician's blade burned with flame, and he shot forth a blast of fire!

"Activate… Waboku!" yelled Wanda.

Her Trap Card lifted, and three blue-robed priestesses sprang up. The stream of fire was halted.

"Humph," grunted Stan. "Fine. I end my turn."

Wanda drew.

_Hmm,_ she thought. _I have all the cards in my hand for a perfect combination. But first I have to get rid of his Blast Magician…_

"I summon my Insect Knight!" she grinned, placing a card down.

A tall, humanoid mantis with a brown exoskeleton holding a jagged sword and a shield appeared! It clicked its mandibles menacingly! (1,900/1,500)

"Insect Knight," laughed Wanda, "attack his Blast Magician with your mandiblade!"

Insect Knight spread its wings and flew forward! It struck Blast Magician with his sword, and the Spellcaster-turned-Insect groaned, and then burst into flames.

Stan's Life Points fell to 5,700.

"Your move," smiled Wanda, sweetly.

_Now why did she do that?_ wondered Stan. _She knows that Insect Knight is no match for Dark Magician._

He drew.

_Magic Formula,_ he thought. _This Equip can raise a Spellcaster's Attack by 500 points, but until I find a way to get rid of her Trap, my Monsters aren't Spellcasters!_

"I shift my Dark Magician into Attack Mode!" he exclaimed.

He turned the card, and Dark Magician rose to his feet.

"Dark Magician, attack Insect Knight! Dark magic attack!"

Dark Magician aimed his staff, and fired, blowing Insect Knight into pieces!

"Now, Pixie Knight, attack her Life points directly!"

Wanda braced herself as Pixie Knight shot forth her stream of dust. She grunted and staggered back again.

Sweat ran down her face as her Life Points fell to 4,300.

"Well," smiled Stan, "I'm in the lead."

"Not for long," chuckled Wanda, drawing.

She put a card down.

"I summon… Petite Moth, in Defense Mode!" she exclaimed.

A tiny silkworm appeared on her side. (300/200)

"And now," she said, fitting a card into a slot, "I'll Equip it with the mighty Cocoon of Evolution!"

Petite Moth began to spin strands of silk, and within seconds, it had formed a gigantic maroon pupa, ten feet tall and five feet wide, glistening with slime! (0/2,000)

"Over the next six of my turns," smiled Wanda, "my weak Moth will evolve into a mighty creature known as Perfectly Ultimate Great Moth, and once it hatches, I'll be unstoppable!

"And to make sure…"

She reached for another card.

"Wait a minute…" interrupted Stan.

He looked at Wanda.

"This is all familiar…" he pondered. "The Insects, and now the Cocoon of Evolution…"

He paused again. Wanda started to sweat.

"This is Weevil Underwood's signature move!" he exclaimed.

Wanda now dropped her cheery attitude. She started to look angry.

"I don't know what you're talking about!" she shouted, nervously. "I don't know any Weevil Underwood!"

"Are you sure?" asked Stan, accusingly. "You even have the same hair color… glasses…"

"Don't insult me!" shouted Wanda. "I'm a far better duelist than my sleazy bro…"

She clasped her hand over her mouth.

"Is there something you want to tell me?" asked Stan.

"Okay, I'll admit it," croaked Wanda. "That rotten Weevil Underwood… is my brother…"

Stan paused.

"So?" he asked.

"SO?" exclaimed Wanda. "That dung beetle is a curse on my family! He got to the top of the dueling circuit by cheating his way there! He couldn't duel fair if his life depended on it!

"Just a few months ago, he teamed up with a monstrous organization and practically sold his soul in a mad vendetta against Yugi Mouto. It was too much for me... When he recovered, I screamed at him and said I would never speak to him again… And I _won't_ either!"

"If you hate him so much," asked Stan, "why do you play an Insect deck like his?"

"My parents are both etymologists," explained Wanda. "Some of the best in the world. They – and I – are fascinated by insect life. Do you know that the insect class contains more species than that of all other classes combined? And more are being discovered each week! My folks are certain that somehow, insects can help mankind…

"Who knows? Somewhere in the rain forests of Brazil, there may be an unknown species whose saliva could be made into a vaccine for AIDS or a cure for cancer! With the insect world, you never know!

"But that lousy Weevil only cared about one aspect of insects – how much people were afraid of them! How much people dreaded the stings of bees and wasps! That's why he made a deck of Insect Monsters! He perverted my parents' love of them! But I'll show him! I'll become an even better Insect duelist, and teach people the true wonders of insects!"

She stopped to catch her breath…

"Wanda," smiled Stan, "you're getting upset for nothing. Weevil's sins aren't your fault. A wise man once said, you can choose your friends, but you can't choose your relatives. You already are a better duelist that Weevil – you've played a perfectly fair duel thus far…"

He smiled.

"But I'm afraid you're fooling yourself. My Dark Magician can destroy your Cocoon with one mighty blow."

Wanda smiled.

_Good, she's smiling,_ thought Stan. _Maybe I've made her feel better._

"That's what you think," smiled Wanda. "My turn isn't over yet… And I have a way of protecting it that my dumb brother never thought of!"

She fit a card into a slot.

"Because now I'm Equipping my Cocoon with Heart of Clear Water!"

And aura surrounded the Cocoon, and it turned from maroon color to light blue.

"Huh?" asked Stan.

"Let me explain," stated Wanda. "Heart of Clear Water can only be Equipped to a Monster with less than 1,300 Attack points – my Cocoon has zero. Now my Cocoon can't be destroyed by attacking it. Damage calculation would still apply, but since it's in Defense Mode, that hardly matters.

"And anyway it's your turn now."

Stan furrowed his brow. He drew.

_Me and my big mouth,_ he thought.

He looked at the card.

_What am I worried about?_ he thought. _That Cocoon's got nothing on my Heavy Storm! Since Cocoon of Evolution is considered an Equip Card the way it is, this will destroy it and her DNA Surgery, leaving her with nothing but Petite Moth! I'll have her cold!_

He threw it into a slot.

"I activate Heavy Storm!" he shouted.

The card revealed itself, and winds started to whip up around the field!

Wanda smiled.

"I knew you'd try something like that," she giggled. "So I placed a particularly deadly Trap to stop you. Activate… Judgment of Anubis!"

He facedown card lifted, and a frightening spectral wolf appeared in the air!

"What?" gasped Stan.

"Judgment of Anubis activates whenever you attempt to destroy one or more Magic or Trap cards!" laughed Wanda. "It not only foils the attempt, but it destroys one of your Monsters, and deducts the Monster's total Attack Score from your Life Points! I may have to discard a card to make it work…"

She discarded one of her cards.

"…but it's worth it! Anubis, destroy!"

The wolf howled, and Dark Magician cringed. He was blown to bits!

The animals who were watching shuddered as the wolf spirit faded away.

"Tell me," smiled Wanda, "would Weevil have thought of _that_?"

Stan's Life Points fell all the way to 3,200.

"Ugh," groaned Stan. "I'll switch Pixie Knight to Defense Mode, and end my turn."

He turned the card, and Pixie Knight shyly hid behind her wings.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Meanwhile, Francesca was still watching.

_Wow,_ she thought, _This kid can really duel. And if that Moth actually hatches, it's gonna take a miracle to keep that guy from losing._

_I really feel sorry for that kid. He didn't seem to be that bad a guy. But, that's the way it goes sometimes…_

_In Duel Monsters, it's kill or be killed. You learn that from day one._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Wanda drew.

"I'll place a card facedown," she said, "and then I'll summon my second Neo-Bug!"

She placed the cards into her Disk. The facedown card appeared, and then another Neo-Bug materialized! (1,800/1,700)

"Neo-Bug," she commanded, "destroy his Pixie Knight!"

Neo-Bug flew forward, and clasped its mandibles around Pixie Knight! She screamed and burst.

"Super," sneered Stan. "But since you destroyed my Pixie Knight, you activated her effect. Namely, you have choose one Magic Card from my Graveyard to return to the top of my deck!"

"Oh," muttered Wanda.

She thought for a minute.

"Uh, Pot of Greed," she mused.

A card flew out of Stan's discard slot, and slid onto the top of his deck.

_Weird,_ thought Stan again.

"Your move again," sighed Wanda.

Stan drew the card.

"I'm activating my Trap!" giggled Wanda.

Her facedown Card lifted.

"Pyro Clock of Destiny!"

An ancient clock made of metal with hieroglyphics for numbers and a fiery hand appeared over her head.

"What does that do?" gasped Stan.

"Simple," smiled Wanda. "Pyro Clock of Destiny moves us forward one full round into the future!"

"That means your Cocoon will hatch one round early!" gasped Stan.

"You got it!" giggled Wanda. "I can't fool you!"

Stan cringed.

"I'll play the Pot of Greed," he said.

He put the card down, and again the jar appeared. Again, the phantom arm reached for his deck and handed him two cards.

Stan looked at them. His eyes opened wide!

_That weird card I found…_ he thought. _Might as well give it a test run…_

"First I'll place a Monster facedown in Defense," he said, placing a card on his Disk.

The hidden Monster appeared.

"Now I play this Magic Card," he continued. "Sweet Treat!"

He slid the card into a slot.

"Sweet Treat?" asked Wanda. "I've… never heard of that one…"

"Truthfully," shrugged Stan, "it's rather new to me too…"

The card revealed itself, and a form flied out of it. It was a smiling gingerbread man holding a pink dice!

"Now," explained Stan, "this dice is going to go for a roll, the result will multiply by 1,000, and the total will be added to my Life Points!"

Wanda gasped.

The gingerbread man tossed the dice… It skipped and rolled…

It landed on a three!

"Not bad," smiled Stan.

His life Points rose up to 6,200.

"Now, because I played that powerful card, I have to end my turn," he explained. "So go ahead."

Wanda frowned and drew.

"I summon another Insect Knight!" she shouted.

She put a card down, and a clone of the first Insect Knight appeared, waving his sword! (1,900/1,800)

"Go my mantis warrior!" she cheered. "Attack his facedown card!"

Insect Knight charged…

A sorcerer in a white robe and a cowl appeared on the card. He raised his staff, and parried the blow. (1,700/1,900)

"Sorry," smiled Stan, as the Spellcaster started to mutate, "but that was Skilled White Magician, and with his Defense at 1,900, that battle was a draw."

"Fine," frowned Wanda. "I'll place this card facedown and end my turn."

She placed a card into a slot, and it appeared behind her three Monsters.

Stan drew. He saw that the Cocoon of Evolution was shivering.

_Two more turns before that thing hatches…_ he thought.

He looked at the card he had drawn.

_Dust Tornado…_ he thought. _It's worth a shot…_

"I'll place this card facedown, and end my turn," he said.

The facedown card appeared.

Wanda smirked. She drew.

"I activate Dust Tornado!" shouted Stan.

The Trap Card lifted.

"Say goodbye to your Cocoon!"

"NEVER!" shouted Wanda.

She hit her own Disk, and her own Trap Card lifted.

"I activate Seven Tools of the Bandit!" she yelled.

A giant jackknife flew forward and stabbed into Stan's Trap Card, smashing it to pieces!

"That may have cost me 1,000 Life Points," she giggled, as her Life Points fell to 3,300, "but it's a price I'm willing to pay to protect my Cocoon."

Stan growled.

"Well, you certainly can't blame me for trying," he frowned.

Wanda looked at her card.

"Now I'll play my own Pot of Greed!" she smiled.

She placed the card into her slot, and the jar appeared on her side of the field. Just like it had for Stan, the ghostly arm reached out, and handed her two cards from her deck.

She giggled as she took them.

"Hmm, nothing good," she said with a sly smile. "That's all for me this turn."

Stan drew.

"I summon Mystical Elf in Defense Mode…" he slowly said, placing a card down.

The peaceful, blue-skinned elf appeared, kneeling and folding her hands, chanting her musical spell. The transformation the Trap cursed her with wasn't as hideous as the previous ones – she grew butterfly wings and graceful antennae. (800/2,000)

"That's my turn," sighed Stan. "So let's see the big guy already!"

Wanda drew.

"Heh, heh," she chuckled. "As you wish!"

The Cocoon of Evolution shook more than ever… It started to rip apart…

Wanda placed a card down on her Disk…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_Ooh, here it comes,_ thought Francesca._ I really feel sorry for that guy… but I don't know if anything can stop Mothra there…_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Stan gazed in awe at the enormous creature in front of him.

Comparing Perfectly Ultimate Great Moth to Mothra wasn't much of a stretch. This creature wasn't nearly as big, but it looked just as mean and threatening. And while it wasn't _as_ big, it was certainly _big_. Measuring it in his head, Stan guessed it was about ten feet long with a forty-foot wingspan.

(3,500/3,000)

The animals who were serving as spectators drew back in fear.

But Stan chuckled slightly…

"What's so funny?" exclaimed Wanda.

"Whenever I see a powerful Monster," smiled Stan, "I get excited!"

"Get excited over this," chuckled Wanda, placing a Magic card into a slot. "I activate Destroy Defense!"

The Magic Card lifted up, and Stan's two Monsters stood up into Attack Mode!

"Now you can't defend for three of your turns!" smiled Wanda, "but I figure I'll have finished you off by then!"

Stan gulped.

"Now my Great Moth," she yelled, "attack his Mystical Elf with hurricane blast!"

Perfectly Ultimate Great Moth waved its mighty wings, and a blast of wind almost knocked Stan down! Mystical Elf was vaporized!

His Life Points plunged to 3,500.

"Neo-Bug," she commanded, "attack his Skilled White Magician!"

Neo-Bug flew forward and grasped the mage with his mandibles, crushing him! Skilled White Magician burst into pixels!

Stan's Life Points fell to 3,400.

"Insect Knight, attack him directly!" shouted Wanda.

The mantis knight flew forward and smote Stan with his blade, sending him falling backwards!

Stan groaned and got up. His Life Point counter was at 1,500.

_I'm in trouble,_ he thought. _If I have to take a direct attack from that Moth, it'll likely blow me halfway to Oz!_

He looked at his hand.

_Very little to go on here…_

"Give it up!" mocked Wanda. "No one have ever defeated the fully evolved Perfectly Ultimate Great Moth!"

"I can name at least one guy who has," corrected Stan. "Joey Wheeler."

"Look," pouted Wanda, "if my dumb brother had all three of the Egyptian God Cards in his deck, I'd wager he'd still manage to lose!"

"Maybe so," replied Stan, "but one of the reasons that Yugi and Joey defeated him was that they didn't give up – and I won't either! I didn't come halfway across the ocean to throw in the towel in the first duel!"

He drew.

"I play… Graceful Charity!" he shouted, placing the card into a slot.

A beautiful angel materialized in a beam of light, and flew into his deck…

Then she flew out, and handed him three cards.

"Uh, thanks," he said.

Then she put her hand on her hip and motioned with her hand.

_Oh, right,_ he thought._ I have to discard two… Well, I can do without these… So do I just give them to her?_

He handed the cards to the angel and she took them. She flew into his discard slot.

Stan shrugged. This was certainly unusual.

He looked at the three cards he had drawn.

He looked at the situation in front of him.

"First, I'll place a card facedown," he stated.

He threw a card into a slot, and it appeared in front of him.

He took another card from his hand.

"Now let me show you a little trick," he smiled. "I'll play Monster Reborn, to bring back my Dark Magician!"

He placed the card into a slot, and Dark Magician returned. (2,500/2,100)

"And now a second Magic Card," he continued, throwing another card into a slot. "A powerful spell called Dedication Through Light And Darkness!"

A card flew out of his deck and he caught it. He placed it on his Disk. Dark energy coursed around Dark Magician…

"This Magic Card lets me sacrifice Dark Magician to summon the powerful Dark Magician of Chaos!" he exclaimed.

An even darker Spellcaster with black skin, an exotic headdress, and a foreboding costume appeared, brandishing a glowing scepter! Dark insectile wings sprouted from his back, and his costume transformed into a sleek and still-magnificent exoskeleton. (2,800/2,600)

"Also," said Stan, "by summoning him, I'm able to retrieve one Magic Card from my Graveyard…"

A card flew out of his discard slot, and he caught it.

"And I choose Monster Reborn! To bring back Dark Magician again!"

He threw the card into the slot, and Dark Magician arose again!

"A nifty trick when you want to get two powerful Monsters on the field at once," smiled Stan. "Dark Magician of Chaos, attack her Insect Knight with chaos scepter blast!"

Dark Magician of Chaos spun his staff and slammed it to the ground! Insect Knight was blown into nothing!

Wanda cringed from the blow.

"Dark Magician, destroy her Neo-Bug!" shouted Stan.

Dark Magician cast forth his dark spell, and Neo-Bug was eradicated!

Wanda's Life Points fell to 1,800.

"Nice try, Stan," she laughed, "but I'm afraid that neither of them are any match for my BIG bug!"

"We'll see," smiled Stan. "I end my turn."

Wanda drew.

"Perfectly Ultimate Great Moth," she commanded, "attack his Dark Magician of Chaos with your hurricane blast!"

The Moth flapped its horrible wings…

"Did you forget about my facedown card?" chuckled Stan.

"WHAT?" gasped Wanda, as it lifted. "A Trap? What is it?"

Perfectly Ultimate Great Moth froze in place!

A Spellbinding Circle!

"Not only have I frozen your big bug," smiled Stan, "but I've reduced his Attack power by 700 points!"

Wanda chuckled.

"Big deal!" she laughed. "That makes his Attack score equal to your Dark Magician of Chaos! You attack, and all you'll get is a draw.

"But in case you do that anyway, I'll summon a Monster facedown in Defense Mode and end my turn."

She placed a card down, and a hidden Monster appeared.

_Just try it Stan,_ she thought. _My Man-Eater Bug will make sure your next move is your last!_

Stan chuckled as he drew.

"Sorry, Wanda, but I've had a card in my hand for some time in case you tried that. I play Nobleman of Crossout!"

He slammed a card into a slot, and an armored knight with a sword appeared. He stabbed into the facedown card! The giant Bug appeared and shattered!

Wanda gasped.

"A Man-Eater," sighed Stan. "What Insect deck would be complete without a couple of them lurking around in it?"

"And I won't give you the satisfaction of seeing me suicide my Magician against your Moth either," he said, taking the card he had just drawn.

He placed it down.

"For now, I summon Breaker the Magical Warrior!"

A tall wizard in red robes and a peaked cowl which only revealed glowing eyes appeared. He carried a glowing sword and a shield. (1,600/1,000)

"Breaker's power lets him 'break' one Magic or Trap Card," explained Stan. "Breaker, destroy her DNA Surgery!"

Breaker swung his sword forward, and the Trap Card smashed to bits!

The three Monsters on his side of the field transformed back to their proper forms.

"What good will that do you?" stuttered Wanda, nervously.

"Because," replied Stan, "now that my Dark Magician of Chaos is no longer an Insect, I can Equip him with this…"

He fit a card into a slot.

"Magic Formula!"

A large spellbook appeared in front of Dark Magician of Chaos, and he read it…

"This Equip card raises his Attack power by 500 points!"

Dark Magician of Chaos closed the book and stashed it under his arm. (3,300/2,600)

"Now," commanded Stan, "attack her Moth with chaos scepter blast!"

Dark Magician of Chaos slammed his staff to the ground, and Perfectly Ultimate Great Moth was engulfed in black flames! It shrieked and exploded!

Wanda could only stare as her Life Points fell to 1,200.

"Now," shouted Stan, "Dark Magician, finish her off! Dark magic attack!"

Dark Magician thrust his staff forward and fired! Wanda screamed as her Life Points were depleted.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

On the hillside overlooking the scene, Francesca gulped.

_Uh,_ she thought. _Maybe I won't challenge that guy… at least not yet… Maybe eventually, but why rush?_

_Heck, I really wouldn't want that Magician to blast me like that…_

She shivered. She wasn't afraid of a challenge, but she did have common sense. Anyone who could defeat a Monster as powerful as Perfectly Ultimate Great Moth was someone to avoid.

_Well, best get going to Petalburg… And see if I can find someone else._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The wildlife that had been watching the duel slowly started to wander away. Stan was glad for that at least. They were making him nervous.

Wanda was on the ground holding her head. Stan offered her his hand.

"Ooh," she groaned. "Your team packs a punch!"

"I do my best," shrugged Stan.

"Well," sighed Wanda, "I guess I owe you something…"

She handed him one of her Crystal Cards.

"Thank you," said Stan, taking it. "But you're still in the running. And I think you'll have no problem proving that you're better than your brother."

She nodded.

"Well, why don't you go on to Petalburg?" she mused.

She noticed a large dragonfly flutter by.

"Me, I'm going to stay here for an hour or so, and keep checking out the insect life. The ecosystem of this island is like nothing I've seen before – so strange…"

"Well, good luck," replied Stan.

He walked off, and eyed his new card.

_Four more to go,_ he thought_. Hopefully, the rest won't be as hard as that…_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Stan and Francesca didn't know it, but another viewer had been watching the duel from another angle, using powerful binoculars and a listening device it see and hear all the action.

He was a short, chubby man, in a strange outfit. He wore a black shirt with a white "X" on the torso, white gloves and purple pants. He wore a short purple cape. He also wore a purple cowl that had horn-like protrusions coming out of the temples, and he wore thick glasses. He also had a thick, red beard.

He put the binoculars down, and took a cell phone out of his pocket. He dialed a number.

"Talk to me," hissed a voice over the phone.

"Your excellence," said the man, "this is Lord Crump reporting… you might be interested in knowing that one of those brats you told me to watch – Stanley Mason I believe – has won his first duel…"

"How did he do?" was the response.

"Uh, pretty good…" muttered Crump. "He actually defeated a Perfectly Ultimate Great Moth… but the thing is…"

He paused.

"Yes?" asked the voice.

"It seems he found the Sweat Treat card…" stammered Crump.

There was a long pause.

"That is indeed a concern," replied the voice. "But don't concern yourself with it. Continue your surveillance of the three youngsters. If I need you to do anything else, I'll contact you."

"You know," suggested Crump, "if you want I could…"

"NO!" shouted the voice. "Not yet at least. Whenever I give you a job that's the least bit complex, you mess up and we get the short end of it!"

_What,_ thought Crump. _Why I oughta…_

"Now do as you're told," said the voice.

The phone hung up.

In a dark chamber somewhere else, a figure brooded.

_So, Stanley found the Sweet Treat card…_ she thought. _I was wondering what happened to that accursed thing…_

_Ah well, Sweet Treat is the least powerful of them. And some of them are safely in the hands of my servants, while the others won't be hard to find. I needn't worry too much._

_For now, I'll just watch, and see what unfolds. _

_But before the day is over, hopefully at least one of my prey will be done away with…_

She turned and looked upon six forms who were watching behind her.

She smiled.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**DESTROY DEFENSE**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Magic  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description: **Image of a sword shattering a shield. After this card is played, your opponent's Monsters are shifted into Attack Mode (any flip-effects apply). Your opponent cannot set any Monster in Defense Mode for three of his turns.

_Note: "Destroy Defense" first appeared in "Legacy of the Duelist"._

**0**

**0**

**0**

**MAGIC FORMULA**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Magic/Equip  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description: **Image of an ancient Spellbook. This card can be Equipped to any SPELLCASTER-Type Monster. Increase the ATK of the Equipped Monster by 500 points.

_Note: "Magic Formula" was used several times in the anime, originally by Yugi in "The Dark Spirit Revealed"._

**0**

**0**

**0**

**SWEET TREAT**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Magic  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description: **Image of a gingerbread man holding a pink dice. You can only activate this card during your first Main Phase. Roll one dice. Multiply the result by 1,000 and increase your Life Points by the result. After using this card, you must end your turn.

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**Coming up next:**_

_**Being a very attractive young woman, Francesca learned a long time ago that her life would be full of boys who were little more than jerks with one thing on their minds. And as a duelist, nothing brings her more joy than using her Monsters to teach such mashers a painful lesson.**_

**_Coming up next, she dishes out such a lesson, in a chapter called "Unbreakable," coming soon._**


	4. Unbreakable

_**A lot of girls my age would consider it a blessing to have a gorgeous body and have boys fighting over them. Well, it's sort of a blessing – but it's sort of a curse too.**_

_**Ever since I've hit puberty, I've been plagued by chauvinistic jerks with hormones coming out of their ears who thought that my looks meant that I was a cheap bimbo and an easy score. All of them were sorely mistaken. I got brains to go with these looks. And I don't take kindly to people who try to take advantage of me. I've been catcalled, pinched, and slapped numerous times – and each time, the idiot responsible got the painful lesson that I wasn't as cheap as he thought.**_

_**I guess that's why, when I became a duelist, I chose Amazons as the focus of my deck. The Amazons are tough ladies, and they don't take any crap from anyone. Any men who'd dare to pinch one of them would die… painfully. **_

_**And as fate would have it, my first Monster Island challenge is one of those creeps who thought I was an easy score…**_

…_**and he's going to learn his lesson the hard way.**_

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER THREE**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Unbreakable**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

It was now 11 AM.

Francesca was half a mile from Petalburg (give or take), and she decided to take in the serene beauty of Petal Meadows.

Lying on her back in the grassy knoll with her leather jacket, duffel bag, and Duel Disk off to the side, she watched as the rolling clouds went past her. Butterflies fluttered past her, and little white bunnies hopped by.

_So beautiful,_ she thought. _What an idyllic place this island is…_

She sighed.

_Got to be careful,_ she thought. _Can't get so relaxed that I fall into a coma!_

Her tummy rumbled.

_Darn,_ she thought. _I have to get to Petalburg soon. I haven't eaten since breakfast on the ship, and all I have in my pack are candy bars and cookies!_

Then a shadow fell across her face.

She looked, and saw a boy about sixteen years old standing over her. He was muscular, but not overly so, with a plain white T-shirt and jeans. His hair was blonde and cut into a crew cut.

"Man, someone call Heaven," he exclaimed, "there's an angel loose!"

Francesca frowned.

"Uh, pal, hold it right there for a minute…" she said.

She sat up, turned her back to him, and pulled a notebook out of her duffle. She picked up a pen and skimmed through it.

"Here we are," she mumbled, "the 'Someone call Heaven, there's an angel loose,' one…"

She made a checkmark.

"Congratulations, buddy," she smiled, not turning around, "you are the fiftieth person to use that pickup line on me!"

He drew back.

"And it was just as unsuccessful as the other forty-nine times…" she muttered.

"Heh, heh," he chuckled. "I like a girl with a sense of humor…"

"I have a sense of humor," she replied, "but not around dogs like you."

"Come on babe," he said, putting his arm on her shoulder, "doesn't this place give you any ideas about…"

"Take it off, or I'll break it off!" threatened Francesca.

He shakily removed his hand.

"And if you call me 'babe' one more time, you're limping to Petalburg…" she growled.

She stared at him.

"You are totally beneath me…" she scowled.

"Funny," he smiled. "That's where I'd love to be…"

She gave him a look that was half shock and half disgust.

She noticed the Duel Disk on his arm.

_Hmm, maybe this sleaze can get me off to a good start,_ she thought. _I'll just give him an offer he'd not likely refuse…_

She stood up.

"I see you're a duelist," she noted.

"Are you challenging me, princess?" he laughed.

"Don't call me princess either!" she snapped. "And yeah, I am. And I'll make it worth your while…"

She smirked.

"How so?" he asked.

"I'll give you a bargain that few men in your position can resist – if I'm defeated, I'll give you the deepest, longest, sloppiest French kiss you've ever received."

His eyes opened wide.

"But if you lose," she smiled, "I get your Crystal Card and your rarest card. You know how they used to play card games – players would ante up cards…"

Francesca smiled. She had made this wager against more similar stakes several times, and she had never once had to give out a kiss. Few duelists knew how much trouble they were in until they had seen her in action.

The youth thought to himself.

_This babe is nuts,_ she thought. _Even if I lose, I have three more copies of what I can claim is my "rarest card" in my folder! And I won't lose – time to duel and steal a kiss…_

"It's a bet!" smiled the youth. "Shuffle and prepare to pucker up! By the way, you can call me Jackson – Stonewall Jackson."

Francesca stared at him with a weird look..

"You named yourself after a Confederate General?" she asked offhand.

"Well Jackson's my real name," he replied, "I am from Georgia, and as for why I took the name… Well, just wait and see!"

"Fine," replied Francesca, slipping on her Disk. "The name's Francesca. And you want to know how Stonewall Jackson died? He was accidentally fired upon by his own troops, had his arm amputated as a result, and died in pain in a hospital bed. Not quite the end a true military man dreams of…

"And I can assure you… You'll die just as shamefully…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

At that moment, Stan walked over the hill.

He looked down upon the two duelists.

_Huh,_ he thought. _It's that girl I met on the boat – the one who liked my Dark Magician Girl so much._

He sat down.

_Well, maybe watching this can't hurt… It's still early…_

He took a small bag of potato chips out of his bag and looked down upon the field.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Francesca looked over her shoulder as she shuffled.

_Seems someone else is interested in me,_ she thought. _Oh well… If he tries something after this, I'll take care of him too…_

She raised her Disk in the air.

"Activate holo-imagers!" she shouted.

The imagers burst out, and set themselves up ten feet to either side of herself. Her Disk snapped into place.

Jackson activated his own Disk, and it snapped into place.

"LET'S DUEL!" they both shouted.

They both made their draws.

_Crud,_ thought Francesca, looking at her cards. _I think I just won the award for world's worst opening hand!_

"Why don't you go first, Jackson?" she stated.

"My pleasure!" he chuckled, making his first draw.

He looked at his card.

"I'll summon this Monster facedown in Defense and end my turn," he stated, placing a card down.

_Sneaky,_ thought Francesca, drawing. She looked at her hand again.

_Not much to go on,_ she thought. _Best go for broke…_

"I summon… Amazoness Chain Master, in Attack Mode!" she shouted.

She put her card down, and a tall form appeared. It was a slightly muscular woman with long blonde hair, dressed in a bikini and boots made from fur. She held a long chain tipped with a nasty spiked grapple. (1,500/1,300)

"Whoa," said Jackson. "That's a decent set of paint cans…"

"I wouldn't insult Chain Master," smiled Francesca. "She has a distinctive job among the Amazon tribe – executing prisoners! And she loves her job…

"Chain Master, attack his facedown Monster with chain rend!"

Amazoness Chain Master lifted her weapon and twirled it over her head! She charged…

Then a huge shape appeared on the facedown card. It was a huge, rough, humanoid statue, holding two swords on its back. It slugged the Amazon and sent her falling on her behind. (1,300/2,000)

"Heh, heh," smiled Jackson. "My Giant Soldier of Stone was a bit too much for your Amazon to handle!"

Francesca's Life Points fell to 7,500.

"Okay, you win round one," frowned Francesca. "But there's more where she came from…"

"My move now…" said Jackson, drawing. "I'll summon another Monster in Defense Mode, and I'll even show you what it is…"

He placed a card down.

"Stone Statue of the Aztecs!" he exclaimed.

Another huge statue crashed down, this one a giant head with two large hands, made of unhewn rock. (300/2,000)

"And that's my turn," he grinned.

"You know buddy," frowned Francesca, "they called General Thomas Jonathan Jackson by the nickname 'Stonewall' Jackson because he was brave and always faced his enemies, _not_ because he was always hiding behind defensive barriers like you are right now! Besides, you can't win this duel by just defending…"

"My strategy will come to light soon," smiled Jackson. "In the meantime, it's your turn…"

Francesca drew.

She put a card down.

"I summon Amazoness Paladin, in Attack Mode," she proclaimed.

Another Warrior-woman appeared – this one wore a white bikini top, short skirt, and tattered cape, along with a golden tiara. She held a long sword. (1,700/300)

"Amazoness Paladin is the general of the Amazon army," explained Francesca, "and she gains support from her troops – so for every Amazon on the field, she gains 100 extra Attack Points. So now she gains 200 extra!"

(1,900/300)

"Humph, she's still not strong enough to break my defenses," frowned Jackson.

"Not yet," smiled Francesca.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_Amazons, huh?_ thought Stan. _Interesting. No wonder she liked my Dark Magician Girl so much._

_I've heard that these Warriors can be quite powerful if used the right way… Maybe now I'll get a lesson in Amazon Culture 101…_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Jackson drew.

"Hmmm," he said.

"I'll summon a second Giant Soldier of Stone," he said, placing a card down.

Another Giant Soldier materialized. (1,300/2,000)

"But he won't be staying for long," he continued, placing a Magic Card into a slot, "because I play Mystik Wok!"

A huge Chinese wok appeared on his side of the field, and the Giant Soldier of Stone appeared in it. Flames appeared underneath it.

"With my Wok," he explained, "I can sacrifice this Monster and gain Life Points equal to its Attack or Defense Score, so I'll gain its Defense Score!"

The Giant Soldier vanished into steam, and Jackson glowed. His Life Points shot up to 10,000.

"Peachy," snarled Francesca.

"And it's your move," he grinned.

Francesca drew.

_Damn,_ she thought. _Nothing to summon at all! I'm having the worst luck._

"I'll pass this turn," she frowned.

"Oo-kay," said Jackson, drawing.

He chuckled as he looked at his card.

He threw it into a slot.

"I play the deadly Meteor of Destruction!" he shouted.

The clouds overhead darkened. They opened, and a ball of flame came hurtling to earth. Francesca screamed as it crashed into her!

Her Life Points fell to 6,500.

"Feeling the heat yet, babe?" he asked.

"I've felt worse," she scowled.

"Well, your move," he said.

_So that's his game,_ she thought. _Hide behind defenses and strike with Magic Cards. Talk about cowardly…_

She drew again.

_Eh, Dramatic Rescue,_ she thought, looking at it. _This might be useful…_

"I'll place a card facedown and end my turn," she announced, fitting it into a slot.

The facedown card appeared behind her two Amazons.

Jackson drew.

He smiled a smile that Francesca did NOT like.

"Now you'll see the cornerstone of my strategy," he grinned. "I play a Magic Card… the powerful Wave-Motion Cannon!"

He threw the card into the slot, and the card appeared… then it transformed into a large, fat cannon, covered with strange gewgaws.

"Let me explain how this card works," smiled Jackson, "every round it stays on the field, it will gain power. When I order it to fire, it will blast you for damage equal to 1,000 times the number of Standby Phases that it remained!"

"You really think you can keep it around for seven more of your turns without me getting past your defenses?" asked Francesca, raising an eyebrow.

"We'll see," replied Jackson. "It's your move…"

Francesca made a draw.

Still no Monsters… The card was Waboku.

_Well, might as well put this on the field,_ she thought.

"I'll place a card facedown and end my turn," she sighed, fitting it into a slot.

The facedown card appeared next to the other one.

"Go ahead," she muttered.

Jackson drew.

Energy flowed into the Wave-Motion Cannon, and it started to glow slightly.

"Heh, heh," he smiled, "Now I'll sacrifice my Giant Soldier of Stone for an even stronger defense…"

He put a card down, and Giant Solder of Stone vanished into pixels.

"Millennium Shield, in Defense Mode!" he shouted.

A huge shield appeared, made of metal, colored red and gold, and with the Eye of Horus on the front. (0/3,000)

"This ancient magical artifact has been known to keep whole armies at bay!" he grinned. "Just _try_ to get past it!"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Stan didn't know the stakes that Francesca had placed, but he couldn't help but feel sorry for the duelist he was watching right now.

He remembered an early duel of his – one that he lost, in which his opponent blasted him with a Wave-Motion Cannon. It was a very unpleasant experience to say the least.

_Come on,_ he thought, _you've got to find some way around those fortresses he's put up…_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Francesca growled. The thought of her having to pay up if she lost disgusted her…

She drew.

_Finally,_ she thought.

"I summon Amazoness Swords Woman, in Attack Mode!" she yelled.

A new Amazon appeared, this one even fiercer than the last two. She had wild red hair, and wore a blue bikini and leather boots, each part of her clothing decorated with what appeared to be the fangs of a large, carnivorous animal. She bore a huge sword that seemed too large for her to wield in one hand – but she did anyway. (1,500/1,600)

Amazoness Paladin's Attack went up to 2,000.

"You think that scares me?" laughed Jackson.

"We'll see," smiled Francesca. "Amazoness Swords Woman, attack his Millennium Shield with great sword slash!"

Amazoness Swords Woman raised her blade and charged forward. She screamed a war cry and struck the huge shield!

Then she was propelled backwards and landed on her rump.

"Ha, ha!" cackled Jackson, as Swords Woman got up. "Are you trying to lose on purpose? You just lost 1,500 Life Points!"

"Guess again!" grinned Francesca.

Then Jackson noticed that his own Life Point counter was falling – it fell to 8,500.

"WHAT?" he shouted. "I lost Life Points?"

"Uh huh," giggled Francesca. "All thanks to Amazoness Swords Woman's special effect. See, any damage involving a battle with her is deducted from my opponent's Life Points, not from mine!

"And seeing as I doubt you have any Monsters in your deck that are actually capable of attacking, I think I've got you in the perfect lock!

"Make your move."

Jackson growled. He drew. The Wave-Motion Cannon powered up again…

"I'll play my Pot of Greed," he grunted.

He placed the card in a slot, and the colorful pot appeared. Like Stan had seen, a spectral arm reached out, took two cards from his deck, and handed them to him.

"Well that's a nifty trick," he mused. "I'll place a card facedown and end my turn."

He fit a card into a slot, and it appeared behind his walls.

Francesca drew.

_Now this is more like it_! she thought.

"I summon Amazoness Fighter in Attack Mode!" she exclaimed.

She put the card down, and a fourth Amazon materialized. She was the most muscular of the four; her black hair was tied back in a ponytail, she wore a blue bikini top and loincloth, and two belts strapped around her abdomen. (1,500/1,300)

"Okay, that's… different…" stuttered Jackson.

"And don't forget," smiled Francesca, "this means my Paladin now has an Attack Score of 2,100!"

"Paladin, demolish his Stone Statue of the Aztecs!" she yelled.

Amazoness Paladin raised her sword and leapt forward! She swung, blasting the Stone Statue into pebbles!

"Amazoness Swords Woman, strike his Shield again!" she shouted.

Swords Woman swung her sword dramatically and again charged, striking the shield. She toppled over again, but Jackson's Life Points fell to 6,000.

"It's your move…" she smiled.

_What am I going to do?_ he thought. _On this round, my Cannon will power up to a three thousand-point intensity… but it needs to last four more of my turns in order to finish her! At the rate she's going, she only needs four more of_ _her turns to bring my Life Points down to zero – it will be one round too late for me!_

He drew, and his cannon absorbed more energy. Steam started to issue forth from it.

"I play Reload!" he exclaimed.

He threw the card into a slot, and an ancient shotgun appeared in front of him. The reloading lever clicked, and it vanished.

He took his deck and placed his five cards into it. Then he reshuffled and plugged the deck back in. Then he drew five more cards.

He smiled.

"You wanted my rarest card?" he asked. "Well, you won't get it, but I will show it to you…"

He put a card down.

"Gear Golem the Moving Fortress in Defense Mode!" he exclaimed.

A huge, bulky, metal thing landed next to the Millennium Shield. It was a giant Machine made of gears and wheels, studded with spikes. (800/2,200)

"With 2,200 Defense Points, your Paladin couldn't crack it even if you had _five_ Amazons on the field!" exclaimed Jackson. "And my turn is just starting…"

He fit a card into a slot.

"I'll place another card facedown," he said.

A facedown card appeared next to his other one.

"And now," he grinned, "since you liked this so much the first time, I'll play another Meteor of Destruction!"

He threw a card into a slot. The clouds darkened again, and another ball of flame plummeted down. Francesca screamed bloody murder as it slammed into her.

She fell to her knees. Her Life Points fell to 5,500.

"That's it, Fran," smiled Jackson. "On your knees, just like I like my women!"

"I was wrong when I said you were a dog, Jackson," growled Francesca. "You're a _pig_, plain and simple! Are you done?"

"Not yet," he replied. "I'll also play Dian Keto the Cure Master!"

He threw another card into a slot, and the kindly god of healing appeared behind him. He glowed again, and his Life Points went up to 7,000.

"It's your move…" he stated.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_Man, she's really in trouble now,_ thought Stan.

_That cannon is already at the three-thousand point mark; it's halfway strong enough to finish her!_

_And I'm liking this Jackson guy less and less. I really hope there isn't anything on the line other than their Crystal Cards._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Unbeknownst to Stan, a lot was on the line for Francesca – her dignity and self respect, for one thing.

If she lost, she couldn't go back on her word. She had said it herself. In Duel Monsters, wagers are sacred. If she tried to weasel out of this one, she'd be no better than this lout…

She sighed.

Well, if she lost, she'd take her punishment like a grown woman… Even though it meant disobeying her father…

She drew.

It seemed her bad luck was there again. It was only Amazoness Spellcaster.

"Swords Woman," she ordered, "attack his Shield again!"

Amazoness Swords Woman lifted her weapon.

"I activate… Negate Attack!" shouted Jackson.

One of his Trap Cards lifted, and Amazoness Swords Woman was halted by an invisible shield.

Francesca spat out a cuss word under her breath.

"You look beautiful when you're angry," chuckled Jackson. "My move now?"

"Go on…" snarled Francesca.

"I'll draw," said Jackson, drawing.

He looked at the card.

His Cannon absorbed even more energy. Steam shot out of it, and a sound like a boiling teakettle began to come from the contraption.

"Think I'll pass this turn," he smiled.

Francesca drew.

_Yes!_ she thought.

"The weather is about to get nippy," she smiled. "I play my Heavy Storm card!"

She threw it into her slot.

"Say goodbye to your Cannon!" she laughed.

Fierce winds started to blow over the field…

"I don't think so…" smiled Jackson.

He discarded the card in his hand.

His Trap Card lifted.

"I activate Magic Jammer!"

A magical circle appeared on the ground, and smoke poured from it. Francesca's Magic Card disintegrated, and the winds subsided.

"DAMN!" shouted Francesca.

She pointed towards the Shield.

"Swords Woman, attack AGAIN!"

Swords Woman took the sword in both hands and slammed it against the Millennium Shield. She was thrown back again, and landed on her back.

Jackson's Life Points fell to 5,500.

"You're torturing your own Monster for no reason!" gloated Jackson. "She'll never deplete my Life Points in time now! Why don't you just give up?"

"Never!" shouted Francesca. "Make your move…"

"Why do they always want to do things the hard way…" sighed Jackson, drawing.

He smiled as he looked at his card.

His Cannon drew in more energy, and started to rattle like crazy. It looked like it was going to burst at any minute!

"Heh, heh," he chuckled.

"I'll play another Dian Keto the Cure Master card," he said, placing the card into a slot.

Dian Keto appeared behind him again, and cast his healing spell, raising Jackson's Life Points to 6,500.

"Now my Cannon has stored five-thousand points worth of energy!" he proclaimed. "On my next turn, I'll order it to fire, and I'll win this duel… And we'll see how good a kisser you really are…

"I end my turn."

Francesca smiled.

And then she chuckled softly.

"What's so funny?" asked Jackson.

"Don't you know the effects of your own Monsters?" she laughed. "You could have won the duel right there!"

"What?" asked Jackson in surprise. "How?"

"I'm talking about Gear Golem's effect, moron," answered Francesca. "It has another use other than a defensive wall. If you had switched it into Attack Mode, you could have spent 800 Life Points to attack me directly with it. Then you could have ordered your Cannon to fire, and I would have lost!

"It's little mistakes like this that separate the professionals and the amateurs."

Jackson looked dumbfounded.

And then a look of anger crossed his face.

"Yeah, well I'll win on my next turn, so it makes no difference!" he shouted.

Francesca looked at her deck.

_He didn't know it,_ she thought, _but I was lying to make him angry. My Waboku was still on the field…_

_But even so, Waboku can't block that cannon's blast. If there's a card in this deck that can stop him, I have to draw it NOW._

_It all rides on this draw…_

She drew.

"I play… Card Destruction!" she shouted, throwing a card into a slot.

"Now, we must discard all of the cards in our hands and draw an equal number!" she exclaimed.

She discarded her ample hand and made the draws.

Her eyes opened wide.

"Meet the Amazon tribe's loyal pet and guardian!" she exclaimed. "I summon… Amazoness Tiger!"

She put the card down, and a fierce tigress on a spiked leash appeared! She roared! (1,100/1,500)

"First of all, this brings my Paladin's Attack to 2,200," she explained. "Also, Amazoness Tiger gains 400 Attack Points for every Amazon on the field, herself included, giving her an Attack Score of 3,100!"

"Impressive," smiled Jackson. "But still not enough to destroy both my defenses…"

"I'm not done!" smiled Francesca.

She flicked open her Field slot and placed a card into it.

"I play Gaia Power!" she exclaimed.

The whole area around them started to change. Lovely trees with emerald leaves and thick trunks sprouted up, changing the playing field into a small forest.

"Gaia Power has two effects that benefit me right now," smiled Francesca. "First, it raises the Attack of all Earth Monsters on the field, like my Amazons, by 500 points!"

Amazoness Tiger's Attack rose to 3,600, Amazoness Paladin's to 2,700, and the other three Amazons to 2,000 each.

"Second," continued Francesca, "Gaia Power also _decreases_ the Defense of all Earth Monsters, like your two fortresses, by 400 points!"

Millennium Shield's Defense dropped to 2,600, while Gear Golem the Moving Fortress dropped to 1,800.

"NO!" screamed Jackson.

"Yes!" shouted Francesca. "Amazoness Paladin, shatter his Millennium Shield!"

Amazoness Paladin raised her sword, and leapt forward, slamming it against the giant Shield. It started to crack, and then fell apart!

"Amazoness Swords Woman, attack his Gear Golem!" yelled Francesca.

Swords Woman shouted a war cry again, and brought her sword down on Gear Golem. The machine exploded into a pile of junk, and the residue vanished.

"Well," smiled Francesca. "Nothing left to hide behind…"

Jackson started to sweat.

"Amazoness Tiger, attack directly with Maul of the Great Cat!" ordered Francesca.

Amazoness Tiger leapt forth and roared, raking her claws on Jackson's chest! He screamed and staggered backwards.

His Life Points plummeted to 2,900.

"Ooh," he moaned.

"Amazoness Fighter," yelled Francesca, "attack him with savage kick!"

The Fighter ran up and savagely kneed Jackson in the groin! He shrieked and fell over.

His Life Points were now at 900.

He slowly got to his feet. He looked nervously at Amazoness Chain Master…

"Jackson," smiled Fran, "maybe if you were to get on your knees, Amazoness Chain Master would grant you a merciful death…"

Jackson started to sweat more than ever.

He slowly got on his knees.

Amazoness Chain Master looked at him in disgust.

"I was lying, Jackson…" smirked Francesca, pointing.

Chain Master pulled her chain taunt and walked up to him.

"…the Amazons hate folks who grovel. I tricked you into kneeling so she could do her job easier. I told you that she was the tribe's executioner, remember?"

"What?" gasped Jackson. "No…"

"The enemy has been taken prisoner by the Amazons," smiled Francesca, sweetly, "and now it's time for him to be dealt with, as are all fools who challenge the Amazons."

She grinned.

"Amazoness Chain Master…" said Francesca, "string him up!"

She stabbed her thumb down. Chain Master wrapped her chain around Jackson's neck and then put her knee against his back. She smiled as she slowly started to choke him…

And his Life Points slowly fell to zero…

The holo-imagers shut down, and Francesca's Amazons vanished. Jackson fell on his face, gasping for breath.

"Well," smiled Francesca, "I believe you owe me a Crystal Card and your Gear Golem card…"

Jackson scowled… But he knew the rules. He took a Crystal Card out of his pocket and the Monster Card from his discard pile.

"This isn't over, you slut!" he cursed. "I'll get even, you hear!"

And then he started to limp away.

"Yeah, yeah," sighed Francesca. "Whatever."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Gear Golem the Moving Fortress was a powerful card, but it didn't really have a place in Francesca's deck. She took her binder out of her duffle and carefully placed it inside.

As she closed it, she spoke up.

"He's gone. You can come down now."

Stan slowly descended the hill.

"How long did you know I was there?" he asked.

"Since I started the duel," she answered. "By the way, I saw you duel that kid with the green pigtails – impressive. I didn't think anyone could defeat a Perfectly Ultimate Great Moth."

"You're pretty impressive yourself," he replied. "Francesca, wasn't it? My name's Stan."

He extended his hand.

They shook.

"Well," said Francesca, "it seems you're no rookie and neither am I… And we both have three Crystal Cards. Maybe now is a chance for one of us to get a fourth!"

"I was thinking the same thing," smiled Stan.

"Then let's have a more honorable duel than that last lout," smiled Fran.

The two of them shuffled their decks and then backed up away from each other…

But just as they were about to activate their Disks, a strange sensation came over the both of them…

_Wait…_ thought Stan. _This is… wrong. I don't know why, but it's just… wrong…_

_Strange,_ thought Francesca. _Suddenly I don't want to duel him anymore… For some reason… it just wouldn't be right…_

"Um, Francesca…" started Stan.

"Please, call me Fran," answered Francesca.

"Right, Fran," he replied. "We've both just dueled, it's getting close to noon, and we're both hungry… We should try to get to Petalburg soon…"

"Yeah," sighed Fran. "I had the same idea. Maybe we can do this some other time."

She paused.

"Still," she continued. "It's rather lonely on this road – how about we stay together for at least awhile? That is, if I can trust you…"

"Hey, I'm already accounted for," assured Stan. "I've got a girlfriend back home who I could never leave.

"Although I must say, if I didn't, I'd love to ask you out for the proverbial dinner and a movie – if such a thing isn't too much of a cliché… I mean, you're perfect – smart, beautiful, witty… Not to mention a great duelist."

Francesca giggled.

"Strange," she laughed. "I'm so used to hearing fake flattery that I've forgotten how good it is when it's real. Well, we've got half a mile to walk…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

It was fifteen minutes into the hike when Stan noticed something around Francesca's neck.

_No,_ he thought. _It can't be…_

"Uh, Fran?" he asked.

"Yeah?"

"I couldn't help but notice your pendant…" he stated.

"Oh, this thing?" asked Francesca.

She looked at the pendant around her neck. It was a strange object attached to a golden chain. The pendant itself was a square with flared edges, made from black crystal. Etched on it were three star-symbols in an upside-down triangle pattern, whose outlines had been colored yellow with some sort of paint.

"Pretty little piece of jewelry," she said. "My grandmother gave it to me – she said her grandmother gave it to her, and that she got it from _her_ grandmother and… well, you get the idea. She told me it would bring me good luck in any competition, so I always wear it while I'm dueling."

Stan looked like he had seen a ghost.

"What's wrong?" asked Francesca.

"Um…" said Stan. "Well, you see…"

He reached under his shirt and pulled something out.

It was a pendant that looked almost exactly like Francesca's pendant. The only difference was, the paint that outlined the stars on his were blue.

"This is kind of a family heirloom too," muttered Stan. "My grandfather gave it to me, his grandfather gave it him… and so on. When grandpa gave it to me, he told me the same thing – that it would grant me luck in any competition. So I duel with it too…"

The two duelists looked at each other for a minute.

"I'm placing this somewhere between 'incredible coincidence' and 'chance of fate'," she muttered.

"Yeah, this is creepy," replied Stan.

They didn't speak until they were within sights of Petalburg.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

In a room illuminated by hundreds of candelabras and a dozen chandeliers, equipped with candles made of black wax, each lit by a flickering flame, a throne made out of violet crystal stood on a pedestal.

In front of the throne was a huge globe, mounted on a setting that resembled a wicked claw. In the globe, an image of Stan and Francesca approaching Petalburg was being viewed.

Sitting on the throne was a woman who was beautiful in a sinister way. She wore an exotic black dress that was somewhat old-fashioned, low-cut and revealing a good deal of cleavage. It was sort of the type of thing that you'd imagine sexy female vampires in movies wearing. She also wore golden bracelets, a necklace set with emeralds (likely equal in value to a luxury car), and a golden crown set with a single large diamond.

As for the woman herself, she was coldly beautiful. Her skin was flawless and porcelain-white, and her waist-length hair was golden blonde. Her eyes shone with a silver light. If she had pupils at all, the light hid them.

She pondered…

"So," she mused. "Stan and Francesca have met. It was inevitable. And they'll likely meet up with Andy within the hour as well.

"They duel well… This should prove an interesting endeavor…"

She leaned back on her throne and clapped her hands.

"Children!" she called, cheerily.

Magical energy started to flow around the chamber, and six orbs of energy flew into the room. The first was pure white; the second, blue; the third was fiery red; the fourth was murky brown; the fifth was dark green; and the last was inky black.

Laughter erupted in the room, and the six orbs flew about in a random pattern…

The woman's face sank, and she leaned on her hand. The laughter continued…

"I've created six gas molecules…" she sighed.

She stood up.

"All right, _enough_!" she yelled.

The orbs halted, and positioned themselves in front of her. Slowly, they grew, and took form.

After a few seconds, they transformed into six teenagers, four boys and two girls. They were dressed in exotic clothing, and carried Duel Disks on their arms.

"Okay," asked the woman, "just how many sodas did you all drink before I called you in here?"

"Uh, one?" muttered the girl who looked to be the youngest.

"One?" said the boy next to her. "Try _four_!"

"You had just as many!" she snapped back.

"I didn't also eat three donuts!"

"QUIET!" shouted the woman.

They stopped.

"First of all," she stated, "the average can of soda contains just under an ounce of sugar in it. At your average of nine per day, as I know you are, that's nearly half a _pound_ of sugar on beverages alone!"

The six youngsters bowed their heads.

"Not to mention that the caffeine is going to stunt your growth good!" she continued. "The last thing I need at this point are six children who are hyperactive! You get like that, it's a sure way to make mistakes!"

"Yes, mom," they all moaned at once.

"Now then," she said, sitting back down. "Melissa… Kurtis… Tyson… Leopold… Maria… Vladimir… Listen _carefully_…

"I've been training each of you for this project ever since you were old enough to read and understand the writing on the cards. Now the time has finally come. Everything depends on your success.

"If you succeed, I assure you, the rewards will be incredible…

"If you mess up, I _promise_ you, you won't like it!"

They all shuddered.

"Now get out there and make mom proud," she smiled.

They all turned and walked out of the chamber.

"Ugh," said one of the boys. "She has some nerve yelling at us for drinking so much caffeine when she drank eight cups of coffee this morning…"

"I heard that…" snarled their mother's voice from the chamber behind them.

The six of them drew back in fear. Then they transformed into orbs of light again and sped down the hall.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

One hour later…

In the center of the island was a huge mountain. And set into the mountain were a set of double doors – twenty feet high, and ten feet wide. They were covered in ancient runes that no human linguist could decipher, and strange depictions.

There was something else written on it too, but age and attempts to remove it had rendered it invisible to everyone except the most magically sensitive.

If you _were_ sensitive enough, you would see this message, written ten times in ten different languages:

**_There is no treasure here. There is no glory to be sought here. All that lies beyond these doors is death and incredible evil. If you value your life, do not proceed._**

At this moment, someone was behind them.

"The coast is clear," said a voice.

With a creaking noise, the huge doors slowly swung open. The six teenagers walked out into the open air.

The doors closed once again.

"Well," muttered one of the boys (clearly the oldest), "the three of them are in Petalburg… I do not think attacking _en masse_ would be a good idea…"

"Guess we should draw straws," suggested another one of the boys.

"Aye," said one of the girls. "I be got it covered…"

She drew a fancy cutlass from her hip, and with one swipe, chopped off a bunch of reeds that were growing nearby.

She picked up six of them, and broke one in half. Then she closed her fist around them, leaving the tops sticking out.

"Shortest straw wins," she said.

They all reached for a straw… and as it turned out, the other girl got the short one.

"Super!" she exclaimed. "Like, I win!"

"Terrific," sighed another one of the boys. "Our kid sister gets the first crack."

"You think I can't handle it?" she giggled. "I'm like totally gonna bury them! I've even got a totally killer idea on how to do it!"

She turned to one who had commented.

"Leopold," she beamed. "I'm gonna need that special card that mom told you to hang on to!"

"What?" grumbled Leopold.

He took a card out of his belt.

"Are you sure, Melissa?" he asked. "Mom warned us against using this card…"

"Duh, I'm not gonna duel with it!" laughed Melissa. "I'm like totally gonna use it as bait. Once that bimbo hears about this card, she'll like never be able to resist coming to get it!"

She snatched the card.

"Buh-bye, folks!" she laughed.

She melted into a globe of pure light and sped over the horizon.

One of the other boys turned to Leopold.

"Betcha she gets her little ass kicked good," he stated.

"I'd take that bet, but I don't like losing," was the reply.

The stage was set… and in another part of Monster Island, another duel was in progress…

And it wasn't a very friendly one…

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**Coming up next:**_

**_Stan and Francesca, meet Andy! And Andy finds his first challenge, a mysterious person whose deck packs one of the most dreaded creatures in the game! (Anybody who plays the game can attest to that.) Plus, learn more about what Melissa is plotting. Don't miss "On the Village Green", coming soon…_**


	5. On The Village Green

_**My name is Andy Markova…**_

…_**and I love Dragons.**_

_**Who wouldn't? Dragons are fantastic creatures, who have been the stars of mainstream fantasy since fantasy existed. In many books and movies, Dragons have been depicted as incredibly powerful creatures who could lay waste to cities. J.R.R. Tolkien, known by some as the Father of Modern Fantasy, knew that well when he wrote /IThe HobbitI. **_

_**When I decided to get into dueling, I decided on Dragons as my theme. I built a deck of cards that has rarely ever failed me…**_

_**Heck, I even managed to obtain Red Eyes Black Dragon, the trademark card of the famous Joey Wheeler! Explaining how I got that card – and two other Monsters that make it stronger – would be an adventure in itself.**_

_**Now I'm on Monster Island, and I'm ready to set my Dragons free to prey on the competition.**_

_**It's going to be quite a show…**_

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER FOUR**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**On The Village Green**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

Stan and Francesca were finally within sight of Petalburg. The meadow gave way to lovely cottages colored in pastel colors. A babbling brook spanned by a wooden bridge stood as the border between the peaceful meadows and the beautiful town.

As they walked onto the bridge, Francesca nudged Stan's shoulder.

"Hey Stan, look at that…" she mentioned.

She pointed ahead to a hilltop to the north.

They both looked, and saw a dark, foreboding castle on the hill, about a mile away. It seemed out of place in this peaceful area.

"Strange…" muttered Stan. "Well, maybe… maybe we can check it out later… Let's see if we can get some lunch first."

They walked into the town, and the citizens took notice of them. They were cheery folk, all dressed in old fashioned clothing that looked spotlessly clean. It seemed that this was Monster Island's version of Petticoat Junction.

"Uh, hi," said Stan, waving. "Hello. Any place where a couple of duelists can grab a bite to eat?"

A rosy-cheeked young woman with pigtails came up.

"The inn is right over there!" she smiled. "And by order of the council, everything is complimentary for tournament guests!"

"Gee, thanks," smiled Stan.

"I'm Betty, by the way," she smiled.

The girl followed at a short distance as they made their way to the inn. Stan didn't exactly know why, but he didn't want to alienate himself. _Be as nice to your hosts as you would be nice to your guests._ That's what his parents always used to tell him.

As he entered the inn, where wooden tables were set up in a large common room, someone was already there, sipping soda pop.

Andy noticed the two of them immediately.

_Hey,_ he thought. _Didn't I see those two on the ship?_

A serving maid came up to Stan and Francesca with menus.

"Hi, ya'all," she grinned. "What can I get you?"

They looked at the menu.

"Hmm, the Reuben looks nice," said Francesca. "And I'll have French fries with that."

"Yeah, and I'll have the grilled chicken sandwich with cheese," said Stan. "Hold the mayo. I'll have a side of fries as well."

"Right away!" smiled the waitress.

As she left, Andy came up to their table.

"Hi," he stammered. "Uh, mind if I join you guys? We, um, met on the boat…"

"Oh yeah," said Stan, recognizing him. "The guy with the Red Eyes. Pull up a seat. I'm Stan…"

"I'm Francesca," responded Fran.

"Glad to… meet you," answered Andy. "Oh! You can call me Andy! So how goes Monster Island so far?"

"Great!" smiled Francesca. "We've each got three Crystal Cards so far!"

"Aw, I still haven't found anyone to duel," muttered Andy. "But I'm sure to find one here…"

"There's still time today," assured Francesca. "Besides I… uh…"

Then she noticed something.

She looked hard at Andy's neck.

"Um, Andy?" she asked.

"Yeah?"

"Can you show me that necklace of yours for a minute?"

Andy shrugged, as if wondering why she asked. He lifted up the pendant around his neck…

It looked exactly the same as Stan and Francesca's pendants, except that the three stars were outlined with red coloring.

"Okay," muttered Stan, "this is creepy…"

"What?" asked Andy.

Stan and Francesca lifted up their pendants.

"Let me guess," said Stan, "that thing is a family heirloom, and your grandfather said it would bring you good luck when you competed…"

"Why yes…" gasped Andy. "How did you…"

Stan paused for a minute.

"All three of us have three antique pendants that our grandparents gave us for the same purpose," he mused. "And look at the colors – yellow, blue, and red. The three primary colors. There has to be some sort of connection between these three things."

"Maybe there's a connection between us…" stuttered Andy.

"That's not as farfetched as it sounds," muttered Francesca.

She lifted her Disk.

"Everyone, at the count of three, draw the top card from your Disk…"

"Why?" asked Stan.

"Just do it!" ordered Francesca.

They all raised their Disks.

"One… two… three!" she said.

They all whipped off a card.

They showed them to each other – and they gasped.

They had each drawn Monster Reborn.

Everyone used this Magic Card… but they had drawn it at the same time. What were the chances?

They all felt a tingling deep in their hearts…

As they slowly shuffled their decks again, the food came to the table. They were too shocked to do much more than eat slowly…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"What do you suppose it means?" sighed Andy, as they got up from the table. "Is it some weird trick of fate?"

"It can't be a coincidence!" exclaimed Stan. "Somehow, by some means, we've met for a reason… But I don't know what the reason is…"

"Maybe that's why when I tried to duel you, something in my head wouldn't let me!" he said to Francesca.

"Something wasn't letting _me_ either…" replied Francesca. "Something strange is…"

And then there was a sound like a noisy motorcycle erupting from outside, followed by panicked yells from the townsfolk.

They opened the door, and what sounded like a noisy motorcycle was indeed a noisy motorcycle, one that was giving off a great deal of exhaust. It skidded to a halt, destroying a bed of flowers next to Betty in the process.

Betty bent down and broke into tears. "The azaleas I just planted…" she sobbed, kneeling over them.

Andy, Stan, and Francesca looked as the biker took off her – yes her – helmet. It was a woman about nineteen years old, with long dark hair, wearing a revealing outfit. It consisted of a black, leather bikini top covered by a black leather jacket, black hot pants and leather boots. A pair of handcuffs was hanging from her belt. She had tattoos of thorny roses on her arms. A Duel Disk was strapped to her side.

The biker chick glared at Betty.

"Crybaby," she scowled. She lifted her boot and shoved the poor girl over in the forehead.

At that point, a change came over Andy. This happened every so often. He was usually shy and meek, but at times like this, when a challenge was presented, that personality gave way to a much braver and confident one…

"HEY!" he shouted, running up to the scene. "Didn't anyone ever tell you what happens to folks who pick on people weaker than them?"

The biker girl smiled.

"Who's gonna stop me, cutie?" she grinned. "You?"

"I don't know how you managed to get a motorcycle on the boat over here…" started Andy.

"There are ways to do everything," smiled the biker, "so long as you know what palms to grease!"

By this time, Stan and Francesca were helping the sobbing Betty to her feet.

"You got a name, by the way?" asked Andy.

"Call me what my gang calls me," smiled the girl. "Poison."

"Well, Poison, I see you're a duelist…"

"That's right," smiled Poison, "and I already have three Crystal Cards. My first opponent was no challenge whatsoever!"

"Well," said Andy, shuffling his deck, "I'll give you a chance to get a fourth, so long as you accept another wager. If I win, you get on your bike and leave Petalburg for good."

Poison smiled.

She walked up to Andy.

"Okay," she grinned. "But if I win, you have to…"

She whispered something into Andy's ear. His eyes opened wide.

He gave a look of disgust…

"Deal?" asked Poison.

"Okay, fine," snarled Andy. "The village green over there will make a suitable arena."

Stan, Francesca, and Betty came up to him.

"What did she whisper to you?" asked Stan.

"Trust me, you don't want to know…" snarled Andy.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Poor Betty had been traumatized by losing her flower garden, but now she seemed happier.

"I can't believe I'm finally gonna see a duel!" she squeaked. "I've been waiting months for this!"

"Really?" smiled Stan. "Well, I can tell you, they can get quite intense…"

"Well, let's hope that Andy knows what he's doing," sighed Francesca.

Andy and Poison stood five meters apart, and loaded their decks.

"I hope you're ready, Andy," smiled Poison. "My deck has one of the most dreaded forces ever to grace the face of Duel Monsters!"

"Yeah, right, sure," shrugged Andy. "Whatever…"

He lifted his Disk, and the holo-imagers shot out. The two sides snapped together.

Poison did the same.

The Life Point counters set to 8,000 apiece.

Andy's eyes narrowed.

"It's time to duel," he whispered. "As they say…"

"Uh, is it just me," muttered Francesca, "or is Andy putting on a whole different personality than when we met him?"

"He must take this serious…" answered Stan.

"I'll start off this show," said Poison, making her first draw.

_Perfect!_ she thought. _My secret weapon right in my first hand! But I'm going to need some help from this loser to bring it out…_

"For my first move," she stated, "I'll place a Monster facedown in Defense Mode, and that will be all…"

She put the card down, and a facedown card appeared in front of her.

_Well, that's unusual,_ thought Andy, drawing.

_Heh, this will do…_

"I summon… Cave Dragon in Attack Mode!" he exclaimed.

He put a card down, and a huge form appeared. It was a bulky, fat, green-scaled Dragon with no wings, large horns growing from its temples, and spikes on its shoulders and tail. It exuded an aura of both strength and sluggishness at the same time. (2,000/100)

"Eep!" shrieked Poison.

She paused.

"Well," she said, calming down, "are you going to attack, or aren't you?"

"I can't," answered Andy. "Cave Dragon is strong for a four-star Monster, but it has limitations. It can't be summoned if another Monster is on the field, and it can't attack unless another Dragon is on the field. So I'm ending my turn."

_Hmm,_ thought Francesca. _Andy just took a risk there… If Poison sacrifices her facedown Monster for a stronger one, he might be in trouble…_

Poison drew. She put a card down.

"Okay," she said. "I'm summoning Headless Knight in Attack Mode…"

Misty fog started to cover her side of the field.

"I don't see any Headless Knight…" frowned Andy.

"That's because he's a phantom," smiled Poison. "He hides in the shadows until the time is right to show himself…"

A ghostly shadow appeared in the fog.

"Ah, here he comes…"

A haunting laughter echoed through the fog as the creature stepped out. It was a man in ornate golden armor, carrying a shield and a sword, with – naturally – no head. (1,450/1,700)

"EEK!" shrieked Betty. "That guy is spooky!"

"Don't worry, Betty," assured Stan. "He may look spooky, but he's hardly a threat…"

"Are you scared yet?" grinned Poison.

"Scared of _that?_" laughed Andy. "This ain't Sleepy Hollow, and I ain't Ichabod Crane!"

"Fine," smiled Poison. "I'll place a card facedown, and that will end my turn."

She placed a card into a slot, and it appeared behind her facedown Monster.

"Then I'll draw," said Andy, doing so.

"I'm activating a Trap!" laughed Poison.

She hit her Disk, and her facedown card lifted. It showed a frightening picture of Dark Master Zorc casting a fiery spell on maidens who were fleeing from him.

"Zorc's Revenge!" cackled Poison.

"And what does this Trap Card do, exactly?" scowled Andy.

"Oh, you'll see!" laughed Poison.

Andy looked at the card he had just drawn.

Spear Dragon.

_Time to show her how it's done,_ he thought.

"I summon Spear Dragon in Attack Mode!" he shouted, placing a card down.

A small, winged Dragon with a long beak appeared, hovering next to Cave Dragon. (1,900/0)

"Now," ordered Andy, "Cave Dragon, attack her Headless Knight with noxious breath!"

Cave Dragon opened its great maw and shot forth a blast of poisonous gas. Headless Knight moaned, and was blasted into pixels.

Poison's Life Points fell down to 7,450.

"Yay!" shouted Betty. "No more Headless Knight!"

"Seems your Knight just lost a lot more than his head!" laughed Andy.

"Don't celebrate yet," smiled Poison.

Her Zorc's Revenge card started to glow, and suddenly, dark flames erupted around Andy! He screamed as they burned, and his Life Points fell to 7,500.

"My Continuous Trap will deduct 500 Life Points from you any time you destroy one of my Fiends!" smiled Poison. "Clever, isn't it?"

Andy snarled.

"Spear Dragon," he commanded, "attack her defensive Monster with cyclone blast!"

Spear Dragon shot a whirlwind from its mouth towards the hidden Monster. A strange creature appeared on the card. It was purple, green, and glossy black, and resembled a colorful fiendish head. On its forehead was a beautiful woman's head, and trailing behind it were long tendrils. Two long arms ending in claws sprouted from its sides, and a very long, ridged tail trailed behind it. (2,000/800)

Spear Dragon's blast blew it to pieces. Poison's Life Points fell down to 6,350.

"Nuvia the Wicked?" questioned Andy. "You actually tried to use Nuvia the Wicked? That's the most useless Monster there is!"

"Have you forgotten that Nuvia is a Fiend?" smiled Poison.

Andy screamed as the dark flames blazed around him again. His Life Points fell to 7,000.

He gasped.

"I end my turn," he snarled.

Spear Dragon folded its wings, and switched into Defense Mode.

Poison drew.

"I summon Earthbound Spirit in Defense Mode," she said, putting a card down.

The ground in front of her rumbled, and a frightening form that looked like a man made of dirt with a sunken face crawled halfway out of the ground. (500/2,000)

"And it's your move," smiled Poison.

_Huh?_ thought Andy. _She obviously saw that Spear Dragon switched to Defense after it attacked, and it has zero Defense Points… but she didn't even TRY to destroy it? Something's up…_

He drew.

_Her loss…_

"Now," smiled Andy, "I'll sacrifice my Spear Dragon to summon Luster Dragon #2!"

He switched cards, and Spear Dragon vanished. A huge emerald appeared, and then it burst, forming into a huge, emerald Dragon with beautiful, sparkling wings! (2,400/1,400)

_This may cost me some Life Points,_ he thought, _but it will cost her more!_

"Luster Dragon," ordered Andy, "erode her Earthbound Spirit with emerald flash blast!"

Luster Dragon threw back its head, and shot forth a blast of green energy, blowing Earthbound Spirit into an explosion of soil!

"Yike…" gulped Poison.

The Zorc's Revenge card glowed, and Andy was burned by the black flames again! His Life Points fell to 6,500.

"And now that that's done," snarled Andy, "you have nothing to protect you from my Cave Dragon! Cave Dragon, attack her Life Points directly!"

Cave Dragon belched forth his venomous gust, and Poison screamed, tumbling backwards!

She groaned and got up. Her Life Points had been reduced to 4,350.

"Yay!" shouted Betty. "Andy is winning!"

"I dunno…" muttered Francesca. "This all seems a little TOO easy…"

"Yeah…" said Stan. "If she's losing, then why is Poison smiling?"

Indeed, she was smiling. Smiling a wicked smile.

"Is that your move?" she grinned.

"Yes," grinned Stan. "You're down to almost half your Life Points, and I doubt you can summon anything that will stand up to my two Dragons…"

"Want a bet?" grinned Poison.

She drew.

She placed a card on her Disk.

A spooky, dim glow pervaded the whole arena.

"You did just what I wanted, handsome!" she grinned. "I had one of my most powerful creatures ready to go, but before she could make her grand appearance, three of my Fiends had to die first!"

Images of Headless Knight, Nuvia the Wicked, and Earthbound Spirit floated from her Disk and positioned over her head.

"So, I'll simply remove them from play…" she chuckled.

The three images burst.

"And now I'll summon a force of the most incredible evil that the dueling world has ever seen!"

A ghostly shape emitted from her Disk, and turned into a column of dark fire…

A sinister shape appeared within the fire. It was a vaguely female form with a bald head, pointed ears, blue skin, and evil-looking eyes. She wore a metal brassiere and kilt and knee-high boots.

"Meet… **_DARK NECROFEAR!_**" exclaimed Poison.

(2,200/2,800)

"I should have known…" gulped Andy.

"Yeesh!" stammered Betty. "That Monster is creeping me out!"

"It gets worse," sighed Stan. "Dark Necrofear is incredibly dangerous. One little slip and Andy could be in trouble…"

"Dark Necrofear," commanded Poison, "attack his Cave Dragon with doom gaze!"

Dark Necrofear opened her evil eyes and blasted a burst of black energy! Cave Dragon roared, and exploded!

Andy's Life Points fell to 6,300.

"It's your move," smiled Poison. "So, are you going to attack? Your Luster Dragon is stronger than my Dark Necrofear…"

"Fat chance!" sneered Andy, drawing.

He looked at his card.

"I know what Dark Necrofear's effect is. If she's destroyed, her ghost possesses one of my Monsters! And I'm not about to fall for that…"

He looked at the card he had just drawn.

"So first, I'm going to play Stamping Destruction!" he shouted, throwing the Magic Card into a slot.

The Magic Card revealed itself, and Luster Dragon slammed its foot into the ground, sending forth a shockwave! The Zorc's Revenge card smashed to bits, and Poison fell down on her behind!

"This Magic Card not only destroys one of your Magic or Trap Cards," explained Andy, "but it deals you 500 points of damage!"

Poison sneered as her Life Points fell to 3,850.

"Now, just to make sure you don't send Dark Necrofear after my Dragon in a kamikaze strike," he continued, "I'll switch Luster Dragon into Defense Mode…"

He turned his card, and Luster Dragon folded its wings.

"And now, I'll summon Masked Dragon, also in Defense Mode."

He placed a card down, and a small, silver and red metallic dragon wearing a metal mask appeared. He also folded his wings. (1,400/1,100)

"Well," smiled Poison. "Guess we're going to have to do this the old fashioned way…"

She slid a card into a slot.

"I'll play Tribute to the Doomed!" she exclaimed.

She discarded a card. A wave of mummy wrappings surrounded Luster Dragon and wrapped it up. Then a huge hand grabbed it and dragged it underground.

"EEK!" shrieked Betty.

"Calm down…" comforted Francesca.

"Now I summon…" started Poison.

She put a card down.

"…Malice Doll of Demise!"

A cackling laugh echoed over the field, and a demented wooden puppet holding a huge axe materialized next to Dark Necrofear. (1,600/1,700)

"Ugh," gasped Francesca. "I didn't know Pinocchio had an evil twin…"

"Malice Doll of Demise," ordered Poison, "attack his Masked Dragon!"

The puppet cackled and flew forward, swinging his axe and lopping off the Dragon's head.

"Nice try," smiled Andy, "but you won't be getting a free shot…"

A card flew out of his deck and he caught it.

"When Masked Dragon is destroyed in battle, I get to special summon one Dragon of 1,500 Attack Points or less from my hand or deck, so I'll summon a second Masked Dragon!"

He placed the card down, and a clone of the first Masked Dragon appeared. (1,400/1,100)

"You made a big mistake using your Tribute to the Doomed on my Luster Dragon instead of the Masked Dragon," smiled Andy. "Or your own Dark Necrofear, for that matter…"

Poison was clearly angry.

"Dark Necrofear, destroy the second Masked Dragon!" she commanded.

Dark Necrofear opened her eyes, and blasted the second masked Dragon out of existence.

Another card slipped out of Andy's Disk.

"Clever, but I had three of them in my deck," he smiled.

He put the card down, and a third Masked Dragon materialized. (1,400/1,100)

"Make your move," growled Poison.

Andy drew.

_Humph,_ he thought. _This guy has just the same Attack as Dark Necrofear, but he isn't immune to her effect – maybe I'll save him for later…_

He put a card down.

"I'll summon Troop Dragon in Defense Mode," he said.

Three tall Dragon-men with lizard-like heads and wings, carrying swords and wearing armor appeared. They knelt in defense. (700/800)

"Pathetic," growled Poison, drawing.

She put a card down.

"I'll summon my Grand Tiki Elder in Attack Mode!" she proclaimed.

She put a card down, and a fiendish witch doctor wearing a hideous tiki mask appeared in a cloud of shadows! (1,500/800)

"Now my Tiki," she shouted, "obliterate his Troop Dragon with Tiki curse!"

Grand Tiki Elder moaned and chanted a dark spell, and Troop Dragon was eradicated!

"Nice try," smiled Andy, "but when Troop Dragon is destroyed, I get to special summon _another_ Troop Dragon!"

Another card flew out of his Disk, and he caught it. He put it down on his Disk, and another three Dragon soldiers arose in Defense. (700/800)

Poison cringed. "Malice Doll of Demise, take out the second Troop Dragon!"

The evil doll flew forward, and with one swipe, slashed the three dragons in twain!

Another card flew out of Andy's deck, and he reached for it. He slapped it down on his disk, and a third Troop Dragon appeared! (700/800)

"Okay, I'm getting annoyed!" yelled Poison. "Dark Necrofear, wipe out the last one!"

Dark Necrofear glared with her doom gaze, and the third Troop Dragon was blasted to dust.

"Andy managed to put up quite a wall!" mentioned Stan.

"But it's almost down…" muttered Francesca.

Andy drew.

_Crud,_ he thought.

He looked at his hand.

_Can't risk bringing this guy out yet. This is going to hurt._

"I'll pass this turn," he said.

Poison grinned wickedly.

"Now I just have to destroy your last Masked Dragon," she smiled. "Grand Tiki Elder, obliterate it!"

The Tiki cast forth its curse, and Masked Dragon was disintegrated.

"You're forgetting that I can still use his effect to summon a Dragon with low Attack!" stated Andy.

A new card flew out of his deck.

"So I summon The Dragon Dwelling in the Cave in Defense Mode!"

He put the card down, and a huge, blue-skinned, rocky dragon with a bored expression formed on the field. (1,300/2,000)

Poison put her hand on her forehead.

"Does THAT have the ability to summon anything?" she asked.

"NO," answered Andy.

"Good," growled Poison. "Dark Necrofear, attack his last line of Defense!"

Dark Necrofear gazed, and The Dragon Dwelling in the Cave smashed to pieces.

"Now, Malice Doll of Demise, attack his Life Points directly!"

The demented puppet cackled and flew towards Andy, slashing at him with its axe! Andy gasped and fell over.

Betty shrieked.

Andy's Life Points fell to 4,700.

"Summon anything you like, honey," laughed Poison. "You'll never defeat Dark Necrofear!"

Andy got up. He drew…

His eyes opened wide at the card!

"I play the Magic Card… Snatch Steal!" he shouted.

The Magic Card revealed itself, and a shifty-eyed bandit leapt out of it. He turned his head to and fro, and then grabbed hold of Dark Necrofear! She shrieked as she was pulled over to Andy's side!

"What?" gasped Poison. "No! You're going to sacrifice Dark Necrofear!"

"That's right!" grinned Andy. "One of the easiest and safest ways to get rid of her! Since sacrificing isn't destroying her, doing this doesn't enact her lethal effect!

"So, I sacrifice your Dark Necrofear…"

He put a card down, and both Dark Necrofear and the bandit holding her faded away…

"And I summon a mighty Dragon who's as deadly as his name… **_Des Volstgalph!_**"

An enormous Dragon arose, with dirty brown skin, think scales, and large wings. It stood upright and had wicked claws and a scorpion-like tail. (2,200/1,700)

"Now, Des Volstgalph, destroy that demented puppet with sandstorm blast!"

Des Volstgalph shot forth a stream of hot sand from its jaws, eroding the puppet into dust!

"I'm afraid you not only lost 600 Life Points from your Doll's destruction," smiled Andy, "but when Des Volstgalph destroys one of your Monsters, you lose an _additional_ 500 Life Points!"

Poison's Life Points fell to 2,750.

She snarled.

"It's your move," smiled Andy.

"Wow!" shouted Francesca. "Andy is on a roll!"

"And he got rid of that creepy Dark Necrofear!" cheered Betty.

Poison drew.

_Well, he's better than I suspected,_ thought Poison. _But he hasn't won yet…_

"I'll play my Pot of Greed," she said, slipping a card into a slot.

The Pot appeared before her, and once again, a spectral arm reached out, and took two cards off the top of her deck. It handed them to her.

She looked at them. She made a slight smirk.

"I'll place one card facedown," she said, sliding a card into a slot.

The facedown card appeared in front of her.

"Now," she said. "I'll summon Melchid the Four-Face Beast in Defense Mode."

She put a card down, and a spherical creature with four masks circling its body appeared. (1,500/1,200)

"I'll also move Grand Tiki Elder into Defense Mode, and end my turn."

She turned the card, and the Tiki shielded itself with its arms.

_Hmm…_ thought Andy. _Might be a Trap… but I can't risk her getting a chance to summon something nasty…_

He drew.

_Polymerization? Not very good now…_

"Des Volstgalph, destroy that creepy Tiki!" he shouted.

Des Volstgalph shot forth his sandy breath, and Grand Tiki Elder was thrown back and eroded into particles.

Poison's Life Points slipped to 2,250.

"So what are you going to do now?" asked Andy, sarcastically.

Poison drew.

"Nothing," she said. "I'll pass this turn."

Andy drew.

It was a strange Monster called Divine Dragon Ragnarok.

_This will be good for later,_ he thought.

"Des Volstgalph, attack!" he shouted.

The Dragon prepared to fire…

"I activate… Shadow Spell!" shouted Poison.

Des Volstgalph roared as a mass of chains sprouted up, binding his arms, legs and neck. His Attack Points went down to 1,500.

"Shoot!" yelled Andy.

"Crud," moaned Stan. "Now he's in trouble…"

"My move I guess," smiled Poison, drawing.

She placed a card in a slot.

"As now I play Mystik Wok!" she exclaimed.

A huge Wok appeared on her side of the field, and Melchid floated into it.

By sacrificing Melchid, I gain his Attack Score in Life Points!" laughed Poison.

Melchid turned into green smoke, and Poison inhaled it.

"Ahh!" she said, as her Life Points went up to 3,750.

Andy noticed that Des Volstgalph's Attack went up to 1,700. Its other effect raised its Attack by 200 for each Magic Card played for the duration of the round. Not that it really would help…

"Dumb," said Andy. "Now you've got nothing to protect yourself with!"

"Do I?" grinned Poison. "My strategy revolves around summoning Dark Necrofear… Do you really think I only had ONE Dark Necrofear in my deck? Actually, I have _three!_"

She placed a card down, and the same spooky aura surrounded the field.

Images of Melchid the Four-Face Beast, Grand Tiki Elder, and Malice Doll of Demise floated over her head.

"So I'll remove three more Fiends from play…" she laughed.

The three Fiends shattered.

"…and my second Dark Necrofear arises!"

The dark pillar of flame appeared, and a second Dark Necrofear appeared, just as sinister as the first. (2,200/2,800)

"Not again…" shuddered Betty.

"Now," she ordered, "obliterate Des Volstgalph with doom gaze!"

Dark Necrofear cast forth her lethal gaze, and Des Volstgalph burst into an explosion of sand.

Andy's Life Points fell to 4,200.

"Uh, Francesca," muttered Stan, "does this mean Andy is in trouble?"

"I dunno," said Francesca. "I've managed to defeat _one_ Dark Necrofear a few times, but I never had to deal with _two_! That Fiend gives female Monsters a bad name…"

Andy looked at his hand.

_One card could make this perfect,_ he thought. _Just have to draw it…_

He closed his eyes, and drew.

He stared at Poison.

"I summon a mighty Spellcaster known among dragonkind as… Lord of Dragons!" he shouted.

He placed a card down, and an imposing wizard appeared. He was dressed in black, with a cape, and wore a Dragon's skull as a helmet. (1,200/1,100)

"And now," continued Andy, "I use Polymerization…"

He slid the card into a slot.

"To fuse him together with a mighty creature called Divine Dragon Ragnarok!"

A large Dragon with a wise, aged face that seemed to be made of gaseous mist appeared on the field.

A portal opened up, and Lord of Dragons and Divine Dragon Ragnarok were drawn inside!

"Bonded together, they form a creature of unparalleled might, a powerful force known as… **_King Dragun!_**"

A huge form flew out of the portal. It was a large Chinese Dragon with a snaky body, golden scales, and a wise looking head that seemed to be surrounded by gaseous mist. His eyes glowed like golden orbs. (2,400/1,100)

"Since Fusion Monsters can't attack on the round that they're summoned," continued Andy, "I'll just set a card down, and end my turn."

He placed a card into a slot, and it materialized behind Kind Dragun.

"King Dragun?" said Andy, puzzled. "Francesca, have you ever heard of this guy?"

"Frankly no," answered Francesca. "He… seems to be stronger than Dark Necrofear, but Andy is an idiot if he attacks!"

"I don't know what your game is, Andy," said Poison, drawing.

She looked at her card.

"So I'll summon Witty Phantom in Defense Mode, and end my turn."

She put a card down, and the gentleman Fiend in a purple tuxedo and derby appeared, kneeling in Defense. (1,400/1,300)

Andy chuckled as he drew.

"King Dragun," he shouted, "attack Dark Necrofear with divine wrath!"

King Dragun roared! He breathed forth a blast of black flames at his foe! Dark Necrofear screamed, and was incinerated!

Poison's Life Points fell to 3,550… and she cackled, as the lights around the arena dimmed.

"That was the stupidest move I've ever seen!" she laughed. "You must be asking to lose!"

A ghostly shape started to float towards King Dragun.

"Dark Necrofear," commanded Poison, "take possession of King Dragun!"

The ghostly shape closed in on King Dragun… Stan, Francesca, and Betty bit their lips.

And then King Dragun let out a bellowing roar! The ghost cringed back in fear, and fled for safety!

"What?" stammered Poison. "Buh… My Dark Necrofear couldn't possess it!"

"Yes!" smiled Andy. "Let me explain to you one of King Dragun's potent effects! He's immune to any Magic Cards, Trap Cards, or Monster Effects that specifically target, as are any Dragons that fight alongside him! Since Dark Necrofear's effect is a targeting effect, her spirit simply _cannot_ possess him!

"And since I have no other Monsters for her to possess, and she can't possess your own Monster, she has to go to your Graveyard and STAY there!"

The ghostly phantom screamed, and then burst into pixels.

"Yes!" cheered Francesca.

"Hooray!" yelled Betty.

"Make your move," smiled Andy.

Poison shakily drew.

And then she laughed. She laughed out loud.

"You may have defeated Dark Necrofear," she laughed, "but I had another powerful Monster waiting in the wings!"

She threw a card down on her Disk.

"I sacrifice my Witty Phantom to summon Dark Ruler Ha Des!" she exclaimed.

Witty Phantom vanished, and a huge form arose. It was a hulking fiend in demonic royal garments, accented with a skull on the front and a crown with curved horns. He clutched a wine glass in one of his claws. (2,450/1,600)

"No," squealed Betty. "That's even scarier than Dark Necrofear…"

"As you can see," laughed Poison, "this big guy's Attack Score is just strong enough to defeat your Dragon! Face it, you're history!

"Dark Ruler, attack King Dragun with Stygian blast!"

Dark Ruler Ha Des raised his arm, and shot forth a beam of blackness at King Dragun…

King Dragun fired his dark flames to meet the blast…

A huge explosion ensued!

Everyone turned away, and when they looked, the clothes of Dark Ruler Ha Des had been torn to shreds, and he was slowly disintegrating…

He vanished.

"WHAT?" shouted Poison. "HOW?"

Her Life Points fell to 2,600.

"Did you remember the facedown card I set?" chuckled Andy.

He pointed to it. It bore a picture of a red and gold dragon blasting a cornfield with flames.

"It's a Quickplay Magic Card called Scorching Ruin!" he exclaimed. "This card can be activated during either Battle Phase, and raises the Attack of any Dragon by 1,000 points! It's sort of like a Dragon's version of Rush Recklessly, but better!"

He pointed to her.

"Now finish your move…"

Poison frantically searched over her cards…

_There's nothing I can do!_ she thought, in panic._ I'm totally pinned down!_

She bowed her head.

"I take it that means you end your turn," smirked Andy.

He drew.

"This will do nicely," he thought. "I summon Warrior Dai Grepher in Attack Mode!"

He put the card down, and a tall, handsome Warrior arose; he was muscular, and wore black, form-fitting armor and a headband. He carried a large greatsword. (1,700/1,600)

"Warrior Dai Grepher," shouted Andy, "attack her directly with your steel sword!"

Grepher charged forward and slashed at Poison! She gasped and fell to her knees. Her Life Points fell to 900.

"King Dragun, finish her off!" commanded Andy. "Divine wrath!"

King Dragun bore over Poison… She cowered in fear…

He blew his flames all over her, and she let out a bloodcurdling scream!

"Yay, he won, he won!" shouted Betty.

"Boy, he's good," noted Francesca.

"Indeed," agreed Stan.

The holo-imagers shut down. Poison was lying flat on her back with a pain-induced grimace on her face.

"All right you bimbo," sneered Andy. "You owe me a Crystal Card, AND you have to get on your bike and leave this town for good. Now fork it over and amscray."

Poison was beside herself with fury. She got up and threw a Crystal Card in Andy's face. Then, without a word, she headed for her bike.

Within five minutes, she was gone, the sound of her motorcycle fading in the direction of Rogueport.

A large weight lifted off Andy's shoulder.

"Phew!" he said.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"So," asked Francesca, as they continued to tour the village, "you think you could tell us what would have happened to you if you had lost?"

Andy made a face.

"Let's just say it's something that would have scarred me for a good long time," he sighed.

"Your deck is pretty powerful," commented Stan, "but I do have a question: Why did you put Warrior Dai Grepher in it? He's not a Dragon…"

"Well," shrugged Andy, "he may not be, but he can be used with a Dragon for a pretty useful combination. Maybe you'll see eventually."

"You know folks," muttered Francesca, fingering her pendant, "like it or not, there's something that's connecting us. These things aren't sold in just any souvenir shop…"

"Indeed," agreed Andy. "And there are three stars on each of them…"

"Yes," mumbled Stan. "Maybe we should stay together for at least a while – watch each other's backs. After all, they say that unity is a powerful force…"

"Don't my Amazons know it," smiled Francesca. "So, partners?"

She held her hand out.

"Partners!" they said, putting their hands together.

"So," asked Stan, "where do we go from here?"

"I dunno," muttered Andy. "Did any of you see that spooky old castle on the way into town?"

"Yeah," said Fran, with a shudder. "It gave me the creeps. It seemed awfully out of place in Petal Meadows."

"So, you want to know about Hooktail Castle, do you?" chuckled a woman's voice.

They turned around and saw a figure seated in a chair. It was a woman draped in a brown cloak and cowl that covered her face.

"I can tell you a few words about Hooktail Castle," she said offhand. "Although I must warn you, the story is one that sends a lot of folk to dangerous ends…"

"We aren't scared," answered Stan.

"That might change," chuckled the woman. "See, one thousand years ago, this area was terrorized by a wicked dragon named Hooktail. She was a powerful beast, stronger than any Duel Monster. And she preyed upon the people who lived in this town like a wolf among sheep."

She chuckled.

"Being a dragon, maidens were her favorite food," she continued. "But eventually, such fare was her undoing. A warrior maiden from another land carrying a powerful sword confronted her in her castle, and slew her, ending the threat.

"The warrior and her companions looted Hooktail's treasure, but it was said that there was a powerful artifact in that place that they missed – one that remains there to this day.

"Listen closely. It is said that where Hooktail's bones lie, a guardian protects her final treasure, and only one who is skilled with Earth Monsters can defeat the guardian and claim this powerful relic."

She chuckled.

"Wow," said Francesca, in wonder.

She took out her deck and leafed through it.

"Skilled with Earth Monsters, huh?" she mused. "All of the Amazons are Earth Monsters! I should have no problem getting that treasure!"

"Fran, are you sure?" asked Stan. "It might be dangerous…"

"Relax," smiled Francesca. "The people who are running this tournament probably put things like this in as extras – sort of like secret bonus levels to video games! That treasure might help us out a great deal!"

"Old timer," she asked the woman, "how do we get to Hooktail Castle?"

"Just follow the dirt path up the hill to the north of town," answered the woman, "and you'll be led right to it."

"Come on guys!" urged Francesca, "it's only three o'clock!"

The woman watched as they hurried off…

And then she got up, and threw the cloak off.

She wasn't old at all. Underneath was a young girl, about age fourteen. She had long, platinum blonde hair, and wore a silver halter top and shorts made out of spandex with no shoes. A Duel Disk was strapped to her arm. A wicked smile crossed her face.

"Hee, hee," she giggled. "Like, they totally fell for it! Now to get there before they do, and once I do, that bimbo Francesca will be the first complete _loser_ on this island!"

She spread her arms and transformed into a globe of shining light.

And then she flew quickly over the hills to Hooktail Castle.

Across the street, Lord Crump was watching.

He punched a number into his cell phone.

"Your excellence?" he said.

"What is it, Crump?" sighed the response.

"I think Melissa is up to something," answered Crump. "She's trying to lure your… guests to old Hooktail Castle."

"Hooktail Castle?" answered the speaker. "Interesting."

"Do you want me to follow them?" asked Crump.

"No Crump, I will view this myself," was the response. "You just take a break for a while."

"Uh, sure," muttered Crump, "I can do that…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

In her dark chamber, Melissa's mother turned off her cell phone.

_Hooktail Castle…_ she thought._ I never maintained that old pile of stones after that… brat defeated Hooktail…_

_So, Melissa, what are you planning?_

She waved her arm, and the large crystal ball in front of her came to life. An image of Stan, Andy, and Francesca walking up a hill on a dirt path appeared in it.

_We'll soon see…_

**0**

**0**

**0**

**ZORC'S REVENGE (Trap Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Trap/Continuous  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description: **Image of Dark Master Zorc casting a fiery spell at maidens who are fleeing from him in terror. When a FIEND-Type monster on your side of the field is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard, inflict 500 points of damage to your opponent's Life Points.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**SCORCHING RUIN (Magic Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Magic/Quickplay  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description: **Image of red and gold dragon burning a cornfield with fiery breath. Increase one face-up DRAGON-type Monster's ATK by 1,000 points until the end of the turn this card is activated.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**DES VOLSTGALPH (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Dragon/Effect  
**Attribute: **Earth  
**Level: **6  
**ATK: **2,200  
**DEF: **1,700

**Card Description: **This powerful Dragon is said to make its lair beneath the desert sands. Increase the ATK of this Monster by 200 for each Normal or Quickplay Magic Card played during a turn until the end phase of the turn. Also, when this Monster destroys an opponent's Monster, inflict 500 points of direct damage to your opponent's Life Points.

_Note: "Des Volstgalph" is a promotional Japanese card that has not yet been released in the United States. It was first used by Yugi in the anime episode "Merger of the Big Five (Part 2)"._

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**Coming up next:**_

_**The team is complete, but danger now lurks around the corner. **_

**_When the team reaches the dreaded Hooktail Castle, Melissa springs her trap, and Francesca is trapped in a duel where she faces a legendary Monster with incredible powers! Don't miss "Some Light on the Subject", coming soon…_**


	6. Some Light On The Subject

_**You ever have one of those really weird days?**_

_**One of those days where you enter a big tournament, get in your first win, and then partner up with two guys who seem to have a strange connection to you?**_

_**And then it gets even weirder? Someone directs you to a spooky castle, you start to see strange visions, you fight living Duel Monsters, you find the corpse of an ancient beast, and then a fourteen-year-old exhibitionist with magical powers forces you to duel her?**_

_**You ever have one of those days?**_

_**No? Didn't think so.**_

_**But that's the type of day I'm having right now…**_

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER FIVE**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Some Light on the Subject**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

The grassy meadow gave way to briars and weeds, as the intimidating form of Hooktail Castle got closer and closer. Strange black birds circled overhead – the small group could not identify them, but they couldn't shake the feeling that they were scavengers, waiting for the three teenagers to die so that their remains could be feasted on…

Francesca kept feeling flushed. Dizziness started to overtake her as they climbed the last hill.

"Guys," asked Francesca, "can we stop and rest for a minute?"

"Sure, Fran," said Andy.

They stopped, and Francesca sat down.

She closed her eyes…

Suddenly, a vision came to her – it was as if she was dreaming, but she was still wide awake.

She saw a female warrior wandering through a dark dungeon. She almost recognized her clothing – it was similar to Amazoness Paladin. But Francesca couldn't see her face.

The warrior raised her sword, and carefully opened a door…

And then a shock came to Francesca's closed eyes, as a horrible form appeared. The warrior had entered a huge, circular chamber adorned with torches and draconic gargoyles. Looming above the heroine was a great beast, a huge dragon with rust-red scales, huge claws, blunt teeth, and a great snout! It had small wings (proportionately), and strangest of all, the back of its head was adorned with what seemed to be four short ponytails.

As Francesca watched the vision, a great battle ensued! The dragon breathed searing flame at the young warrior and tried to stomp her flat, but she could not be touched! How long the fight lasted, it was impossible to tell… Finally, the heroine plunged her sword into the monster's heart, and it crashed to the floor, dead…

The heroine turned and wiped the sweat off her brow. Francesca clearly saw her face…

_No…_ thought Francesca, in horror. _Her face… That warrior… She's… ME!_

"Hello, Francesca?" called Stan's voice. "Earth to Francesca?"

She opened her eyes.

"Something wrong?" asked Andy.

"No," sighed Francesca, getting up. "I was just… daydreaming…"

"Come on," said Stan, "we're almost there…"

As they trudged up the hill, Francesca's mind was going a mile per minute.

_What did that vision mean?_ she thought in confusion. _Why did I see myself as one of my own Monsters… fighting a dragon? It has to mean something…_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Whoever built Hooktail Castle was a pretty good architect, but he built it with a sinister theme. It was made from blue stone, and strange towers and buttresses loomed overhead. In front of the team was a huge, skull-shaped wall with a drawbridge where the mandible would be.

"Welcome to Castle Grayskull," muttered Stan.

"Well how do we get in?" pondered Andy.

Then, the drawbridge slowly lowered! The three youngsters backed out of the way as it crashed down.

"Someone must be expecting us," sighed Francesca. "Well, let's go in… this was my idea anyway…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The dark lady was sitting on her throne, watching the three progress through her viewing globe.

She got up.

"Keep going, you fools," she chuckled. "You're running right into my daughter's trap…"

She went over to a fireplace where a violet flame was burning.

"But before you get there, maybe I'll give you a little warm up…"

She took a deck of cards out of her dress and leafed through them.

"Hmm, Zombie Warrior should fit the locale…" she mused.

She tossed the card into the flames, and they blazed, turning from violet to green…

Strange energy spouted out of the mountain in the center of the island and darted towards Hooktail Castle…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Stan, Andy, and Francesca got their first look inside Hooktail Castle. They were in a long hallway, lit by flickering torches.

Carefully, they started down the hallway.

"Hey guys," muttered Andy, looking at a tapestry, "think this is supposed to be Hooktail?"

They all turned and looked at the aged tapestry, depicting a fierce dragon flying over Petal Meadows.

Francesca gulped. It was the same dragon in her vision!

"Let's keep going…" she stammered.

They came to a doorway at the end of the hall.

Francesca slowly pushed it open…

"EEWW!" she exclaimed.

They looked into the huge chamber beyond, and saw that it was a virtual cemetery. Skeletons littered the ground, all of them carrying swords, shields, and wearing pieces of armor.

A very large doorway was across on the other side.

"You think these were… Hooktail's victims?" gulped Stan.

"Don't be ridiculous!" snapped Francesca, angrily. "There was no real Hooktail! This castle is all a big hoax. Now let's find that 'treasure', whatever it is."

She sighed.

"Ten to one, once I defeat some guy who works for Meyers, I'll get some rare Duel Monsters card that works with Earth Monsters. It shouldn't be too hard. And I'm betting this guy uses Dragon Monsters or… something…"

They started to cross the chamber…

And then the bones started to rattle…

"Huh?" said Stan, startled.

Before their unbelieving eyes, the skeletons started to move! They got to their feet, and raised their swords!

"So now what?" asked Stan. "This was your idea…"

"Just follow my lead…" whispered Francesca.

She screamed, and ran out the large archway!

"Works for me!" exclaimed Andy.

The two of them followed her, running from the creatures. Unfortunately, the creatures ran after them!

They ran down the hallway, with the bony creatures in pursuit. They entered a large, round room…

…with no exits!

"Sheesh, for things with no leg muscles, they're coming fast!" shouted Andy. "Now what?"

The creatures started to enter the room…

"Hold it…" snarled Stan, turning to face them.

"What?" stammered Francesca.

"These things are Zombie Warriors," said Stan with a smile. "They're Duel Monsters! So we just have to summon something to fight them!"

"Huh… it couldn't hurt…" answered Andy.

The three teenagers lifted their Disks, and flipped them into position. They drew the top cards from their decks.

The Zombie Warriors howled! (1,200/900)

"I summon… Skilled Dark Magician!" shouted Stan, placing a card down on his Disk.

The bulky-robed Dark Spellcaster materialized, waving his staff. (1,900/1,700)

"I summon… Masked Dragon!" yelled Andy.

He threw his card down, and the metallic Dragon with an iron mask on his face appeared next to Skilled Dark Magician. (1,400/1,100)

"And I summon… Amazoness Fighter!" shouted Francesca, throwing a card down.

The muscular female warrior appeared, and cracked her knuckles. (1,500/1,300)

The three Monsters faced the horde of Zombies…

"GO!" shouted their masters.

Skilled Dark Magician twirled his staff and fired a beam of dark magic at a group of the creatures, blasting them into pixels!

Masked Dragon breathed a fiery cloud at another group, and they were incinerated!

Amazoness Fighter leapt, and plunged into the midst of the third group! She slammed her fists into the bony Zombies, blowing them away!

Within minutes, the Zombie Warriors were gone, and the three victors stood above a parched floor.

Amazoness Fighter and Skilled Dark Magician shook hands. Then they patted Masked Dragon on the head – it growled happily.

"Gee," muttered Stan, "we make a pretty good team."

"Our Monsters seem to think so," smiled Andy.

As the three creatures vanished, the team noticed that the room that formerly had no exit had one now. A spiral staircase (which had not been there before) was in the corner of the room.

Francesca shrugged.

"Let's go," she said, reshuffling her deck. "This game is getting fun!"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

In her dark chamber, the one who had created the Zombie Warriors sulked.

"Well that was a bust," she growled. "I didn't scare them at all!"

She stared at them as they ascended the staircase.

"Fun, huh?" she snarled. "We'll see just how much fun you're having after this is over, Francesca…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Man, the Catskills have nothing on these stairs," groaned Francesca.

They reached the top of the spiral stairway, and entered another long hallway, one with windows on either side. They looked out, and saw that they were several hundred feet up. The sun was starting to set. They walked down the hallway with Francesca in the lead, past fading paintings, torn tapestries, and burning torches.

They came up to a huge, ornate door, with an image of a frightening dragon's face on it.

"Man, we'll never open that," sighed Stan.

The door slowly swung open, outward.

"Looks like we don't have to," stated Andy.

They walked into a huge chamber…

And drew back in fear!

In the center of the chamber was something that was beyond belief. An enormous skeleton, about a hundred feet long and ten feet high, was sprawled in the center. It was obvious what the creature used to be… It had clearly been a dragon at one time, one that had been bigger than any Duel Monsters Dragon that they had ever personally witnessed.

"I… think we found Hooktail…" gasped Andy.

"Apparently, she _was_ real…" gulped Stan. "And if that thing comes to life, I don't know if any of our Monsters will be able to defeat it!"

"Calm down, people," stuttered Francesca. "I'm sure this is all fake…"

But she was even more scared than they were. She recognized this room – it was the chamber in her vision, where the warrior who looked like her fought that dragon…

They looked around. A door was on the opposite side of the chamber.

They slowly started to make their way towards it…

Then a girlish giggle started to fill the air…

The three teens looked up, as an orb of bright light appeared in the air. It flew towards Francesca, and started flying in circles around her!

Then it flew away from her, and hovered in the air…

And then it grew into a man-shaped form.

The young girl, about age fourteen, stood before them, wearing a low-cut, silver halter top and shorts made of spandex and no shoes. She ran her fingers though her platinum blonde hair that fell to her waist.

"Hell-o!" she giggled.

Francesca frowned.

"Didn't your mother ever tell you that girls your age shouldn't dress like that?" she commented.

"Hee, hee," chuckled the girl. "My mom is _very_ liberal. You should see how _she_ dresses!"

Her eyes glowed with white light.

"I'm the host of Hooktail Castle, and this is as far as you're gonna get on Monster Island, Francesca!" she giggled.

A Duel Disk appeared on her arm with a flash of light.

"You're spooking me out, kid," sneered Stan.

"Then I'm, like, totally doing my job!" said Melissa with a girlish laugh. "I'm not the average duelist… I'm one of a group of siblings that works under the ruler of this island…"

"Ruler?" asked Andy. "I thought Monster Island was ruled by a council."

"Hee, hee," chuckled Melissa. "True, but not even most of them know who really runs this place! As for my little group, we are known as, drum roll please…"

Her eyes glowed again.

"…The Shadow Spawn!"

"Shadow Spawn?" gasped Stan.

"Allow me to totally introduce myself," said the girl. "My name is Melissa, the Shadow Spawn of Light! I knew you'd come here once you heard about a treasure that only someone who could use Earth Monsters could snag!"

"So the treasure story was a lie?" snarled Francesca, angrily.

"Like, no!" laughed Melissa. "I do a lot of bad things, but I do NOT lie! I bluff and play nasty tricks, and tell dumb jokes sometimes, but I don't lie…"

She pointed to the door behind her.

"The treasure is in there," she announced with a grin. "If you beat me in this duel – which you won't – you're free to take it!"

"I won't have any trouble defeating an airhead like you," growled Francesca.

"You are totally out of whack," laughed Melissa. "I may be the youngest of the Shadow Spawn, but I've been learning how to duel since before I was old enough to trick-or-treat!

"And might I add, once I outduel you, you'll be stricken with a punishment too horrible for words!"

Francesca's eyebrow lifted.

"Explain yourself…" she growled.

"I don't want to worry you…" assured Melissa.

"Fran," said Andy with caution in his voice, "this chick is weird. Maybe we should just turn around and…"

The door they had gone through slammed shut behind them.

"You'll find escaping is like totally impossible!" laughed Melissa. "Now let's get started… And we're going to be dueling in the perfect place!"

She pointed at Francesca, and a glow of light surrounded her. Before Francesca knew it, she was lifted up off the floor!

Francesca tried to struggle, but it was no use. She was pulled up over Hooktail's skeleton, and then set down on the back of his vertebrae!

Then Melissa appeared, standing between Hooktail's clavicles.

"Like, original, ain't it?" she chuckled.

"You want to duel on top of a dragon's moldering corpse?" sneered Francesca. "That is… ghoulish…"

"Hey, I don't hear old Hooktail complaining!" laughed Melissa. "Now let's start this!"

"Whatever you say…" snarled Francesca.

"Come on, Fran!" shouted Andy. "You can beat her!"

"Yeah!" shouted Stan. "Just have faith in yourself, and she won't stand a chance!"

Francesca lifted her Disk, and the holo-imagers shot out, alighting themselves on Hooktail's pelvic bones. Melissa activated her own Disk, and her imagers alighted on the dragon's clavicles.

The Disks snapped into place.

"Like, it's time to duel!" laughed Melissa.

They inserted their decks, and the Life Point counters set to 8,000 each.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

In her dark throne room, Melissa's mother was watching the proceedings, and she wasn't exactly happy.

"Well, Melissa," she growled, "thanks to your big blabbermouth, now they know one of the secrets of how this island works…

"So you'd better not fail…

"Now that they're no longer totally in the dark, I can't let them survive that much longer. We have to take them out fast.

"So don't even think about losing…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Meanwhile, a lot of things were going through Francesca's head as she drew her first hand.

In the last ten minutes, her skepticism had shrunk a great deal.

_Either this kid's special effects skills were taught to her by Industrial Light and Magic,_ she thought, _or she's using REAL magic. I've got to be careful…_

She looked at her hand.

_Hmm, not too shabby…_ she thought.

"I'll make the first move," chuckled Melissa, drawing her first card.

She looked at it.

_Excellent,_ she thought.

"I'll start by playing my Pot of Greed," she said, placing a card into a slot.

The jar appeared in front of her, and it handed her two cards from her deck.

"What better card to start things off, considering where we are?" she asked. "Like, dragons are greedy creatures, what with all the treasure they've got!"

She placed a card down on her Disk.

"Now, I'll summon Spirit of the Harp in Defense Mode!" she giggled.

A light shone from above, and a beautiful woman in a golden robe appeared, holding a large, golden harp. (800/2,000)

"Hmm!" noted Stan.

"Well, she said she was the Shadow Spawn of Light," muttered Andy, "and that is a Light Monster…"

"And now," continued Melissa, "I'll play Card Destruction!"

She threw the Magic Card into the slot, and it appeared.

"No!" gasped Francesca.

"Now we'll have to discard our hands and start afresh!" laughed Melissa.

Francesca growled. She discarded her five cards and drew another five.

"Your move now," said Melissa with a big grin.

Francesca drew.

"I'll summon a Warrior known as Amazon Archer, in Attack Mode!" exclaimed Francesca.

She placed a card down, and a slim woman appeared. She had short hair, and wore a brown halter top, jacket, and shirt. She carried a quiver of arrows on her back and held a bow. She drew an arrow and fitted it into her weapon. (1,400/1,000)

"My Archer may not be able to pierce your defense, but soon I'll have someone who can!" threatened Francesca.

"Ooh, I'm so scared!" mocked Melissa.

She drew.

"I'll place one card facedown on the field," she quipped.

She fitted a card into a slot.

"And now I'll play this Magic Card," she continued. "Card of Safe Return!"

She fitted another card into a slot, and it revealed itself in front of her.

"Card of Safe Return?" asked Andy. "What does that do?"

"It's a very situational Continuous Magic Card," replied Stan. "It will let Melissa draw one card whenever she Special Summons a Monster from her Graveyard… But I don't see what her strategy is…"

"Now I'll turn it over to you," said Melissa with a smirk.

Francesca drew. She grimaced.

"Don't like what you've got in your hand, Fran?" smiled Melissa. "Well maybe I can help… I'm activating a Trap!"

Her facedown card lifted. It showed the image of three cards on fire.

"Multiple Destruction!" she laughed.

"What does that do?" asked Francesca.

"It's the Trap version of a Morphing Jar!" giggled Melissa. "Now we both have to discard our hands, and draw five new cards!"

Francesca growled again.

"Of course, a card this powerful totally has a drawback," chuckled Francesca. "The duelist using it has to pay 200 Life Points for every card she discards!"

She discarded her three cards, and her Life Points fell to 7,400. Then she drew five more.

Francesca discarded her hand and drew five more cards.

_All she's done so far is summon one Monster, play one useless Magic Card, and pitch cards into her Graveyard,_ she thought. _What is she up to?_

She took a card from her hand.

"I summon Amazoness Fighter in Attack Mode!" she stated, placing it down.

The beefy Warrior woman appeared. She flexed and glared at Spirit of the Harp. (1,500/1,300)

"Make your move, Shadow-spore," mocked Francesca.

"It's Shadow SPAWN, ignoramus!" pouted Melissa. "And I'll move all right…"

She drew.

"This will do nicely!" she exclaimed.

She added the card to her hand, and then chose another one. She opened her Field slot.

"I hope you brought your sunglasses, Francesca!" she laughed. "I play the Field Magic Card… Luminous Spark!"

She fit the card into the slot, and suddenly, and intense light flooded the whole chamber!

"Ah! Too bright! Too bright!" gasped Stan.

"This Field Card raises the Attack Score of all Light Monsters by 500 points!" laughed Melissa.

"It also _lowers_ their Defense by 400!" stated Francesca, "and your Spirit of the Harp is in Defense Mode!"

Spirit of the Harp's stats changed to (1,300/1,600)

"Oops!" shrugged Melissa.

"Oops is right…" smiled Francesca.

She drew.

"Now I summon… Amazoness Paladin!" she shouted.

She put her card down, and the caped, sword-wielding Amazon leapt out with a war cry! (1,700/300) – (2,000/300)

"Now, Amazoness Paladin, attack her Spirit of the Harp with Amazon blade!"

Amazoness Paladin charged across Hooktail's vertebrae, and slashed through Spirit of the Harp! The Fairy screamed and burst into pixels.

"And now," yelled Francesca, "you have nothing to protect yourself from my other two Amazons! Amazoness Fighter, attack her Life Points directly with savage kick!"

Amazoness Fighter ran forward and slammed her knee into Melissa's gut!

Stan, Andy, and Francesca gazed in shock. Melissa didn't even flinch!

But her Life Points did fall to 5,900.

Francesca was dumbfounded for a minute. But she regained her composure.

"Amazon Archer, attack her with arrow of the Amazons!" she ordered.

Amazon Archer raised her bow, and the arrow burned with energy! She fired, and it struck Melissa in the chest!

Again, Melissa didn't seem to feel a thing as her Life Points fell to 4,500.

"Hee, hee," she giggled. "Your Amazons are like, a bunch of wimps! They barely made me blink!"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

In her dark chamber, Melissa's parent was watching and chuckling.

_Very clever Melissa,_ she thought. _You chose your choice of an arena admirably…_

_Francesca doesn't know it, but fighting atop of Hooktail's bones gives you an advantage that she doesn't have. Hooktail may have been a dismal failure to me as a pet and bodyguard, but she was still powerful…_

_So powerful, that even her thousand-year-old skeleton still contains traces of my power within, enough to continue her job as a bodyguard. And anyone in contact with it can draw upon the power if they know how..._

_So long as anyone with my blood stays close enough to her corpse, it is difficult for physical harm or pain to befall her. It may not help Melissa as far as actual dueling is concerned, but it will keep her from being worn out…_

_It's not cheating so long as the rules of the duel aren't tampered with…_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"For someone who's lost almost half her Life Points, Melissa sure seems to be in a very cheery mood," said Stan, suspiciously.

"Like, totally!" said Melissa with a devilish grin. "Thing is, I _wanted_ your friend to kill my Spirit of the Harp – she was just in the way! Now my _true_ strategy can be, like, unveiled!"

She drew.

She took a card from her hand.

"First, I'll summon a Warrior known as The Creator Incarnate!" she laughed.

She put a card down, and a tall form appeared. It was a knight in glowing, golden, ceremonial armor, holding a shining blade. (1,600/1,500) –) (2,100/1,100)

"No!" gasped Andy. "That Warrior is more powerful than any of Francesca's Amazons!"

"True!" smiled Melissa. "I _could_ use The Creator Incarnate to destroy Francesca's wimpy Warriors… However, I have another plan for him!

"You see, when I summon The Creator Incarnate to the field, I can instantly sacrifice him for a MUCH more powerful Monster, one that will spell your friend's doom! So, Creator Incarnate, buh-bye…"

She put down another card, and The Creator Incarnate vanished into sparkles.

"…I sacrifice you to summon… **THE CREATOR!**"

A much brighter light shone on Melissa's side of the field, so bright it was almost blinding. A huge form, almost twenty feet tall arose on Hooktail's shoulders, resembling a hulking giant made of golden metal, with powerful arms, and a strange disk on his back inscribed with ancient runes. He glowed with unearthly light!

(2,300/3,000) –) (2,800/2,600)

"YAAH!" yelled Stan.

"What is THAT thing?" shouted Andy.

Francesca gulped.

An aura of white hot flames started to surround Melissa. She laughed.

"Hee, hee," she giggled. "The Creator is a divine being who was born in the flames that created the world! And its power is, like, unbeatable!"

She calmed down, and the flames around her subsided.

"Allow me to explain how this totally cool Monster works," she said with a calm look. "Once per round, by discarding one card from my hand, I can use its ability to Special Summon any Monster from my Graveyard!"

"That's why you dumped so many cards into it!" gasped Francesca. "So you'd have powerful creatures that you could summon without making sacrifices!"

"Bingo!" laughed Melissa. "And thanks to my Card of Safe Return, which lets me draw a card whenever I Special Summon a Monster from my Graveyard, I'll always have something to discard!"

"Stan…" gulped Andy, "Francesca's in trouble…"

"Now, I'll activate its effect right now," smiled Melissa, "and discard one card…"

She slid a card into her discard slot.

"Creator, do your stuff!" she shouted.

The Creator raised its arm, and a bolt of lighting struck the bony playing field. A tall form arose… It was a man dressed in fancy armor that was pure white, with green flared outcroppings over his arms and shoulders and puffy yellow trousers. An odd ring with runes on it was on his back. His face was slate grey, his eyes glowing red, and he wore a simple crown with a red gem set into it.

"I summon Zaborg the Thunder Monarch!" laughed Melissa.

(2,400/1,000) –) (2,900/600)

"No!" gasped Andy. "That guy can automatically destroy one Monster when he's summoned!"

Melissa chuckled.

"Sadly, that's only the case when he's Normal Summoned," she shrugged. "Since I Special Summoned him, I don't get to use his effect. But nonetheless, he's more powerful than anything I'd wager your friend has in her deck!"

Card of Safe Return glowed, and a card flew off the top of Melissa's deck. She caught it.

"Now, Zaborg," grinned Melissa, "attack her Amazon Archer with royal thunder!"

Zaborg raised his hands to the heavens, and lightning flashed! A lightning bolt struck Amazon Archer and she screamed! She burst into fragments.

Francesca's Life Points fell to 6,500 as the other two Amazons cowered in fear… Amazoness Paladin's Attack fell to 1,900.

"Creator!" yelled Melissa, "attack her Paladin with divine lightning!"

Lighting flashed all over the giant's metal hide! He raised his arms, and lightning struck the Paladin! She was obliterated!

Francesca's Life Points fell to 5,600.

"Easy come… easy go…" smiled Melissa.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The unseen viewer was watching the battle with delight.

"Only a few more rounds," she said in eager anticipation, "and my plans will be one third complete…

"And once this is over, the rest of the job will be incredibly easy. Once Stan and Andy see what happens to Francesca once she loses, they'll be shaken and demoralized…

"Easy pickings…

"It's all going according to plan…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"You think I didn't, like, know about your Fighter's special ability?" laughed Melissa. "I knew if I attacked her, I'd have done squat to your Life Points! So make your move so I can totally finish you!"

"I'm not out of this yet, Melissa!" cursed Francesca.

"Francesca!" yelled Stan. "Don't give up!" have faith in yourself!"

Francesca drew.

_Amazoness Blowpiper…_ she thought, looking at the card. _Great, I draw the weakest Monster I have!_

"I'll place this Monster facedown in Defense Mode and end my turn," she said, placing a card down.

"Sneaky," chuckled Melissa. "But I truly doubt that that's something with a powerful flip-effect!"

She drew.

"Time for The Creator to… create again!" she chuckled, discarding a card.

The Creator gestured, and lightning struck the other side of him. A huge Dragon, seemingly made of diamond, with two horns on its head and one protruding from its snout appeared in a flash!

"Meet the mighty Hyozanryu!" shouted Melissa.

(2,100/2,800) –) (2,600/2,400)

The Dragon hungrily eyed Francesca…

"This big guy isn't nearly as bad as old Hooktail was," said Melissa with an evil grin, "but it does the job!"

Card of Safe Return glowed, and another card flew out of Melissa's deck.

She pointed her finger.

"Hyozanryu, attack her facedown Monster with diamond ray blast!" she yelled.

Hyozanryu reared back its head and shot forth a beam of pure light from its jaws! Amazoness Blowpiper appeared on the card, and cringed before she was incinerated.

"Zaborg, your turn!" laughed Melissa. "Destroy her Fighter!"

Lightning erupted in Zaborg's hands and he shot his bolts forward! Amazoness Fighter was blown away.

"Now for the fun part…" chuckled Melissa. "Creator, attack Francesca directly! Divine lightning!"

The Creator raised his hands, and lightning flashed…

_This… is gonna hurt…_ thought Francesca.

The lightning thundered into her, and seemingly _through_ her! She landed sprawled on the left side of the pelvis!

"FRAN!" screamed Andy.

Her Life Points plummeted to 2,800.

_I was right,_ she thought, opening her eyes. _That… hurt…_

"You gonna keep give up, or do you want more of that?" laughed Melissa.

Francesca slowly rose to her feet…

"Okay, fine, whatever," sighed Melissa. "Then make your last move."

Francesca looked at the three powerful Monsters in front of her, and then at her hand.

_Crud…_ she thought. _I've got no-one who could stand up to these goliaths…._

_Fact is, there's only one Monster in my deck that could possibly help… And I had to discard her when she played Card Destruction!_

_Maybe I should give up…_

She slowly moved her open hand towards her deck…

Melissa's eyes glittered…

Francesca's hand closed into a fist.

_NO!_ she thought. _I'm not going to give this brat the satisfaction! If I go down, I'm going down with honor!_

She quickly drew her card.

She looked at it.

And she smirked.

"Well?" sighed Melissa.

"Melissa," said Francesca, with a look of confidence, "I can read you pretty well… I think I know what your biggest dream in life is…"

"Huh?" said Melissa, somewhat annoyed. "Puh-lease, Fran, you know zip about me!"

"Oh?" chuckled Francesca. "You said you were the Shadow Spawn of Light…"

"And proud of it!" exclaimed Melissa.

"Then you obviously know that the three rarest cards in the world are Light Monsters…" replied Francesca.

Melissa looked shocked. And then she smiled.

"Heh, heh, you hit the nail on the head, Francesca," she affirmed. "Seto Kaiba owns the cards I dream of owning… the three legendary Blue-Eyes White Dragon cards!

"And let me let you in on a little secret… Those cards _will_ be mine eventually. Mom has promised, once me and my siblings take care of you and your friends…"

She pointed to Stan and Andy, who drew back in surprise.

"…that she'll let me set a little trap for Kaiba. And once I destroy him, those three magnificent Light Monsters will be in my deck!

"They belong there… He totally doesn't deserve them! Only a true master of Light deserves to own the Blue-Eyes!"

"Well, it's funny you should mention that," stated Francesca. "I have a similar dream – I dream of challenging the mighty Seto Kaiba as well. Why, you ask?

"Because… I have a weapon that would make him tremble!"

She showed her the card she had just drawn.

Monster Reborn.

"What good will THAT do?" laughed Melissa. "Nothing you can bring back from your Graveyard is strong enough to defeat any of my three Monsters!"

"I'm going to have to disagree with you on that, Melissa," smiled Francesca. "You're forgetting that in order to dump so many cards into your Graveyard at the start of this duel, you had to also make _me_ dump a great deal of them!"

"Really?" chuckled Melissa. "So what's this big, bad Monster that you're going to summon with that card?"

"I'll show you…" was the response.

Francesca fit the card into the slot.

"Arise," she said. "Arise great Penumbral Soldier Lady!"

The card appeared, and a tall female form appeared. It was a blonde-haired woman, wearing an armored midriff and a skirt and metal boots and gauntlets. She carried a long sword with a hilt shaped like a crescent moon, and a huge shield, which also had a crescent moon symbol on it. (2,100/1,400)

"Wow…" muttered Stan.

"She's beautiful…" gasped Andy.

"Hee, hee," chuckled Melissa. "How is she supposed to defeat my titans? Her Attack power is weaker than all of them!"

Penumbral Solder Lady gave a mean look to Melissa and her three Monsters.

"In most cases," replied Francesca, "the term 'darkness' means 'the absence of light'. But in Penumbral Soldier Lady's case, it also means the _negation_ of it!

"Like I said, this Warrior could destroy a Blue-Eyes White Dragon with one swipe of her mighty blade! That's because whenever she battles a Light Monster, she is assumed to have an extra 1,000 Attack Points!"

Melissa stopped short.

"Wait…" she said. "That makes… 3,100? No fair!"

"Penumbral Soldier Lady," shouted Francesca, "attack The Creator with Sword of Shadows!"

Penumbral Soldier Lady raised her sword, and The Creator drew back in fright! The Warrior leapt into the air, and brought her blade down on the titan, cleaving it in twain! She leapt back, as it burst in an explosion of brightly-lit flames!

"All right!" shouted Stan.

"Way to go!" yelled Andy.

Melissa's Life Points fell to 4,200.

For the first time all duel, Melissa looked scared.

_The… The Creator can't be Special Summoned from the Graveyard!_ she thought, in panic. _I can't bring it back!_

"So much for that," smiled Francesca. "Now it's your turn, and unless you have a Light Monster that has more than 3,100 Attack Points, you'll never defeat my Soldier Lady!"

"There are other ways to get rid of a Monster!" snarled Melissa.

"Maybe so," frowned Francesca, "but I'm willing to bet your strategy relies so much on The Creator that without it, you're nothing!"

"We'll see!" snarled Melissa.

She drew.

"All right…" she said. "I'll move Zaborg and Hyozanryu to Defense Mode…"

She turned the cards. Zaborg knelt, and Hyozanryu folded its wings.

"And now I'll put this Monster facedown in Defense Mode," she continued.

She put a card down on her Disk, and a concealed Monster appeared.

"Your move," she snarled.

Francesca drew.

She chuckled and showed Melissa the card.

Pot of Greed.

"Just what I needed," she said, placing it into the slot.

The jar handed her two more cards, and she looked at them.

"Now I summon…" she exclaimed, "Amazoness Priestess, in Attack Mode!"

She put the card down, and a strange Amazon appeared. She was a tall woman, with black hair tied in a long braid. She wore a leather bikini top and a long, white skirt, along with a necklace made of teeth. She held in her hands a wooden staff topped with a green crystal. (1,500/1,500)

"Huh?" gasped Melissa.

"Meet the spiritual leader of the Amazon tribe!" explained Francesca. "Amazoness Priestess can call upon the souls of her fallen sisters for aid in battle! In game terms, for every Amazon in my Graveyard, she gains 100 Attack Points!

"And in addition to the ones you destroyed, when you used Card Destruction and Multiple Destruction, you made my discard one Chain Master, one Tiger, and another Fighter. That's seven Amazons total, giving her an Attack Score of 2,200!"

The crystal on Amazoness Priestess's staff glowed, and her Attack went up.

"Now, Penumbral Soldier Lady," continued Francesca, "attack Zaborg the Thunder Monarch!"

The Dark Warrior leapt up into the air, and made a swipe with her blade! Zaborg groaned, and shattered into pixels.

"All right, Amazoness Priestess, attack her facedown Monster with spiritual magic attack!"

Amazoness Priestess thrust her staff forward and fired a beam of green energy…

A female Spellcaster in a fancy, purple outfit with her hair tied in a ponytail, holding a staff topped with a crescent moon appeared on the card. She cringed and was blown to pieces.

"Magician of Faith?" gasped Francesca.

"Uh huh…" said Melissa, with a nod.

A light shot out of Melissa's discard slot and formed into a card. She took it, and added it to her hand.

"Is that your turn?" asked Melissa.

"Actually, no," answered Francesca, choosing a card.

She fit a Magic Card into a slot.

"I play… Recruitment Drive!" she exclaimed.

A card revealed itself. It was a strange card, showing Amazoness Paladin shaking hands with Dark Magician Girl, while Amazoness Fighter stood in the background.

"Huh?" asked Stan. "What does that do?"

"Yeah, like what?" asked Melissa.

"I case you didn't notice, Melissa," said Francesca, "all members of the Amazon tribe are female…"

"Duh…" said Melissa, rolling his eyes.

"And also, in order to keep their special powers, they all must remain chaste and innocent, untouched by men… virgins, if you will," she continued. "So that means they never bear children. No one is ever _born_ an Amazon.

"Thus, there's only one way for them to replenish their numbers – recruitment!"

Penumbral Soldier Lady started to glow with a strange light.

"Recruitment Drive can only be played and maintained while a true Amazon is on the field… but so long as it remains, all female Monsters on my side are considered Amazons."

"So your Soldier Lady is an Amazon now," sneered Melissa. "How will that help you?"

"In lots of ways," answered Francesca. "I'll end my turn."

"So…" asked Andy. "Exactly HOW does turning Penumbral Soldier Lady into an Amazon help?"

"We'll just have to see…" shrugged Stan.

Melissa drew.

"Perfect," she smiled. "Take this… Swords of Revealing Light!"

She threw a card into a slot, and a wall of Swords rained down upon Francesca.

"You're only trying to stall, Melissa, and it won't work…" muttered Francesca.

"We'll find out," smiled Melissa. "In the meantime, I'll play the card I recovered with the Magician…"

She fit the card into a slot.

"Emergency Provisions! I'll use this to destroy my Card of Safe Return and my Luminous Spark, and in exchange, receive 2,000 Life Points!"

A huge mouth appeared and devoured the two cards. The blinding light subsided, Hyozanryu's stats returned to (2,100/2,800), and Melissa's Life Points went up to 6,200.

"Now I'm way ahead of you!" mocked Melissa. "Make your move!"

_Emergency Provisions,_ thought Francesca, drawing. _I have that card…_

She looked at her card.

"I'll summon my second Amazoness Paladin!" she exclaimed, slapping a card down.

Another Amazoness Paladin, seemingly a twin of the first, appeared next to Amazoness Priestess. She smiled at Penumbral Soldier Lady. (1,700/300)

"And thanks to my Recruitment Drive card," smiled Francesca, "Penumbral Soldier Lady is considered an Amazon, so the Paladin gains the benefit of having three Amazons on the field!"

(2,000/300)

"Well _there's_ a use for it…" noted Stan.

"Big, fat, hairy deal!" scowled Melissa.

"Make your move," sighed Francesca. "I'm going to spank you when this is over…"

"I'd like to see you try it!" snarled Melissa, drawing.

She frowned as she looked at her card.

"I'll pass this turn," she growled.

"Good," said Francesca, drawing.

"I'll place these two cards facedown on the field," she stated, fitting two cards into slots.

The two cards materialized next to her Recruitment Drive card.

"That ends my turn," she smiled. "Two turns to go…"

Melissa drew. Her eyes perked.

"I'll place this card facedown," she said softly, "and that will be all for me…"

Francesca drew.

"I play… Card of Sanctity!" she exclaimed, throwing a card into a slot.

The card revealed itself, and a bright glow illuminated above the huge skeleton.

"Now, we can draw until we hold six cards in our hands," she said, drawing.

_Perfect,_ she thought.

"I'll place this card facedown as well, and end my turn," she stated.

A third facedown card appeared.

The Swords of Revealing Light disappeared.

"But on my next round, I'll be free to attack, so watch out!"

"Indeed," quipped Melissa, drawing.

"Eh," she shrugged, "I'll pass this round too…"

"She passes?" gasped Andy. "She knows that Dragon is no match for Penumbral Soldier Lady – she's gonna get creamed!"

"She's up to something…" mused Stan.

_Wait,_ he thought. _Her facedown card!_

"Right!" exclaimed Francesca, drawing.

_I'll save this,_ she thought, looking at the Monster Card.

"Penumbral Soldier Lady!" she ordered. "Attack Hyozanryu!"

Penumbral Soldier Lady raised her sword and leapt to attack…

"You fell for it like the big idiot I knew you were!" laughed Melissa.

Her facedown card lifted.

"Activate… Nightmare Wheel!"

Stan and Andy gasped. A giant, fiendish wheel, studded with spikes appeared. Penumbral Soldier Lady shrieked as a set of chains grabbed her and she was chained to it!

"Heh, heh," cackled Melissa. "I've not only captured your Soldier and rendered her helpless, but you'll lose 500 Life Points every one of my turns!"

Francesca smiled.

"Guess again…" she smirked. "There are benefits to being an Amazon…"

She hit a button on her Disk, and one of her Trap Cards lifted.

"I activate Dramatic Rescue!" she shouted.

Penumbral Solder Lady transformed into a ball of dark energy, and then flew into Francesca's Disk. The Nightmare Wheel vanished, and Francesca removed her card.

"What?" gasped Melissa.

"Dramatic Rescue can, as the name suggests, rescue any Amazon from any card effect," explained Francesca. "It also lets me summon another Monster to the field…"

She placed a card down.

"So say hello to my Beautiful Headhuntress, in Attack Mode!"

A tall, beautiful woman appeared. She was wearing a fancy, blue kimono, and had blue hair tied back in an exotic hairstyle. She carried a large, sharp, executioner's cleaver. (1,600/800)

"Eek!" squeaked Andy.

"Come on, Andy," sighed Stan. "Your Dragons are scarier that _that._"

"And because Recruitment Drive works on her too," continued Francesca, "Amazoness Paladin retains her high score.

"Make your move."

"Heh, heh," chuckled Melissa.

She laughed out loud.

"You seem to have totally made a major error, Francesca!" she stated.

She drew.

"I'll switch Hyozanryu back into Attack Mode!" she laughed.

She turned the card, and Hyozanryu reared up into attack formation.

"Now," she continued, "I'll use this to give it a boost – Elf's Light!"

She threw a card into a slot, and a glowing fairy with a magic wand appeared above Hyozanryu. Its stats changed. (2,500/2,600)

"Hyozanryu," she commanded, "attack Beautiful Headhuntress with diamond ray blast!"

Hyozanryu roared, and blasted forth its beam of light at Beautiful Headhuntress.

"I activate… Waboku!" shouted Francesca.

Another one of her Trap Cards lifted, and three women in blue cloaks rose to block the blast.

"ARRGHH!" screamed Melissa.

"Didn't go quite the way you planned, did it?" smirked Francesca.

"Just move!" shouted Melissa.

"Gladly!" smiled Francesca, drawing.

"First," she said, "I'll sacrifice Beautiful Headhuntress to summon Penumbral Lady Soldier back to the field!"

Beautiful Headhuntress vanished, and Penumbral Lady Soldier returned. (2,100/1,400)

"Now my Soldier," shouted Francesca, "slay her Dragon with Sword of Shadows!"

Penumbral Lady Soldier leapt into the air, and with one swift stroke, beheaded Hyozanryu!

Melissa's Life Points fell to 5,500.

"Now, Amazoness Paladin, attack Melissa directly with Amazon blade!"

Amazoness Paladin ran up the bony surface and smote Melissa with her sword! This time, Melissa cringed a little. Apparently, there was only so much she could take.

Her Life Points fell to 3,500

"And now," continued Francesca, "Amazoness Priestess, attack her with spiritual magic attack!"

Amazoness Priestess aimed her staff, and the tip glowed. She shot forth a beam of green energy, and as it hit Melissa, this time the Shadow Spawn actually screamed.

Her Life Points fell to 1,300.

"Make your move…" growled Francesca.

Melissa shakily drew.

She looked at the card.

She looked at Francesca and grinned.

"Oh, I'll move – and you'll lose!"

She placed a card down.

"First I'll summon Maiden of the Moonlight in Attack Mode," she chuckled.

A beautiful woman in a long white gown with gorgeous, feathered wings materialized in a beam of soft light. (1,500/1,300)

"And now," cackled Melissa, "I'll play this Magic Card… the dreaded Lightning Vortex!"

She slid a card into a slot, and lighting started to erupt over the ceiling!

"All I have to do is discard one card," she smiled, "and I'll wipe out all of your Monsters!"

She discarded a card…

"No…" gasped Stan.

"Hold on," interrupted Francesca. "Did you forget about my last facedown card?"

She hit a button, and her facedown card lifted.

"Activate… Magic Jammer!" she exclaimed.

"What? Magic Jammer?" gasped Melissa.

Francesca discarded one of her cards.

"That's right," she said with a big grin. "That means your Lightning Vortex fails!"

The Lightning Vortex card shattered, and the lightning stopped.

"NOOO!" yelled Melissa.

"Oh yes," said Francesca, with a look of triumph, "and now to finish this!"

She whipped out a card.

"Penumbral Soldier Lady," she commanded, "destroy her Maiden of the Moonlight and the rest of her Life Points!"

Penumbral Soldier Lady leapt across Hooktail's backbone, and brought her sword down on the Maiden, blowing her into pixels!

Melissa's Life Points fell to zero.

"No…" sobbed Melissa. "I… I lost…"

"You bet you did!" laughed Andy.

Melissa fell to her knees… She started to fade away…

"Don't think you've won!" she cursed. "I was only the first! My siblings will bury you! You're gonna… totally… be…"

She vanished.

Stan and Andy went up to the huge skeleton.

"Here Francesca," urged Andy. "Let me help you down…"

As they were helping Francesca off the huge relic, a shadowy shape started to appear in the air. They looked up, as it slowly started to take shape…

They gazed at the shadow…

Before their eyes, it formed into a coldly beautiful woman in an exotic, revealing dress. She had flowing blonde hair, and wore an emerald necklace and a golden crown set with a single, large diamond.

Her eyes glowed white as she gazed at them.

"Eek…" gasped Andy.

"Hello, young ones," she hissed in an intimidating voice. "Congratulations for defeating my daughter, although she was the least skilled of my children – you'll find the others much more formidable."

"Who are you?" gasped Stan. "And what do you want?"

"Allow me to introduce myself," chuckled the woman. "I am the Shadow Queen. And as for what I want, I'll keep some secrets to myself for the time being. But let's just say, I've been waiting for you three for years!"

She chuckled.

"Good luck with the rest of the tournament," she winked. "You're going to need all the luck you can get!"

She laughed, and vanished.

"Well, that was…" started Andy.

"…spooky," said Stan.

"She didn't scare me!" exclaimed Francesca.

She turned to the door.

"Now that I've earned that treasure, I'm taking it!"

She went to the door, and opened it.

It was a small closet with a pedestal inside. On it was a Duel Monsters card.

Francesca carefully took it while her friends looked at it.

"It's called 'Earth Tremor'," she said.

They read the description.

"Wow, this is powerful!" she exclaimed, "and it will work great in my deck!"

"Yeah," muttered Stan, in awe.

Francesca sighed.

"You know people," she said, looking around, "it's getting late, we're tired… Why don't we spend the night here – camp out, sort of?"

Stan paused.

"You want to sleep in an ancient castle under the bones of a monstrous beast?" he asked.

He shrugged.

"Works for me…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Melissa came to in a vast cavern, one with no apparent exits…

She shivered… She knew this place…

"Melissa…" hissed her mother's voice.

She looked up, and saw the Shadow Queen standing in front of her, carrying a Duel Disk.

"Mom, please!" begged Melissa. "I tried my best! How was I supposed to know she had… that Warrior?"

"Don't make excuses, Melissa," scolded her mother. "You should have tried harder."

She frowned.

"And not only did you let Francesca beat you, you lost the Earth Tremor card!"

"Uh… What's so important about that card?" asked Melissa. "It's powerful, but…"

"Let's just say that it was something I'd rather NOT have let Francesca get her dirty mitts on!" scolded the Queen. "Instead of helping me, you've impaired me immensely.

"Melissa, you are a big disappointment…"

She took six cards out of her dress. Melissa gulped.

The Shadow Queen held them out with their backs to Melissa.

"Now choose one, Melissa," she growled.

Melissa groaned.

"Uh… second one to the left…" she squeaked in fear.

The Shadow Queen took the card and looked at it.

"Looks like you're getting off relatively easy," she grumbled, placing it into her Disk.

Dark energy flowed from the Disk.

"Nightmare Steel Cage!" she exclaimed.

Melissa gasped, as flames erupted around her, and a steel, dome-shaped cage studded with spikes formed around her.

She moaned.

"Now you sit there and think about this for a while!" scolded the Shadow Queen.

She turned to leave, and vanished.

"Oy," croaked Melissa, leaning her head on her hands. "Hairdressing school is looking pretty good right about now…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Andy knew there were perks to having once been a boy scout.

Like being able to build a fire easily.

As they sat in Hooktail's chamber, making s'mores, he spoke up.

"Man, Francesca," he mused. "I thought you were dead meat for a while. Getting that Monster Reborn when you did was certainly a lucky draw…"

"Well…" sighed Francesca.

"To a true duelist, it has nothing to do with luck," stated Stan. "It has to do with Heart…"

"Heart?" asked Andy.

"The Heart of the Cards…" muttered Stan. "Something my… 'mentor' speaks about quite often. See, if a duelist is dedicated and true, and he believes in himself and has faith in his deck, if he truly pure in his goals and his desires, his deck will come through for him, and he will defeat those who's Heart is weak. I'm not one to judge, but Melissa had very little Heart – Francesca's was much better than hers."

There was a long silence for a few minutes.

"Know this," stated Stan. "Always have faith, always respect your cards, and they'll come through for you when the situation is bleak…"

There was a pause.

"Well," said Andy with a shrug. "Who's up for some scary stories?"

Francesca chuckled.

"I don't know about scary, but I know a good story," she said. "It all involves a Monster I keep in my side deck as a little… reminder of what the Amazons stand for…"

She took a card out of her side deck and showed it to them. It was a Warrior called The Unfriendly Amazon.

"Wow," exclaimed Stan. "A 2,000 Attack for a four-star Monster? Why don't you use her?"

"Because she has a drawback," answered Francesca. "See, in order to keep her on the field, you have to sacrifice another Monster every round. And despite her name, she's NOT an Amazon.

"Not anymore, at least.

"Let me tell you the legend of The Unfriendly Amazon…

"Long ago, the Amazon tribe had a member whose name and title are forgotten now. She wasn't nearly as strong as the others – she was more or less the brains of the group. But she didn't like having that position. She longed to be as mighty as her sisters, if not mightier.

"But no matter how much she trained and practiced, she couldn't become as strong. It seemed she would always be the little sister among the tribe…

"Her dream became an obsession… And finally, against her better judgment, she found a way to contact a vile Fiend from the underworld. Exactly who this creature was is open to debate. Some say it was Dark Ruler Ha Des, others say it was Dark Master Zorc. But in any case, the Fiend said he would gladly grant the Amazon great strength – but stated that it would come with a price. She didn't care…

"In her next battle, the Amazon found that her strength had indeed been doubled. She tore through her foes with reckless fury, and nothing could stop her.

"But soon, a downside of this power started to manifest. She now lacked the concepts of mercy and fair play. When a foe threw down his weapons and surrendered, she killed him anyway. When an enemy turned and ran, she stabbed him in the back.

"Eventually, this particularly violent Amazon who refused to follow the rules of war was becoming notorious among all people who knew of the Amazons, and her sisters were starting to take notice. None of the Amazons were exactly angels, but now they were being given a bad name, and people were starting to lose respect for them. Allies threatened to break off their alliances, and more enemies were made.

"The Amazoness Queen tried to discipline the rogue, but she only got more violent. When there wasn't a battle to be fought, she went looking for one.

"At one crucial time, the Amazon attacked an innocent village and started killing everyone in sight. Two of her sisters came and tried to restrain her… only to be killed themselves.

"Now with a murderer on her hands, the Amazoness Queen had no choice. She had the killer hunted down, and brought to her in chains. Although her crimes were unforgivable, the tribe had no death penalty for their own members. The Amazon was still one of them, and they couldn't condemn her die shamefully. Instead, the Amazoness Queen stripped her of all her powers as an Amazon, and banished her from the tribe forever.

"And furthermore, although she was clearly evil, it was taboo to call a fellow Amazon by that term. Calling an Amazon, even a former one, by the term 'evil', was like a blasphemy. So from that point on, the exile was known by the tribe as simply 'The Unfriendly Amazon'.

"No one knew what became of The Unfriendly Amazon… To the Amazon tribe, she represented what happens when one seeks power that one shouldn't tamper with – and that's why I carry this card with me. It reminds me to know my limits…"

Stan shrugged.

"Quite a story," he mused. "Well, I've got a story so scary, you might have trouble sleeping…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Watching with some amusement through her crystal ball was the Shadow Queen.

"Yes, it was quite an amusing story, Francesca," she chuckled.

She walked over to her enchanted fireplace.

"And maybe I can use your story to my advantage. Your next opponent will be quite eager to defeat you…"

She drew a card from a deck, and tossed it into the violet flames. They blazed green.

"Come forth…" she commanded.

Two glowing eyes appeared in the flames…

**0**

**0**

**0**

**MULTIPLE DESTRUCTION (Trap Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Trap  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description: **Image of three cards on fire. Both players discard their current hands and draw five new cards. The owner of this card pays 200 Life Points for every card he or she discards due to this card's effect.

_Note: This version of "Multiple Destruction" is a fanfiction version of a card used by Bakura in the anime episode "Showdown in the Shadows". Nearly all creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0**

**0**

**0**

**AMAZONESS PRIESTESS (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Spellcaster/Effect  
**Attribute: **Earth  
**Level: **4  
**ATK: **1,500  
**DEF: **1,500

**Card Description: **The spiritual leader of her tribe, this young woman can call upon the souls of her fallen sisters for aid. Increase the ATK of this Monster by 100 for every Monster in your Graveyard with the word "Amazoness" in its name, or is named "Amazon Archer".

**0**

**0**

**0**

**RECRUITMENT DRIVE (Magic Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Magic/Continuous  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description: **Image of Dark Magician Girl shaking hands with Amazoness Paladin with Amazoness Fighter watching in the background. If there are no Monsters who originally had the word "Amazoness" in their name, or who are named "Amazon Archer" on your side of the field, destroy this card. So long as this card is in effect, all female Monsters on your side of the field are considered to have the word "Amazoness" in their name so long as they remain on the field.

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**The adventure in Hooktail Castle is not done… Nor is poor Francesca out of trouble yet.**_

**_It starts with a nightmare, and leads to the strangest duel of her life! And wait until you see who her opponent is! Don't miss an explosive chapter that I had to call "Unfriendly Fire", coming soon!_**


	7. Unfriendly Fire

_**This tournament is getting weirder by the minute.**_

_**When someone in the village mentioned a dragon named Hooktail and a treasure in his castle, I was skeptical. I figured it was nothing more than something that the tournament heads put in as an extra, like a secret level to a video game…**_

**_But Melissa was not the average duelist. I have a feeling she was quite serious when she said I would "be stricken with a punishment too horrible for words" if I lost my duel to her. And it seems that there truly is a "Shadow Queen" of sorts lurking around this island._**

_**And judging by the looks of the duelist who's facing me right now…**_

_**Well, let's just say that my skepticism is very quickly fading…**_

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER SIX**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Unfriendly Fire**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

In the dark Palace of Shadows, a form knelt before the Shadow Queen…

"So," said the Queen, "I take it you know what you're doing?"

"I've calibrated my attack strategy, milady," answered the kneeling figure. "Little Francesca won't stand a chance."

"Good," said the Shadow Queen, with a pleasant smile, "but don't get too sure of yourself. There is one thing you should look out for…"

She paused.

"I know one aspect of your strategy," she continued. "You are not, repeat, NOT to try to use Francesca's own cards against her. If you try, it could be… bad."

"Bad?" asked the figure. "How so?"

"Trust me," warned the Queen. "Bad. Now go, and don't disappoint me."

The figure rose and left.

The Shadow Queen went to her viewing globe, and saw the three teenagers sleeping. Her eyes focused on Francesca.

"So young…" she purred, "so pure and innocent…"

She paused.

"Maybe before my servant gets there, I'll shake her up a bit…"

She picked up a deck of cards, and leafed through them. She looked at a card.

Dreamsprite.

She tossed the card into her fireplace, and the flames blazed green.

A girlish giggle filled the room, and the cute plant-fairy flew out of the flames.

"Go, my Dreamsprite!" ordered the Shadow Queen. "Give Francesca a taste of your nocturnal naughtiness!"

Dreamsprite giggled, and vanished into sparkling mist…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Next to the ancient bones of Hooktail, Stan, Andy, and Francesca slept. The chamber was surprisingly warm and cozy. Outside, the clouds passed by a full moon…

A shimmering appeared over Francesca, and Dreamsprite appeared…

The Duel Monster giggled, and raised her hand. She sprinkled sparkling dust over Fran's face.

Francesca winced in her sleep… Her dreams started to turn strange…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

She dreamt that she was in a rocky valley surrounded by foreboding mountains. She was dueling, and her opponent was one of the best there was – Seto Kaiba!

Thunder flashed…

"Blue-Eyes White Dragon!" ordered Kaiba, "annihilate her Fighter with white lighting!"

The mighty Dragon shot forth its blast; Amazoness Fighter screamed and was blown to atoms!

"I'm not out of this yet, Kaiba!" cursed Francesca.

She drew.

"Time to slay your Dragon!" she shouted, as lighting flashed again. "I sacrifice my Amazoness Swords Woman to summon Penumbral Soldier Lady!"

She put the card on her Disk, and her Swords Woman vanished. The beautiful Warrior of darkness leapt up, ready to attack!

"Now, attack his Dragon with Sword of Shadows!" she yelled.

Penumbral Soldier Lady leapt up and cleaved the huge Dragon through the chest! It roared and burst into a blast of pixels!

"Hmm, impressive…" said Kaiba, "but this duel is far from over…"

He drew a card.

"I'll play my Pot of Greed!" he announced, placing it into a slot.

He drew two more cards.

"Now I'll play Monster Reborn, to bring back the Blue-Eyes you just destroyed!"

He played the card, and the huge dragon reappeared, and bellowed!

"Humph, I'll just kill it again…" sneered Francesca.

"I don't think so…" said Kaiba with a smirk, taking three cards from his hand. "Because now, I play Polymerization, to fuse this Blue-Eyes with the other two in my hand!"

He played the cards, and two more Blue-Eyes White Dragons appeared! They swirled into a vortex, and the immense form of Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon arose!

"Your Penumbral Soldier Lady is strong against creatures of Light, but she's not strong enough to defeat one _this_ powerful!"

Penumbral Soldier Lady drew back in fear…

"Now my Dragon," shouted Kaiba, "destroy her Soldier with neuron blast!"

The Dragon's three mouths roared, and shot forth three lethal streams, blasting Penumbral Soldier Lady to nothing!

Francesca shivered in fright…

"Make your move…" mocked Kaiba.

_There's got to be something I can do…_ thought Francesca in fear.

She drew…

And her cards turned to dust!

"NO!" she shouted in panic.

"Since you seem incapable of making a move, I'll make mine…" said Kaiba, drawing.

He looked at the card.

"Well," he smiled, "I could blast you with this Dragon, but I've got a better idea… I play… De-Fusion!"

Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon swirled into a pool of light.

"This separates my Dragon into its three component Dragons," he continued, "each one with 3,000 Attack Points aimed directly at you!"

The three Blue-Eyes glared at Francesca.

"NO, PLEASE!" begged Francesca. "That's overkill!"

"Bah, you deserve it for having the gall to challenge me!" scoffed Kaiba. "Now my Dragons, attack her directly!"

Francesca screamed as the three blasts of white lightning thundered towards her…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

As Francesca woke up with a start, Dreamsprite giggled and vanished.

Francesca held her head.

_I guess it's true what they say,_ she thought, _whoever is in charge of dreams won't let you die in them… Maybe I should get more experience before actually trying to find Kaiba…_

She looked at Stan and Andy who were sleeping.

_Ah, I'll never get back to sleep,_ she said. _Maybe I'll go for a walk…_

An inner voice made her look at her Disk. She shrugged and picked it up.

She walked out the doorway into the long hall that led to the chamber. She stared to wander down.

Then she saw a door on the side of the hallway.

_Huh?_ she thought. _Didn't notice that before…_

She opened it. She looked down at a dark stairway going down.

"Francesca…" whispered a voice from the darkness. "Francesca…"

"Okay," said Francesca, straitening her jeans, "whoever is down there wants to see me… Far be it from me to disappoint him…"

She walked down the stairs…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Stan got up, still half asleep.

"Andy?" he muttered.

"Yeah?" moaned Andy.

"Did you hear that?" he asked.

"No," responded Andy.

"Eh, me neither," replied Stan.

They went back to sleep.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Francesca reached the bottom of the stairway and entered a creepy hallway, filled with dust and cobwebs. Suits of armor carrying halberds flanked the walls.

"That's it Francesca," beckoned the voice, which was now clearly feminine. "Just follow my voice…"

Francesca walked down the hallway, and it soon ended at a door.

She was surprised when she looked at it. The door was painted with a violent scene, depicting her Amazon Warriors fighting some fiendish creatures that she couldn't identify. And the Amazons were clearly losing. Many of them were being mercilessly tortured to death by the beasts. Fran frowned.

"If this is your idea of an attempt to demoralize me, spooky," she angrily said, opening the door, "you're doing a lousy job…"

She looked inside the door, and entered a large, circular room. Weapons racks full of swords, axes, and maces lined the walls, and shields hung above them.

"Huh, no one here…" she muttered.

"Oh, that's where you're wrong…" chuckled a voice.

A tall female figure materialized at the other end of room…

Francesca gasped. She recognized the female Warrior in front of her well. The black, graying hair tied in a long braid with a headband; the shoulder guards studded with spikes; the black, tight-fitting shirt, elbow-length gloves, long breechcloth, and knee-high boots; not to mention the sword slung at her side…

The Unfriendly Amazon locked eyes with Francesca and smiled a slight smile.

"Hello, child," she said with an evil smile. "I've been waiting a long time for this…"

Francesca slowly reached for her deck…

"If you're thinking of conjuring a Duel Monster to attack me with, forget it," snapped the Amazon. "I'm different than those Zombie Warriors – I _can't_ be destroyed that way."

Francesca gulped.

"And now I have you right where I want you, Francesca," she continued. "By destroying you, I'll finally have my revenge against the ones who ruined my life… namely your pathetic Amazons!"

"What?" asked Francesca in fear. "You're going to kill me?"

"Eventually," replied the Amazon. "But not outright. That wouldn't be fair. Before I can do away with you, we have to do things the usual way… if you're not too scared…"

She raised her arm, and a Duel Disk appeared on it.

"Me? Duel _you_?" asked Francesca, now _very_ scared.

The Unfriendly Amazon nodded.

"Unless you just want me to make it _quick,_" she said with a smile, fingering her sword.

Francesca looked around.

_I could try to make a run for it, but I doubt I could outrun her,_ she thought. _If my own story is true, she's deadlier than most Amazons… I have to try to beat her…_

"Okay," said Francesca with a shudder, "I'll take you on…"

"You're a fool," said the Amazon with a wicked smile. "The quick way would have been less painful! And less humiliating. No human can duel better than an actual Duel Monster! And once I've defeated you, my revenge will be complete, and my master will reward me well!"

"Master?" asked Francesca. "Who's your…"

"None of your business!" interrupted The Unfriendly Amazon. "It's time to duel!"

The holo-imagers shot out, and the Disks flipped into position.

The Life Point counters set to 8,000 apiece, and they drew their first hands.

"Since it's only fair," said the Amazon, "I'll let you go first."

"Gladly," smiled Francesca.

She drew.

_Not bad…_ she thought.

"I'll summon… Amazoness Paladin!" she shouted.

She placed her card down, and the fierce Amazon general appeared in Attack Mode! (1,700/300) –) (1,800/300)

"That will do for now," she said.

"Bringing out your big guns early, I see," commented the Amazon. "Well she won't help you…"

She drew.

"I summon a creature known as Jirai Gumo in Attack Mode!" she announced.

She put the card down, and a frightening creature appeared. It was a huge spider with slobbering jaws and scythe-like claws on its front legs! (2,200/100)

"And that will end my turn," she said.

_Hmmm,_ thought Francesca. _She didn't attack… and for good reason. If she attacks with that Monster, there's a fifty percent chance that she'll lose half her Life Points… but why even have such a Monster in her deck?_

She put a card down.

"I summon Amazoness Swords Woman in Attack Mode!" she announced.

The furious female Warrior holding her huge sword appeared. (1,500/1,600)

She sneered at The Unfriendly Amazon.

"She seems to remember you!" chuckled Francesca.

"Yes…" said the Amazon with a scowl. "I hated her… She was the one who argued the loudest for my exile…"

"Well, thanks to her, my Paladin now has an Attack of 1,900!" stated Francesca, "and it's your move!"

The Amazon drew.

"I'll summon this Monster in Attack Mode," she said, putting a card down. "The mighty Giant Orc!"

A huge form appeared next to Jirai Gumo. It was a hulking ogre with white skin, a bald head, and sharp teeth. It carried a club made from a huge femur. (2,200/0)

Francesca gasped.

"But I'm not ready to attack yet," stated the Amazon. "Make your move…"

_Now why didn't she attack_? thought Francesca. _I know Giant Orc has to shift into Defense Mode after it attacks, but losing it would be a small price to pay for destroying my Amazoness Paladin…_

She drew.

_Hey! It's that card I won from Melissa! Think I'll take it for a test run…_

She added it to her hand.

"First, I'll summon my Amazoness Blowpiper!" she announced.

She placed a card down, and the slim Warrior carrying her blowpipe appeared. (800/1,500)

"And now I'll play this Magic Card… Earth Tremor!"

She played the card, and it revealed itself, showing a village shaking under an earthquake.

"Earth Tremor?" asked the Amazon. "What does that do?"

"To activate this card, I first have to sacrifice an Earth Monster," smiled Francesca. "So, I'll sacrifice my Blowpiper…"

Amazoness Blowpiper smirked at The Unfriendly Amazon, and then she vanished.

"And now…" smiled Francesca.

The chamber started to rumble…

"The power of the card creates a tremor on your side of the field, and you take damage equal to 500 Life Points times the star level of your most powerful Monster! Since your highest level Monster – actually both of them – has four stars, you lose 2,000 Life Points!"

The Unfriendly Amazon was thrown off her feet by the tremor, and she landed on her rump!

Her Life Points fell to 6,000.

_Ooh!_ she thought. _Where'd she get a card that powerful? No matter… I'll have the last laugh in the end…_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Up in Hooktail's chamber, Stan actually woke up.

"Andy, wake up," he said, nudging him.

"Huh?" asked Andy.

"You remember that thing we didn't hear?" asked Stan, suspiciously.

"Yeah, what about it?" replied Andy.

"Well I'm not hearing it again, and I don't like it…" answered Stan.

Andy turned around.

"Stan, Francesca's gone!" he exclaimed.

"Okay," said Stan, looking around, "let's not panic… She couldn't have gone far…"

"She might be in trouble," muttered Andy. "I knew sleeping in this place was a bad idea…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"It's your move, murderer," mocked Fran.

"How dare you…" cursed the Amazon, drawing.

She looked at her card.

"I choose to pass for this turn," she said.

"Okay," smiled Fran, drawing.

She grinned as she looked at her card.

"All right!" she laughed. "I summon the mighty Command Knight in Attack Mode!"

She threw a card on her Disk, and a fiery bonfire appeared. A beautiful woman stepped out of it, with long, strawberry blonde hair, dressed in brown ceremonial armor with a cape, and a fur cap with feathers. She drew a golden sword. (1,200/1,900)

"This lady may not be an Amazon, but she's a big help to them," explained Francesca, "because so long as she's on the field, all of my Warriors gain 400 Attack Points!"

Amazoness Paladin's Attack rose to 2,300, Amazoness Swords Woman's rose to 1,900, and Command Knight herself's rose to 1,600.

"Amazoness Paladin, attack her Giant Orc with blade of the Amazons!"

Amazoness Paladin leapt into the air, and slashed though Giant Orc! The ogre gasped, and burst into fragments.

The Unfriendly Amazon's Life Points fell to 5,900. She sneered.

"Having fun, Francesca?" she asked with a smug grin.

"Naw…" said Francesca, sarcastically. "I'm having a _terrible_ time kicking your ass!"

"Well it's my move now," said the Amazon.

She drew.

"I'll place two cards facedown on the field," she said, fitting two cards into slots. "And that will end my turn."

Francesca drew.

"Heh, heh," she chuckled, adding it to her hand. "Get ready, cause here it comes!

"Amazoness Paladin, take down her Jirai Gumo!"

Amazoness Paladin leapt into the air, and buried her sword in the huge spider's thorax! The creature squealed and then burst!

"Now, Amazoness Swords Woman and Command Knight, attack the exile's Life Points… _directly!_"

Amazoness Swords Woman lifted her huge blade and charged! She struck The Unfriendly Amazon, sending her staggering back!

Command Knight's sword burned with fire, and she smote her foe! The Amazon fell over.

The Unfriendly Amazon's Life Points were reduced to 2,300.

"This has to be the easiest duel I've ever had!" laughed Francesca. "I've taken you down to almost a quarter of your Life Points, and I still have _all_ of mine!"

_Foolish girl…_ thought the Amazon. _Can't you see that I've LET you get ahead?_

She got up.

"My move now, Francesca," she announced.

She drew.

_This will do nicely,_ she thought.

"I'll place one card facedown," she stated, fitting a card into a slot.

The card appeared next to her other two.

"And then I'll summon a Warrior known to comic book fans as Zombyra the Dark, in Attack Mode!"

She put the card down, and a dark-looking superhero in a black costume with a cape and a skull-like mask appeared, striking a heroic pose. (2,100/500)

"Is that all?" laughed Francesca. "Maybe criminals would be frightened of Zombyra, but he doesn't scare me!"

"You're so sure of yourself?" said the Amazon, coldly.

"Lemme do the math for you," said Francesca, with a smile, "once my Paladin destroys Zombyra, my Swords Woman and Command Knight will attack, bringing you down to…"

She made a quick calculation.

"…negative 1,400 Life Points!"

"Make your move…" snarled The Unfriendly Amazon, as if she didn't care.

Her finger caressed a button on her Disk…

Francesca drew.

She chuckled as she looked at the card.

"Well," she laughed, "I'm gonna end this with the biggest bang ever! Ready for the big finish? I summon Amazoness Tiger, in Attack Mode!"

She put her card down. The fierce Tigress appeared and roared! (1,100/1,500) –) (2,300/1,500)

"Now…" started Francesca.

"I activate a Trap!" shouted The Unfriendly Amazon.

One of her facedown cards lifted, showing Dark Ruler Hades suffering from some painful curse…

"Activate Skill Drain!" she yelled.

"Skill Drain?" gasped Francesca, startled. "What the heck is that?"

"A very powerful Trap," answered the Amazon with a smile. "I have to pay 1,000 Life Points to activate it…"

Her Life Points fell to 1,300.

"But so long as this Continuous Trap is on the field, all Effect Monsters lose their effects!"

"NO!" gasped Francesca in horror. "Without their effects… my Amazons are…"

"…weaklings!" interrupted The Unfriendly Amazon with an evil grin.

Amazoness Paladin's Attack Score dropped to 1,700, Swords Woman's dropped to 1,500, Command Knight's dropped to 1,200, while the Tiger's dropped to 1,100.

"On the other hand," smiled the Amazon. "Zombyra the Dark actually benefits! Without his effects, he no longer loses Attack Points after he attacks!"

Francesca was stunned.

"I'll shift my Paladin, Swords Woman, and Command Knight to Defense Mode…" she grunted, turning the cards.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Meanwhile…

"Hey Stan," noted Andy, "where do you think this leads?"

Stan looked down the dark staircase.

"I don't know," he answered, "but I have a feeling Francesca went down there…"

"It looks kind of scary…" muttered Andy, shivering.

"This from a guy who stood up to two Dark Necrofears…" said Stan.

He paused.

"Hold on… Necrofears? Or just Necrofear? What's the plural of Dark Necrofear?"

"Who cares?" shuddered Andy.

"We have to go down there," sighed Stan. "Francesca might be in danger.

"Frankly… I have a bad feeling about this…"

"Okay…" said Andy with a shiver.

They descended the staircase…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Before you end your turn," stated The Unfriendly Amazon, "I'll activate my other Trap Card…"

Another of her facedown cards lifted.

"Solemn Wishes!" she exclaimed. "This Trap will restore my Life Points by 500 whenever I draw for any reason!"

"Clever…" snarled Francesca.

"Now it's my turn…" chuckled the Amazon, drawing.

A shower of gold fell upon her, and her Life Points went up to 1,800.

"Now I'll summon the mighty Flash Assailant in Attack Mode!" she exclaimed.

She put a card down, and a fiendish-looking pirate with a skullcap and an eyepatch, dressed in a red scarf and green pants and carrying a dagger appeared. (2,000/2,000)

"Normally, this Monster would lose 400 Attack and Defense Points for every card in my hand, but my Skill Drain card removes that handicap!

"And if you thought switching your Monsters into Defense Mode kept your Life Points safe, think again…"

She hit a button on her Disk, and her final facedown card lifted.

"I activate Meteorain!"

"No!" gasped Francesca. "That lets you damage my Life Points even when my Monsters are in Defense Mode!"

"Correct!" grinned the Amazon. "And in case you didn't notice, your Paladin only has 300 Defense Points!

"Flash Assailant, attack Amazoness Paladin with flash dagger attack!"

Flash Assailant grinned and leapt forward, slashing through Amazoness Paladin! She screamed and vanished.

Francesca's Life Points took a dive to 6,300.

"Zombyra," continued the Amazon, "attack her Tiger with super-powered punch attack!"

Zombyra the Dark flew forward, and slugged Amazoness Tiger, blasting her out of existence!

Francesca's Life Points fell to 5,300.

"Has it sunk in yet, Francesca?" asked the Amazon. "The Duel Monsters world is full of creatures like me… four-star Monsters who sought greater power and achieved it. But in order to _stay_ four-star, we had to pay terrible costs! It's called the Four-Star Curse, for lack of a better term. People like Zombyra, Flash Assailant, Nuvia the Wicked, Susa Soldier… There are lots of them! Because of this, we're all practical exiles, our cards nothing but trade-bait!

"Skill Drain is a blessing to us! And my deck is loaded with those who suffer the Four-Star Curse – my Trap Card sets them free!"

"You must feel so proud…" said Francesca, sarcastically. "Maybe you can start a rebellion… lead an uprising for Monsters who suffer because they have to take penalties for being powerful and four-starred!"

"The thought did cross my mind," sneered the Amazon. "Now make your move."

Francesca drew a card.

"I have to pass this turn…" she said meekly.

"Your funeral…" chuckled the Amazon.

She drew, and her Life Points went up to 2,300.

"Now I'll play the Magic Card… Full House!" she laughed.

"Full House?" gasped Francesca. "What does that do?"

The Unfriendly Amazon plugged it into a slot, and the image of a hand appeared, and produced a hand of cards.

"Full House is a rare and powerful card that let's me draw until I hold a full hand of six cards!" answered the Amazon. "It's like Card of Sanctity, except I don't have to share the effect with you!"

Three cards flew out of her deck, and she took them.

"And since I just drew, I gain another 500 Life Points from Solemn Wishes!" she continued. "Not that I need more Life Points to defeat you, but it can't hurt!"

Her Life Points went up to 2,800.

"Now I'll summon Dark Elf in Attack Mode!" she exclaimed.

She threw a card down, and a sinister looking elf with black hair in a dark robe and a golden tiara. (2,000/800)

"And thanks to my Trap Card," continued the Amazon, "I don't need to spend Life Points for her to attack!"

"Enough with the Skill Drain card!" cursed Francesca. "I get it!"

"Then get this," smiled the Amazon. "Flash Assailant, destroy her Command Knight!"

Flash Assailant ran forward and cut down Command Knight! The Warrior collapsed and vanished in a burst of flame.

"Dark Elf, attack that lousy Swords Woman with dark elven magic!"

Dark Elf cackled, and blasted forth a beam of black magic, obliterating Amazoness Swords Woman!

"Zombyra the Dark, attack Francesca directly!"

Zombyra flew forward and slammed his fist into Francesca's gut! She gasped and fell over!

Her Life Points fell to 3,200.

"How'd you do THAT?" gasped Francesca, cringing. "Zombyra can't attack directly!"

"The Skill Drain card removes ALL his effects, remember?" said the Amazon, coldly.

Then The Unfriendly Amazon cackled.

"Heh, heh," she chuckled. "I don't mean to laugh at you, Fran, but next round, you're finished! Nothing you can summon can defeat my army of creatures now that I've stripped them of their handicaps!"

"Fran!" shouted a voice. "Fran!"

At that moment, Stan and Andy ran into the room.

"Guys?" said Francesca, turning around.

"Fran?" questioned Stan. "And you're dueling… The Unfriendly Amazon?"

"Well, isn't this sweet!" exclaimed the Amazon. "Your friends are here just in time to witness your demise!"

"Stan, this is bad!" exclaimed Andy. "That Amazon has Skill Drain on the field! All of Francesca's Monsters are hindered by that card… and those three Monsters she's facing are strengthened by it!"

"Don't I know it…" moaned Francesca.

"Francesca!" shouted Stan. "Don't give up! Have faith in yourself, and you CAN defeat this creature!"

Francesca looked at her hand.

_I have two cards that could make a combo that could help,_ she thought, _but I need a third!_

She reached for her deck.

_Okay, remember what Stan said… have faith in yourself, and believe in the Heart of the Cards…_

She drew. She looked at the card.

"Okay, witch," she said with a grin. "Time to take control of this duel!"

"How do you intend to do that?" chuckled the Amazon.

"I'll show you…" frowned Francesca. "First I'll play Monster Reborn, to bring back Amazoness Paladin!"

She threw the card into a slot, and the powerful Paladin returned. (1,700/300)

"Bah, I'll just destroy her again!" laughed the Amazon.

"Let me finish!" snapped Francesca. "I'll also summon this Warrior… A fierce fighter by the name of Warrior Dai Grepher!"

She placed the card on her Disk, and a powerful male warrior appeared. He was dressed in black leather armor, wore a headband, and carried a large greatsword. (1,700/1,600)

"Huh?" quipped Stan. "Why does she have him in her deck?"

"And now," said Francesca, "I'll bring them together… with Polymerization!"

She threw a card into a slot, and the two Warriors were drawn into a vortex…

"Fused together," continued Francesca, "they form a mighty Amazon Warrior known and feared as… AMAZONESS QUEEN!"

A tall, powerful female form leapt out of the vortex. She was wearing an armored one-piece that didn't hide her voluptuous figure; she also wore a large red cape, a golden crown and a gorgeous necklace. She bore two razor-sharp scimitars. (2,500/1,400)

"NO!" screamed The Unfriendly Amazon. "Not her! Not her!"

"Yes, the one who banished you right?" answered Francesca. "Well she doesn't care about your Skill Drain, because she doesn't need an effect to be powerful!

"Since I can't attack with her this turn, I'm ending my turn now…"

The Amazon shook as she drew. The shower of gold fell upon her, and her Life Points went up to 3,300.

"I'll…" she stuttered, "I'll move all my Monsters into Defense Mode and end my turn…"

Dark Elf, Flash Assailant, and Zombyra the Dark all knelt in Defense.

"Good," smiled Francesca, drawing. "Amazoness Queen, take out Zombyra the Dark with your royal slash attack!"

Amazoness Queen raised her two scimitars and leapt forward, slicing Zombyra in twain! He burst into dark pixels!

"Go, Fran!" yelled Andy.

"Your move," smiled Francesca.

The Amazon drew. Her Life Points went up to 3,800.

She looked at her hand.

_I have one card that I could use to crush Francesca now…_ she thought, _but I need two others!_

"I'll pass this turn…" she snarled.

"Good," smiled Francesca, drawing. "Amazoness Queen, attack her Flash Assailant!"

Amazoness Queen pounced, and swiped at the pirate! Flash Assailant moaned, and burst into fragments.

"Your move again," sighed Francesca.

The Amazon started to sweat. She drew, and her Life Points went up to 4,300.

_The second card I need!_ she thought. _Now all I need is the right Monster Card… Fortunately, my deck has three copies of it…_

"I pass again…" she said.

"Okay…" said Francesca, drawing.

She placed a card down on her Disk.

"I summon Amazoness Fighter in Attack Mode!" she shouted.

The bulky female Warrior materialized and flexed her muscles. (1,500/1,300)

The two Amazons looked at each other, and nodded.

"She may not have her effect," exclaimed Francesca, "but she's strong enough to take down your Elf! Amazoness Fighter, destroy Dark Elf with savage kick!"

Amazoness Fighter leapt forward and slammed her knee into Dark Elf! The Spellcaster toppled over and vanished.

"Amazoness Queen, attack The Unfriendly Amazon directly!" shouted Francesca.

Amazoness Queen leapt up with her twin swords and slashed at The Unfriendly Amazon! The evil Warrior fell over.

Her Life Points fell to 1,800.

Amazoness Queen shook her head in disappointment, and walked back to Francesca's side.

"Yes!" cheered Stan.

"You go, girl!" yelled Andy.

"Had enough?" asked Francesca.

"Never!" snarled the Amazon, getting up.

She drew, and her Life Points went up to 2,300.

She looked at the card.

_Yes!_ she thought with glee. _Now I have her just where I want her!_

She grinned at Francesca as she took a card from her hand.

"First I'll summon Goblin Attack Force in Attack Mode!" she exclaimed.

She put a card down, and a team of four goblin fighters armed with clubs materialized. (2,300/0)

"You think I'm scared of that?" chuckled Francesca. "Amazoness Queen is still stronger!"

"I'm not done!" laughed the Amazon.

She fit a card into her Disk…

A Magic Card lifted up, showing the image of Magician of Faith on a hillside, casting a spell over a mass of impoverished peasants.

"I play Gift of Magician of Faith!" she exclaimed.

"Huh? What does that do?" asked Francesca.

"Yeah, what?" asked Andy.

"Simple," replied the Amazon. "I name one Magic Card that you have in your Graveyard, and you return it to your hand… and I'm naming your Earth Tremor card!"

A light shone in Francesca's discard slot, and a ball of light shot out of it. It floated towards her hand, and formed into the card.

"What good will _that_ do you?" she asked.

"Simple…" grinned the Amazon, wickedly.

She selected another card.

"I also play… Exchange!"

Francesca gasped as the card revealed itself.

"You know the rules, Francesca," smiled the Amazon. "Now kindly hand over your Earth Tremor card…"

Francesca hung her head. She walked over to her foe and held out her hand.

"Thank you!" laughed the Amazon, snatching the card.

She held out her own hand.

"Now pick any card you like!"

"Oh, Heavy Storm will do!" snarled Francesca, snatching a card.

She went back to her position.

_I've lost…_ she thought. _Amazoness Queen is a seven-star Monster… once she plays that card, I'll lose 3,500 Life Points… and I only have 3,200 left!_

"Fran, how many stars does your Queen have?" asked Andy, somewhat frightened.

Fran didn't answer.

"Quite a powerful card…" chuckled the Amazon, looking at it. "I think I'll keep this once I've destroyed you!"

She placed it into a slot.

"Now, I'll sacrifice my Goblins…" she cackled.

Goblin Attack Force vanished.

"…and prepare to lose!"

She laughed out loud.

There was a long pause.

"Well?" said the Unfriendly Amazon.

Strangely, there was no earthquake.

Nothing happened at all!

"WHAT?" gasped the Amazon. "You should have lost 3,500 Life Points! It… it didn't work!"

Francesca was slowly taking this in.

"I don't know why it didn't work," she growled, "but I'm not complaining! Finish your move!"

The Unfriendly Amazon started to sweat heavily… she looked at the cards in her hand…

"Uh…" she said. "I'll… I'll place three cards facedown and end my turn!"

She placed the last cards in her hand into slots, and they appeared next to her Skill Drain and Solemn Wishes.

"What a shame," smiled Francesca, drawing. "Did you forget about the card I just took from you?"

The Amazon turned white…

"I play Heavy Storm!" yelled Francesca, slamming it into a slot.

A fierce wind blew across the field. First the Skill Drain blew away, then the Solemn Wishes. Then the two other cards, revealed to be two more Skill Drain cards and a Seven Tools of the Bandit, blew away.

"Humph, only bluffs," shrugged Francesca. "Amazoness Queen, finish her off!"

Amazoness Queen charged across the room, and made two slashes at the Amazon with her swords! The Unfriendly Amazon screamed as her Life Points fell to zero.

"No!" she moaned, falling to her knees. "I lost…"

"That's right," frowned Francesca, walking up to her. "You fell before Amazoness Queen, just like you did the first time…"

She bent down and reached for her foe's discard slot.

"And by the way," growled Francesca.

She removed the cards from it.

"…I'm taking back my card!"

"Great job, Fran!" shouted Andy.

"So," muttered Stan, "what do we do with her?"

They saw that The Unfriendly Amazon was now a pitiful wreck, sobbing on the ground…

And then a dark portal opened behind her, and she was drawn through it.

"That was odd…" said Andy.

"Odd or not," questioned Stan, "we have a lot to think about… who sent that creature after Francesca? And why didn't the Earth Tremor card work when she used it?"

"I don't know," sighed Francesca.

She looked at the card.

"Maybe this is more than just… a card…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

In a dark room in the Palace of Shadows, The Unfriendly Amazon was crouching on the floor.

The Shadow Queen was in front of her, in wild fury. She had a Duel Disk on her left arm, and a scepter in her right hand.

"Idiot!" shouted the Queen, clubbing the Amazon with her scepter. "Imbecile! Moron!"

"Mercy, please!" begged the Amazon. "Don't hit me again!"

"What did I tell you before you left?" yelled the Queen. "What did I tell you? I _specifically_ told you NOT to use Francesca's own cards against her! BUT YOU TRIED TO ANYWAY!"

"It was my only option!" pleaded the Amazon.

"Why didn't you just attack her Fighter with Goblin Attack Force?" demanded the Queen.

"Her Amazoness Queen would have destroyed it!" protested the Amazon.

"Really?" stated the Shadow Queen. "See what you would have drawn on your next turn…"

The Unfriendly Amazon shakily drew a card from her deck.

She showed it to her master…

"Snatch Steal, I see," scowled the Shadow Queen. "If you had listened to me, you would have won!"

"But why didn't the Earth Tremor card work?" asked the Amazon.

"Fool!" shouted the Queen, clubbing her again. "Earth Tremor is no average card! Not everyone can wield its power! Certainly not _you_!"

She hit the Amazon again.

"Mercy, please…" begged the Amazon.

"Mercy?" said the Queen with a frown.

She flipped her Disk into position.

"You should have thought of that before disobeying me…"

She picked a card from her deck and looked at it.

Grave Arm.

"What are you going to do?" gulped the Amazon.

"You're a Duel Monster," said the Shadow Queen with a scowl on her face, "you've been defeated, so you're going where all defeated Duel Monsters go…"

She threw the card into a slot.

"I banish you to The Graveyard!"

The floor underneath The Unfriendly Amazon started to churn, and then a huge, gruesome claw broke up and grabbed her!

"NO!" she screamed.

The Shadow Queen remained stone-faced as the Amazon was pulled under…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Back at Hooktail Castle, the three youths tried hard to get some sleep for the remainder of the night…

Eventually, morning dawned on Monster Island…

But when Francesca watched her friends wake up, she couldn't help but feel spooked by the whole encounter.

Sure, she had won, and she had been spared whatever horrid fate The Unfriendly Amazon had been planning. As far as the tournament went, it was an unsanctioned duel which she had been forced into…

But deep down, she felt she didn't deserve to win. She wouldn't have – if the Earth Tremor card had worked for her opponent.

What had gone wrong? Had the Amazon read the card's instructions wrong? No… she looked at the card over and over. Her opponent had done just what the instructions had required. Goblin Attack Force was an Earth Monster, and she had sacrificed it…

So why had this powerful card decided to play favorites?

As the sun started to rise, the skepticism in Francesca's heart was fading to nothing…

**0**

**0**

**0**

**FULL HOUSE (Magic Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Magic  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description: **Image of a hand holding a hand of cards. Draw until you hold six cards in your hand.

_Note: This card first appeared in "City of Souls"._

**0**

**0**

**0**

**GIFT OF MAGICIAN OF FAITH (Magic Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Magic  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description: **Image of Magician of Faith on a hilltop casting a spell upon a group of impoverished peasants. Chose one Magic Card in your opponent's Graveyard. Your opponent returns the card to his hand.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**AMAZONESS QUEEN (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Warrior/Fusion  
**Attribute: **Earth  
**Level: **7  
**ATK: **2,500  
**DEF: **1,700

**Card Description:** _Amazoness Paladin plus Warrior Dai Grepher_.

This fierce warrior is the ruler of the Amazon Tribe. She rewards anyone brave enough to challenge her with a quick death.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**EARTH TREMOR (Magic Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Magic  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description: **Image of a village shaking under an earthquake. To activate this card, offer one EARTH Monster on your side of the field as Tribute. For every level star of the face-up opposing Monster on the field with the most level stars, inflict 500 points of direct damage to your opponent's Life Points.

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**Why didn't the Earth Tremor card work when The Unfriendly Amazon tried to use it? That question will go unanswered for now.**_

**_Coming up next, Francesca is going to take a well-deserved break from dueling. The trio of heroes enter the windy Boggly Woods, where Andy comes face-to-face with a duelist who just wants what they want. It's going to be "A Devil of a Time", coming soon…_**


	8. A Devil of a Time

_**After all that happened in Hooktail Castle, this change of scenery is nice. It is a bit more surreal than Petal Meadows… this whole island is somewhat surreal, but at least there aren't any creepy creatures prowling about. **_

_**I've got three Crystal Cards now, and I'm about to try for a fourth. My next opponent isn't as nasty as Poison, nor have we made any nasty stakes, but I don't think he's going to try any less to win.**_

_**But like I said, after encountering living Duel Monsters, a more normal duel should put me back on track…**_

_**I just hope it goes as planned…**_

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER SEVEN**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**A Devil of a Time**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

At seven AM the next day, at dining hall in the Palace of Shadows, the sole occupant was halfway through breakfast.

Only the Shadow Queen and her children were allowed to eat here, but currently five of the children were out making plans, and the sixth was… grounded, for lack of a better term. The Shadow Queen was alone this morning. She really had no need to eat, but doing so gave her pleasure…

After all, creature comforts and pleasures of the flesh were among the things that had kept her sane for the past thousand years.

She was quite upset at what had happened in the past twenty-four hours. The Unfriendly Amazon had failed because she had _deliberately _disobeyed her warning. Even worse, her daughter had been defeated – her child failing was an insult to her, and even though she was angry at Melissa, she was angrier at Francesca.

And even worse, she had lost the Earth Tremor card. She had gone to great lengths to find that accursed thing, and now Francesca had it…

Her rage had been subsided a little when she sent the Amazon to The Graveyard… she always loved doing that. But she and her servants would have to work harder now.

She picked up a cell phone and hit a speed-dial number.

A sleepy voice answered.

"Yeah?" it asked.

"Crump!" demanded the Queen. "Wake up and listen!"

"Y-your excellence!" stammered Crump. "I'm awake! I'm awake!"

"Good, now get your fat butt in gear and head over to Boggly Woods. Those three brats should be there within the hour. If one of them gets into a duel, I want detailed notes!"

"Um, begging her majesty's pardon," asked Crump, "but what should I do if they catch me spying on them?"

"I don't know, tell them you're with the Wonky Circus or something!" answered the Queen. "But if I had any idea that you gave them information…"

"Please," answered Crump. "I am…"

He paused.

"…LORD CRUMP!" he announced. "I'm tougher than steel! I wouldn't tell them anything even if they tortured me!"

"That's good to hear, Crump…" started the Queen. "Now…"

"They could burn me with pokers, they could hang me by my thumbs, they could tie me to an army anthill and cover me with molasses, they could…"

"All right!" shouted the Queen. "A little TMI there, Crump. Now go do what you're told!"

"Right!" answered Crump. "I'll…"

The Shadow Queen hung up.

"A million henchmen in this world, and I get Tweedle-Dee the wonder-dummy," she sighed. "How does Sir Grodus even put up with him?"

The phone rang again. She picked it up.

"Talk to me," she said.

The voice that answered was soft and billowy.

"Mom," he said, "I'm at The Great Tree. I'd like to volunteer to duel one of those brats to make up for Melissa's defeat."

"Really, Kurtis?" answered the Queen. "So who did you have in mind?"

"I was thinking Stan," answered Kurtis. "I have a strategy that should be able to defeat his pathetic mages."

"Well, it's your decision…" sighed the Queen. "Just don't make the same mistakes Melissa made and get too overconfident. And while you're at The Great Tree, keep something in mind…"

"Yes?" he asked.

"I have a feeling that something might be there that I want. Now listen closely…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Two hours later.

Stan, Francesca, and Andy had gathered supplies, and left Petalburg behind. Walking west of Petalburg, the grassy and peaceful Petal Meadows slowly but surely had begun to change.

The first thing they noticed was a change in the weather. The wind picked up, and brisk breezes blew about them. Then the grass started to become taller, and then turned stark white. Finally, the trees grew bigger and more numerous, slowly changing into a sparse forest of oaks and elms.

"So where are we now?" asked Francesca.

Stan looked at the map.

"Boggly Woods," he said. "Apparently we're about two miles from a town that's called simply… The Great Tree?"

"An odd name for a town…" muttered Andy. "Who lives in it, chipmunks?"

Stan sighed.

"Whoever designed this island was a big fan of that _Paper Mario_ game…" he said.

He paused.

"Or was he?" he muttered.

"What do you mean?" asked Francesca.

"Call me crazy," answered Stan, "but that version of Hooktail's Castle we saw is much older than the video game. And…

"Well, let's put all doubts aside for just a minute, and say that that skeleton was real, and that Hooktail was indeed real…"

He expected an objection from Fran, but she was silent. The vision she had seen was still fresh in her mind.

"Anyway," continued Stan, "that would mean that this island wasn't modeled after a video game…

"But rather vice-versa…"

They all paused.

"Creepy…" moaned Andy. "I always knew that big corporations like Nintendo were powerful, but…"

He paused again.

"This is all so strange, Duel Monsters coming to life, one of them actually dueling… this is no ordinary tournament…"

Stan changed the subject.

"Say, Francesca," he asked, "I have a question about one of your Monsters…"

"Shoot," she replied.

"Isn't it kind of strange that Amazoness Queen is a fusion of an Amazon and a _male_ Warrior?"

Francesca chuckled.

"Let's take a break and sit down," she said.

They all sat down in a grassy clearing.

"Let me tell you the story of General Malsa the Wise…" she started.

"More stories of the Amazons?" said Andy, perking up. "This should be interesting."

"A long time ago," continued Francesca, "the Amazons didn't really have a Queen – their ruler was their general – the current Paladin of the group. And an exceptional Paladin for her time was one named Malsa.

"Malsa was one of the strongest, wisest, and some say most beautiful Amazons who ever lived, and she was not only a powerful fighter, but she was skilled in sorcery as well… she dared look into the future at one point…

"And she saw that two generation into the future, a deadly crisis would befall her tribe, one which she knew only someone with her skills could overcome.

"But how was she to help with such a crisis? By the time it occurred, she would likely be too old to hold a sword… She decided that she needed one with her blood to meet this threat.

"As I've already said, marriage is forbidden among the Amazons – so Malsa did the only thing she could. She told the shocked members of her tribe that she was abdicating her position. She gave up her status as an Amazon, chose a successor for the role of Paladin, and left…

"…left to find a suitor.

"And eventually she found one. His name is not remembered, but he was a great warrior who had the power to command dragons. Some say that he was also the father of Warrior Dai Grepher via another woman. Whether there was any true love involved isn't clear – but Malsa and the warrior embraced, and she conceived a baby girl.

"And soon, Malsa went back to her tribe, but only for a day. She gave the infant to her former companions, telling them to raise the child in the Amazon tradition. She left, and was never seen again. Some say she went back to the child's father, while others say she lived the rest of her life in isolation, studying philosophy.

"The child grew fast, and became strong quickly. By the time she was eight, she could out-wrestle the strongest Amazon, and defeat the most skilled with a sword.

"And when Malsa's successor retired, the tribe decided to change their tradition. The child was named Queen of the Amazons… Amazoness Queen.

"As Malsa had prophesied, a crisis eventually came, and her daughter led the tribe to victory in overcoming it – and the Amazons prospered under her rule.

"Now, the spirits of a Paladin and a mighty controller of Dragons are what are needed to call Amazoness Queen to the field of battle – only Warriors that represent the powers of her parents can summon her forward."

"Interesting…" quipped Andy. "And Amazon and a master of Dragons… Well…"

He looked at Francesca…

They heard a rustling in the bushes ahead.

They turned to face whatever was coming…

"OW!" shouted a voice.

They all ran towards the cry, and saw a young man who had fallen, his foot stuck in the ground.

"Damn prairie dog burrow," he cursed.

"Here, pal, let me help," said Stan, lending his hand.

"Thanks," said the young man, getting up.

They looked at him as he brushed himself off. He was older than they were, about nineteen. He had long brown hair and hazel eyes. His apparel was somewhat remarkable – he wore a black shirt and pants… and a purple cape.

He also carried a Duel Disk on his arm.

"Not the best way to make an entrance, I'm sure," he sighed. "Can you folks help me? I'm looking for Petalburg, and I seem to have gotten lost…"

"Oh, it's about three miles back that way," said Francesca, pointing behind her.

"Thanks," he replied. "I'm Ryo, by the way…"

He paused.

"I see you're contestants…"

"Uh huh," said Francesca, "we've both got three Cards each so far…"

"Really?" asked Ryo, with a smile.

He reached into his pocket and took out something…

He had _four_.

"I'm impressed," said Francesca.

"Anyone care to go one-on-one?" asked Ryo.

"Not me," sighed Francesca. "I did so much dueling yesterday, I'm tired out…"

"So you won two duels and then lost one?" asked Ryo.

"No I…" started Francesca.

"Long story," mumbled Stan. "Don't ask. Anyway, um, Andy, and I are up for it…"

He turned to Andy.

"Shoot you for it?" he suggested.

Andy lifted up his fist.

They shook.

Stan's fist stayed closed, rock. Andy's opened, paper.

"You win," shrugged Stan. "Francesca and I will just… watch."

"Okay," sighed Andy, "I'll take you on…"

His eyes closed.

"But I warn you," he said, opening them with a smirk, "the Monsters in my deck play rough!"

"So do mine…" said Ryo with a devious grin.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Several hundred feet away, sitting on the branch of a large tree, was Lord Crump, watching the scene with a video camera equipped with a special microphone.

_Heh, heh,_ he thought. _I've got the best seats in the house. And now I can record every move Andy makes… pretty soon, I'll have the whole contents of those three brats' decks listed!_

_And then the Grodus and the Queen will be so proud of me, and then maybe they'll buy me that fancy motorcycle I've been looking at…_

Then a small face poked into the way of the video camera.

"Huh?" said Crump, as he noticed the creature. "Shoo, scram, get away!"

He tossed the squirrel off.

_I hate squirrels,_ he mused. _Crazy, germ-infested creatures. Say…_

He looked down.

…_wonder how I'm gonna get down from here…_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"All right Ryo," said Andy.

He thrust his arm forward, and his Disk flipped into position.

"I'm game if you are!"

Ryo's Disk activated. The scores set to 8,000.

"DUEL!" they announced.

They drew their five cards.

_Heh, heh,_ thought Ryo, looking at his hand. _There it is, the deadly Crush Card!_

He looked at a Monster in his hand.

_And I have what I need to trigger it too. This might be a nasty way to win… but the Monsters in my deck would certainly approve…_

"You can go first, Andy," he said, smugly.

_I don't like the look on his face_, thought Andy, making his first draw.

He looked at the card.

"I'll start this off by playing my Pot of Greed!" he announced, placing the card in a slot.

The smiling jar appeared in front of him. As usual, a spectral hand reached out and handed him two cards from his deck.

"Uh, Stan," muttered Francesca, "you ever stop to wonder just how our Disks are doing things like that?"

"If I dwell on it too much, I think I might lose my mind…" sighed Stan.

"Now then," continued Andy, putting a card into a slot, "Stan, you wanted to know why I had Warrior Dai Grepher in my deck? Well here's your answer! I play Polymerization to fuse together Spirit Ryu and my Warrior!"

The Polymerization card appeared; then a strange creature that looked like a wise dragon's head with a jewel on its forehead and a pair of draconic wings, bound together by a band of glowing energy appeared. Next to it, the mighty Warrior Dai Grepher appeared.

A vortex opened, and the Dragon and Warrior were drawn into it.

"Fused together," continued Andy, "they form a creature that's half-Dragon, half-Warrior, all-unstoppable-fighting-machine known and feared by the name of… **_Ryu Senshi_**!

A tall humanoid leapt out of the vortex. His armor was more scant than Warrior Dai Grepher's showing off bulging muscles. He had scaly purple shoulder guards and a helmet shaped like a dragon's head with a reptilian sail, along with a mask covering his mouth. His large sword glowed brightly. (2,000/1,200)

"Impressive…" said Ryo.

"Now let's see what you've got," dared Andy.

_He may have been able to summon a powerful Monster on his first move,_ thought Ryo, _but my Crush Card will destroy it and every powerful Monster in his deck!_

He drew.

"I'll place a card facedown," he said, placing a card into a slot.

The card appeared on his side of the field.

"And then I'll summon Meda Bat, in Attack Mode!" he exclaimed.

He placed a card down on his Disk, and a very small Monster appeared. It looked like a big eyeball with horns, wings, claws, and a long tail. (800/400)

"And I'll end my turn," he said.

_I really don't expect him to fall for it,_ thought Ryo, _but if he doesn't attack my Meda Bat, I'll just have it attack his Monster!_

Francesca's eyes opened wide as Andy drew.

_Andy, no!_ she screamed in her head. _Don't attack that thing!_

Andy smirked as he added the card to his hand.

_He put a card facedown,_ he thought, _and then summoned a really weak Monster that happens to be Dark in Attack Mode… could his plan be any more obvious?_

He looked at Ryu Senshi.

_Well, he's in for a surprise!_

"Ryu Senshi!" he commanded, "attack his Meda Bat with dragon soulsword!"

Ryu Senshi lifted his sword and stuck a pose… the image of a fierce, flaming dragon appeared behind him!

"NOOO!" screamed Francesca.

The Warrior chopped the tiny Fiend in half.

"HA!" laughed Ryo, as his Life Points fell to 6,800. "I can't believe you actually fell for it!"

He hit his Disk.

"Activate Crush Card!"

The card lifted.

"I don't think so…" said Andy with a grin.

Ryu Senshi's sword blazed with flames, and he swung it forward! The Crush Card was incinerated!

"What?" gasped Ryo. "Your Monster can destroy Traps?"

Andy's Life Points dropped to 7,000.

"Not all of them," said Andy with a smile. "But so long as I'm willing to pay 1,000 Life Points, Ryu Senshi can negate the activation of any Normal Trap and destroy it. It's a lot to pay, but my deck is safe.

"And before you embarrass yourself, Ryu Senshi is also immune to all Magic Cards that target, so don't bother trying.

"I'll end my turn there."

"Okay, heart, resume beating…" gasped Francesca.

_Okay, that was a bust,_ thought Ryo, making a draw. _Well, if his Warrior can destroy Traps and is resistant to Magic, I'll just have to resort to a cruder method…_

He put a card down.

"I summon the mighty Giant Orc in Attack Mode!" he shouted.

A roar bellowed over the field, and the huge, hulking ogre appeared, lifting his bone club! (2,200/0)

"Giant Orc," commanded Ryo, "attack Ryu Senshi with bone club bash!"

The huge Orc bore down on Ryu Senshi and clobbered him over the head with his club! The Warrior fell to the ground and vanished.

Andy's Life Points fell to 6,800.

"That will end my turn…" smiled Ryo.

His Orc stumbled and fell on its butt, moving into Defense Mode.

Andy drew.

"You might think that was clever, Ryo," he commented, "but it's not really a good idea to use Giant Orc against someone who plays a Dragon Deck… or Goblin Attack Force, for that matter…"

"What do you mean?" asked Ryo.

Andy placed a card down.

"Because both of those Monsters have too dangerous a handicap when there's a chance that THIS guy will show up! I summon Spear Dragon!"

The pterodactyl-like Dragon with a long beak materialized, and screeched!

"AWK!" shouted Ryo. "That Dragon can damage my Life Points even when my Monster is in Defense Mode!"

"Exactly," smiled Andy, "as if its Defense Score was an Attack Score. And your Giant Orc's Defense Score is… zero. Spear Dragon, attack Giant Orc with cyclone blast!"

Spear Dragon blasted forth a powerful whirlwind from its beak, and Giant Orc was blown to pieces!

Ryo's Life Points fell to 4,900.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Watching in the tree was Crump, with a grimace on his face.

_Humph,_ he thought, _Andy is doing good… too good if you ask me. He's ahead by almost two-thousand Life Points…_

_Ah, what am I worried about? I could probably beat him any day of the week…_

…_if the Queen would give me a chance, that is. Humph, she thinks I'll mess up – she thinks I can't duel just because stupid Melissa beat me when she was ten. Well, I'd like to see Melissa try it now…_

Then a squirrel crawled up onto his leg.

"What?" he said, startled. "I told you to get lost!"

He shoved the squirrel off his leg and it scattered.

_Nutty rats,_ he thought.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Go, Andy!" yelled Francesca. "You've got him on the ropes!"

"It's my move now!" exclaimed Ryo.

He made a draw.

"Perfect!" he stated.

He placed a card down.

"I summon an infernal general known as Archfiend Soldier!" he exclaimed.

A dark flame erupted on the field, and a form stepped out of it. The creature was tall and muscular, had claws, ram-like horns, and a face that would make even a mother scream. It was draped in a billowing cloak, and held a nasty sword. (1,900/1,500)

"Holy guacamole!" exclaimed Francesca. "That thing is… ugly!"

"Now my Archfiend," commanded Ryo, "attack his Spear Dragon with dark sword or Perdition!"

Archfiend Soldier's blade burned with black fire, and he flew forward, slicing Spear Dragon in two!

"Well, it's safe to say now that Ryo plays a Fiend Deck…" muttered Stan.

"Oh no…" gasped Francesca. "Andy might have to deal with Dark Necrofear again!"

"Dark Necrofear?" said Ryo, raising an eyebrow.

He rubbed his chin.

"An interesting concept, but no," he said. "There's no Dark Necrofear in my deck. However, I assure you that I have a Monster that is just as deadly!"

"I don't like the sound of that…" muttered Francesca.

"Your move now," smiled Ryo.

Andy drew.

"Time to get rid of your Archfiend," he smiled. "I summon Masked Dragon in Attack Mode!"

He put the card down, and the red and silver metallic Dragon wearing a mask appeared. (1,400/1,100)

"That's not nearly strong enough!" laughed Ryo.

"By himself, no," smiled Andy, "but I can use the Magic Card Scorching Ruin!"

He threw a card into a slot.

"This card raises the Attack of any Dragon by 1,000 points for one round!"

Masked Dragon's Attack Score rose to 2,400!

"Masked Dragon, attack his Archfiend with incendiary cloud!"

Masked Dragon shot forth a cloud of burning vapor, and Archfiend Soldier was burned up!

Ryo's Life points fell to 4,400.

"Heh, heh," he chuckled. "HA, HA, HA, HA, HA!"

"What's so funny?" sneered Andy. "In case you didn't notice, you're losing!"

"Nothing is funny!" laughed Ryo. "I'm laughing because I'm so pleased! The first two opponents I beat were complete pushovers! I hate it when I win by a shutout!

"Now I finally have my first real challenge, and it feels great!"

"Glad I could help…" muttered Andy. "Most people tend not to like it when I'm kicking their keister, but… Your move…"

"Well, at least that guy's a good sport…" said Francesca with a shrug.

Ryo drew.

He looked at the card strangely.

"I'll place a Monster facedown in Defense and end my turn," he said.

He placed the card down, and a hidden Monster appeared.

Andy drew.

He gave the facedown card a long look.

_Hmmm,_ he thought. _He plays a Fiend Deck, so logic would indicate that this Monster is a Night Assailant… the Fiend version of Man-Eater Bug…_

He looked at his hand.

_I don't have my Nobleman of Crossout now, so I'll just have to summon my Troop Dragon and then attack, and it will be forced to destroy either Masked Dragon or Troop Dragon, neither of which is an unbearable loss…_

He put a card down.

"Troop Dragon in Defense Mode!" he exclaimed.

He put a card down, and three scaly dragon-men with swords and armor appeared. (700/800)

"Masked Dragon," he ordered, "attack that Night Assailant!"

Masked Dragon breathed forth its fiery cloud…

"Um, Andy…" remarked Ryo, offhand, "good guess, but this _isn't_ a Night Assailant…"

A strange object appeared on the card…

"No!" gasped Andy. "A Cyber Jar!"

A fierce suction drew Masked Dragon and Troop Dragon into the metal pod, and it exploded!

"Now then," said Ryo, "we each draw five cards, and summon whatever Monsters we can…"

"Yeah, I know…" muttered Andy.

Andy made five draws.

"Okay," he said. "I'll summon The Dragon Dwelling in the Cave in Defense Mode, and these two in Attack Mode… Divine Dragon Ragnarok, and Twin-Headed Behemoth!"

He put the cards down. First a huge, stony dragon with a sleepy expression appeared, and curled up into a ball. (1,300/2,000). Then a wise-looking Chinese dragon made of smoky mist appeared. (1,500/1,000). Finally, a fearsome-looking beast with two serpentine heads materialized and roared from each head! (1,500/1,200)

"Very nice, Andy," smiled Ryo, "but my three are better… I summon Opticlops, La Jinn the Mystical Genie of the Lamp, and the mighty Goblin King!"

He put the three cards down. First a hulking giant with bulging muscles and a single eye materialized. (1,800/1,700). Then a small oil lamp appeared. Green smoke bellowed from it, which formed into a large genie with a skullcap and long moustache. He gave out a throaty chuckle. (1,800/1,000)

Finally, a strange Monster formed on the field. It was a small creature that looked like a bald-headed, green-skinned fiend in royal robes and a crown. He sat on an ornate throne. (0/0)

"Mighty?" questioned Andy, raising an eyebrow. "He has zero Attack Points, and zero Defense Points!"

He knew, however, that there had to be more to it than that.

"By himself, that would be true, but looks can deceive," started Ryo. "Let me explain how Goblin King works – his Attack and Defense is 1,000 for each Fiend on the field other than himself."

(2,000/2,000)

"And he has another effect too," continued Ryo. "So long as I have at least one other Fiend on my side of the field, he can't be attacked!"

"Uh, Stan," mumbled Francesca. "I think Andy's in trouble…"

"Now it's my draw…" said Ryo.

He drew, and added the card to his hand.

He opened his Field slot.

"I play Yami!" he exclaimed, throwing the card into the slot. "Now watch, as darkness shrouds the entire field!"

A billowing shadow emitted from behind him, and then covered their whole area!

"Fiends find strength in Darkness," smiled Ryo, "so their Attack and Defense is boosted by 200 points!"

Opticlops's stats went up to (2,000/1,900), La Jinn's went up to (2,000/1,200), and Goblin King's went up to (2,200/2,200).

"Okay…" muttered Francesca, "now he's _really_in trouble…"

"Scared yet?" chuckled Ryo.

"I'm not scared of the dark, Ryo!" snarled Andy.

"That will soon change," said Ryo with a look of determination. "Opticlops, attack Divine Dragon Ragnarok with fiendish gaze!"

Opticlops fired a beam of energy from its eye, and blew Ragnarok into vapor!

"La Jinn, attack Twin-Headed Behemoth with mystical magic!"

La Jinn chuckled again and cast forth a sparkling spell, blowing Twin-Headed Behemoth away.

"Goblin King, attack The Dragon Dwelling in the Cave with dark curse!"

Goblin King lifted a bejeweled scepter and fired a beam of dark energy, blowing The Dragon Dwelling in the Cave into particles.

Andy's Life Points were down to 6,000…

But he grinned.

"What are you so happy about?" asked Ryo. "You have no Monsters left!"

"Maybe you don't know about Twin-Headed Behemoth's special effect," answered Andy. "When it's destroyed, it makes a quick comeback!"

Twin-Headed Behemoth reformed in its previous location. (1,000/1,200)

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Lord Crump continued to watch. Fortunately for him, his camera came with a night-vision lens.

_Interesting,_ he thought. _Andy is in trouble now… unless he can summon something powerful, he's in for a lot of damage on Ryo's next turn. Wonder what… eh?_

He looked down. Now two squirrels were crawling onto his leg.

"SCRAM!" he shouted.

The squirrels squeaked in fear, and scurried away.

What is it with these vermin, do they think I have peanuts in my pockets?

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Andy drew his card.

"Okay, he said, "Yami or no Yami, I can still defeat you…"

He switched cards on his Disk.

"I sacrifice my Twin-Headed Behemoth to summon Luster Dragon #2, in Attack Mode!"

Twin-Headed Behemoth formed into a huge emerald, and the emerald shattered, revealing a beautiful Dragon made entirely out of the precious stone! (2,400/1,400)

"Luster Dragon," shouted Andy, "attack his Opticlops with emerald flash blast!"

Luster Dragon shot forth a beam of pure, green light, and it incinerated Opticlops.

Ryo's Life Points fell to 4,000. Also, Goblin King's stats fell down to (1,200/1,200)

"Your move…" grinned Andy.

"All right!" cheered Francesca. "Andy won't stay down for long!"

Ryo drew.

He chuckled, and added the card to his hand.

"Okay," he said, turning two of his cards. "I'm moving La Jinn and Goblin King to Defense Mode…"

La Jinn crossed his arms, and Goblin King rested his scepter on his lap.

"Then I'll summon Wretched Ghost of the Attic in Defense Mode," he continued.

He put a card down, and a small creature appeared. It looked similar to Kuriboh, but with shaggier hair, and glowing blue eyes. (550/400) –) (750/600)

Goblin King's stats went back up to (2,200/2,200)

"And I'll finish," he said, "by playing a Magic Card that's just as rare as my Crush Card… Altar of Mists!"

He slid a card into a slot, and the card appeared on the field. It depicted an outdoor stone altar surrounded by a misty haze.

"Altar of Mists?" gasped Andy. "I've… never heard of that one…"

"Altar of Mists is a very powerful card," answered Ryo. "After it's been on the field for three of your turns, I'll be able to add any Ritual Magic Card in my deck to my hand!"

"Ooh!" gasped Francesca. "Ritual Monsters are trouble!"

"You call that powerful?" chuckled Andy. "You'd be better off with Manju of the Ten-Thousand Hands. How can you be so sure I won't destroy that card before the three turns are up?"

"You can't!" stated Ryo with a smirk. "Altar of Mists has a mighty defensive property – it _can't_ be destroyed by card effects! Even I can't destroy it if I wanted to! If I were to play Heavy Storm, it would be the only card left standing!"

Andy paused.

"Okay, that is pretty impressive," he agreed. "But don't forget, you also need the right Monster Card…"

"Um, touché…" said Ryo with a shrug.

But secretly, he grinned slightly, looking at the Monster Card in his hand.

"I end my turn," he said.

Andy drew.

"I summon Gray Wing, in Attack Mode!" he exclaimed.

He threw a card down, and a gray, lizard-like Dragon with wings resembling those of a dragonfly appeared. (1,300/700)

"Humph, that's weak," said Ryo, waving his hand.

"He may not be the strongest Monster Attack-wise, but he's useful in this situation," explained Andy.

"First, Luster Dragon, get rid of that genie!"

Luster Dragon fired forth his breath, and blasted La Jinn! The Mystical Genie of the Lamp groaned and burst into particles.

Goblin King's stats fell to (1,200/1,200)

"Now that I've done that," grinned Andy, choosing a card, "I can discard one card from my hand, in order to let Gray Wing attack… twice!"

He discarded his Dragon's Bead card.

"Gray Wing," he shouted. "Attack Wretched Ghost of the Attack and Goblin King with your tornado blast!"

Gray Wing screeched, and blasted forth two cyclones of air! Wretched Ghost of the Attack shattered, and then Goblin King covered his ears… he and his throne burst!

"That takes care of all your Monsters," smiled Andy. "Now make your move."

"All right," urged Stan. "At this rate, Andy might win before that Altar of Mists even kicks in!"

Ryo drew.

"I'll place one card facedown on the field," he said.

He slid a card into a slot, and it appeared in front of him.

"And now I'll play this Monster in Defense Mode… Glasya, Duchess of Desire!"

He put the card down, and a remarkable female fiend appeared. She was a dark beauty, who had horns, batlike wings, a forked tail, and long, raven tresses, and was dressed in a skimpy black leather outfit. She smiled sweetly at Andy and waved. (800/2,000) –) (1,000/2,200)

"Isn't she a beauty?" asked Ryo.

"I dunno," muttered Andy. "Kinda depends on your definition of 'beautiful', really."

"Well that's my turn," said Ryo.

Andy drew.

"Luster Dragon," he shouted, "attack Glasya!"

_No!_ screamed a voice in his head.

It was too late to reconsider his move. Luster Dragon shot forth his attack.

"You activated my Trap!" laughed Ryo. "Activate Sakuretsu Armor!"

His Trap card lifted, and a shimmering wall appeared around Glasya. The blast was deflected, and Luster Dragon #2 was blown to pieces.

"Urgh," muttered Andy. "I'll end my turn by switching Gray Wing to Defense Mode."

He turned his card, and Gray Wing folded its wings.

Ryo drew.

"Heh, heh," he said. "You thought you were safe by putting your Monster in Defense Mode? I beg to _differ_. I summon… Shadowslayer!"

He put a card down, and a tall creature leapt out of the shadows. It was a dark assassin dressed in tight-fitting green and blue, with a katana strapped to his back. His head was a bestial looking skull. (1,400/200) –) (1,600/400)

"When the only Monsters you have on the field are in Defense Mode," explained Ryo, "Shadowslayer can leap right over them and go right for your Life Points!"

"What?" gasped Francesca. "No!"

"Shadowslayer," ordered Ryo, "attack Andy's Life Points directly with shadow blade!"

Shadowslayer drew his katana, and held it out dramatically in front of him. He leapt right over Gray Wing and slashed at Andy! Andy cringed and stumbled backwards.

His Life Points fell down to 4,400.

"Your move…" said Ryo with a smirk.

_Ugh,_ thought Andy, sweating. _Can't let that Shadowslayer get off another hit…_

He drew.

_This will cost me a couple of Life Points, but it will keep that thing from attacking directly…_

"I summon my second Masked Dragon in Attack Mode," he grunted, putting a card down.

A second Masked Dragon, an apparent twin of the first, appeared. (1,400/1,100)

"Now your Shadowslayer can't attack me directly!" he mocked.

Ryo laughed.

"He doesn't need too!" he laughed. "Tell me Andy, how well can you count?"

"Uh, Stan," asked Francesca, "what's he up to?"

"No…" gasped Stan. "It's been three rounds since he activated Altar of Mists…"

"That's right!" exclaimed Ryo, as his Magic Card started to glow.

Then it vanished into mist.

A card flew out of his deck, and he caught it.

"And now I have the means to summon my mightiest creature!" he laughed. "A Ritual known as Curse of the Masked Beast!"

A fiendish altar appeared, flanked by two fiery violet torches…

"And as for your statement about me needing the right Monster Card," he continued, "well, I had it in my hand when I first played Altar of Mists."

_No…_ thought Andy, sweating. _I've dealt with this before…_

"So, now," continued Ryo, "I'll offer as sacrifice both Glasya and Shadowslayer…"

The two Fiends leapt up, and landed on the torches. They were consumed by the flames, and then the whole altar was consumed…

"And I summon… The Masked Beast!"

A hideous form trudged out of the flames. It was centaur-like in shape, with a lower body that was half-insect and half-slug with two clawed legs. Its upper body was muscular and covered with horny protrusions, and an eyeless mask was bonded to its face. It carried a wicked club. (3,200/1,800) –) (3,400/2,000)

"Now, Masked Beast, attack his Masked Dragon!"

The Masked Beast charged forward, and smote Masked Dragon with its club, obliterating it!

Andy's Life Points fell to 2,400…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_Well, Andy's got his work cut out for him,_ thought Crump._ Defeating a Monster that powerful, especially when it has Field advantage, is no easy feat…_

_And if Andy loses, all the better – he'll be easy pickings once we decide to…_

He turned around. He saw four squirrels watching him.

"Oh, that did it," he said.

He took a device out of his pocket and aimed it at the squirrels. They screamed and ran away as they were hit by an electric shock.

"One more time and I'm making squirrel pot-pie, you scum-ridden vermin!" he threatened.

"Now where was I…?"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Man," gasped Francesca, "he lost 2,000 Life Points in one blow… he'll never stop that thing!"

However, Andy was still looking positive.

"You may be in the lead," he sneered, "but when Masked Dragon is destroyed, I get to special summon another Dragon with 1,500 Attack Points or less!"

A card flew out of his Disk.

"So I'll summon my third Masked Dragon in Defense Mode!"

He put the card down, and another Masked Dragon appeared, folding its wings. (1,400/1,100).

"Then it's your move," dared Ryo.

Andy drew.

"I play Stamping Destruction!" he shouted, throwing a card into a slot.

Masked Dragon stamped his foot, and a shockwave blasted towards Ryo, knocking him down!

The darkness vanished.

"What?" he gasped.

The Masked Beast's stats returned to (3,200/1,800).

"Stamping Destruction destroys one Magic or Trap Card, so I used it to destroy Yami," explained Andy, "and it also causes you to lose 500 Life Points!"

Ryo's Life Points fell to 3,500.

"So now it's your move,"

Ryo drew. He looked at the card.

"I'll shift my Masked Beast into Defense Mode," he said, turning the card.

Stan, Francesca, and Andy looked on with a confused expression as The Masked Beast crouched and shielded itself.

"Confused?" asked Ryo. "The point behind this extremely odd strategy will come to light on my next turn. In the meantime, it's your turn."

He started to look nervous.

_What in the world is he thinking?_ thought Andy, drawing. _The Masked Beast is tops in Attack, but he isn't exactly the King of Defense…_

_Unfortunately, I have nothing that can beat it…_

"I'll pass this turn," he said.

_But the card I just drew might help later…_

Ryo drew.

"Okay," he said, "I play… Curse of Fiend!"

He slid the card into a slot, and a card bearing an image of a sinister altar appeared.

"This Magic Card switches the battle positions of all Monsters on the field," he said in a sinister voice, "meaning that all Monsters currently on the field are shifted into Attack Mode!"

Andy and his two friends gasped as Masked Dragon, Gray Wing, and The Masked Beast leapt into Attack Mode!

"No!" gasped Francesca.

"Now my Masked Beast," shouted Ryo, "destroy his Gray Wing!"

Andy looked on in horror, as the huge Fiend closed in on Grey Wing and smashed it apart with its club!

"No…" sobbed Francesca. "He lost…"

"No, wait…" said Stan.

They looked. It wasn't over yet.

Andy still had 500 Life Points left…

"Must have… misjudged the math…" gasped Francesca.

"This is almost over," said Ryo with a smile, "so make your move…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Man, this is sweet!" laughed Crump. "Andy's going to be flattened in just a few…"

He heard a chittering next to him.

"Didn't I warn you stupid squirrels to…" he started.

He turned around…

…and saw at least three dozen angry squirrels looking at him.

"Uh…" he stuttered, inching over, "about that 'scum-ridden vermin' crack…"

Then the squirrels were on him! The furiously clawed and bit at him!

"GET OFF!" he shouted. "Get off, get off, get off!"

He started to lose his balance…

The squirrels gave a shove, and he fell to ground with a crash.

_Ooh…_ he thought, lying on the ground. _Well, at least now I don't have to worry about how to get down…_

He sat up.

_Where did that video camera go?_

Then the video camera hit him on the head, and knocked him out.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Did you hear something?" asked Francesca.

"Eh, probably the wind," answered Stan with a shrug.

Andy drew his next card.

He looked at his card and then spoke up.

"Well, Ryo," he said, "your Masked Beast is impressive… he has a lot of Attack Points…

"But Attack Points aren't everything, you know…"

"What do you mean?" asked Ryo.

"You just think about that…" said Andy, smugly.

He took two cards from his hand.

"As I first place one card facedown…"

He set a card facedown.

"And then summon Luster Dragon #1 in Attack Mode…"

He put the card down. A huge sapphire appeared over the field, and it burst, revealing a beautiful Dragon with a hide made of blue gems. (1,900/1,700)

"That will end my turn," he said with a grin.

Ryo looked at him suspiciously.

_Humph,_ he thought. _This is the most obvious Trap I've ever seen…_

He drew.

_Lesser Fiend… Hmmm…_

"Sorry Andy, but I'm not falling for it," he said. "Since I can't destroy your Trap, I'm going to pass this turn."

"Heh, heh," chuckled Andy, drawing, "actually, with this Trap, it didn't exactly matter if you chose to attack or not!"

He chose a card from his hand.

"But before I set it off, I'll play this number… Dragon's Gunfire!"

He threw a Magic Card into a slot.

"This card lets one of my Dragons hit you for 800 points of direct damage!" he exclaimed.

Luster Dragon shot forth a blast of blue energy, striking Ryo! He staggered back, and his Life Points fell to 2,700.

"And now," said Andy, "I'll activate the Trap… Burst Breath!"

The Trap Card lifted.

"Burst Breath?" gasped Ryo. "What the sam-hill is that?"

"To activate this powerful card, I have to sacrifice one Dragon on the field," explained Andy, "and in exchange, all Monsters on the field with a Defense Score equal to or lower than the sacrificed Dragon's Attack Score are destroyed! So, I'll sacrifice Luster Dragon!"

"No!" gasped Ryo. "The Masked Beast's Defense is only 1,800!"

"Bingo!" exclaimed Andy. "Luster Dragon, use your Burst Breath!"

Luster Dragon roared, and rose over the field! It exhaled an enormous gout of energy, covering the whole field with blue flames!

When the flames subsided, every Monster on the field had been wiped out.

"Unfortunately, to do that, I also had to destroy my Masked Dragon," sighed Andy, "so now I'll summon Koumori Dragon in Defense Mode."

He put a card down, and a small, purple-scaled dragon with large wings and a fiendish face appeared. It folded its wings. (1,500/1,200)

"And I end my turn," he said.

"Why didn't Andy attack with that guy?" asked Francesca.

"Because he's smart," replied Stan. "It would have injured Ryo, but it wouldn't have come near enough to win the duel – and with only 500 Life Points left, Andy can't afford to put a Monster that weak in Attack Mode.

"But at least he got rid of The Masked Beast…"

Ryo drew.

"I'll play _my_ Pot of Greed," he announced.

He placed the card into a slot, and the jar handed him two cards.

He looked at his hand.

_Nothing I can summon without making a sacrifice…_ he thought. _But if I make a big risk, then maybe a little help from Andy can let me summon something powerful… Let's hope he goes for the card that he'll think will help him…_

He slid a Magic Card into a slot.

"I play Dark Designator!" he announced.

"What does that do?" asked Francesca.

"It's a tricky card," answered Stan. "Ryo names a Monster Card, and if Andy has it in his deck, he has to add it to his hand."

"How will that help Ryo?"

"It can't by itself, but it's useful in combos…"

"The card I name is… Cave Dragon," announced Ryo.

Andy's eyes narrowed.

A card slid out of his deck and flew to his hand.

"How did you know I had that Monster?" he asked.

"Lucky guess," shrugged Ryo.

He took another card from his hand.

"And now I play… Exchange!"

"Well, this is… unexpected…" muttered Stan.

"He's pulling the same trick that The Unfriendly Amazon pulled on me!" exclaimed Fran, as Andy walked up to Ryo. "Well, sort of…"

"Yeah, but what the heck is Ryo going to do with a Cave Dragon?" asked Stan, puzzled.

"All right," said Andy, walking up, "I guess you wanted the Cave Dragon…"

"Thank you," said Ryo, taking it.

He held out his hand.

"Now take any card you like," he said with a grin.

Inside, he was incredibly nervous.

_If he takes one of the two cards I need to pull this off, I'm finished!_ he thought. _Come on… Go for the one that's the most tempting…_

"I'll take your Question card," said Andy, taking it.

Ryo grinned broadly inside.

_He took the bait!_ he thought. _He'll never win if he uses that card – I know exactly what the answer to the Question is!_

"My friend makes a good point," noted Andy, as he walked back to his position. "I don't see how Cave Dragon is going to help you – that Monster can't attack unless another Dragon is on your side of the field, and I don't think you have any in your deck…"

Ryo chuckled.

"For shame, Andy," he scolded. "You don't know one of the secrets that lurks within one of your own Monsters!"

"What?" gasped Andy in surprise. "Cave Dragon has a secret ability?"

"Yes, but he needs a little help from one of _my_ Monsters," explained Ryo.

He slid a Magic Card into a slot.

"I'm using Polymerization to fuse your Cave Dragon with my Lesser Fiend!"

Cave Dragon appeared in front of him, and then a tall demon with four arms and a yellow hide, wearing a kilt appeared next to it. The Polymerization card transformed into a vortex, and the two Monsters were drawn inside!

"Now watch and learn," said Ryo, as the portal became surrounded by a ring of fire. "By fusing these two creatures together, I can create a great Dragon of the underworld with fiendish blood, known as… **_Fiend Skull Dragon_**!"

A huge creature stepped out of the portal. It was a tall creature that could best be described as a combination between Dragon and Fiend. It stood upright on two spindly legs and had four clawed arms. It had huge, batlike wings, and a serpentine head with fiendish jaws! (2,000/1,200)

Fiend Skull Dragon roared with rage!

"Things just got very complicated…" muttered Stan.

"Okay," muttered Andy. "I don't know what to feel – impressed that I've learned something new about one of my Monsters, or disgust that the 'something new' is something that hideous…"

"Well let me explain how Fiend Skull Dragon works," explained Ryo. "First of all, so long as it's on the field, all Flip-Effects are negated. Second, it's immune to Trap Cards that specifically target. So no using Magic Cylinder to protect yourself!

"But I can't attack with it this round, so make your move…"

Andy whipped out a card.

"I play… Graceful Charity!" he remarked.

He plugged the card into his Disk, and the beautiful angel flew out. She flew into his deck, and then handed him three cards.

He looked at the cards, added them to his hand, and then handed her two. She flew into his discard slot.

_Let's hope he goofs up_, he thought.

He slid a card into a slot.

"I'll play the card I took from you…" he announced. "Question!"

His Dragon moved aside as the card appeared, and a large form materialized on the field. It was a large, colorful podium with a question mark in middle, a red light on one side, and a green light on the other. An emcee in a colorful costume and a top hat sat behind it.

"I trust you know how your own Magic Card works?" asked Andy.

"Heh, heh," chuckled Ryo. "Yeah, I know. I have to guess which Monster is the first at the bottom of your discard pile… If I guess wrong, you get to Special Summon it, and if I guess right, it's out of the game for good…"

He chuckled again.

"But I knew you'd choose that card when I played Exchange, and I already know the answer to the Question!"

Stan and Francesca gulped. Andy stared at him.

"The answer is… Ryu Senshi!"

Andy gave him a look.

"Is that your _final_ answer?" he asked.

"Yes," said Ryo, folding his arms. "Final answer."

Then emcee hit a button on his console…

And then a loud "BUZZ!" sounded, the red light lit up, and the word "Wrong" took the place of the question mark.

"What?" exclaimed Ryo. "Wrong? You didn't discard anything before he was destroyed!"

"It was a close guess, Ryo," said Andy, with a grin, "but you forgot one important aspect of Ryu Senshi…

"Namely, he's a Fusion Monster!"

"Aw, crud!" shouted Ryo. "That means you discarded two other Monsters in order to summon him!"

"Exactly!" exclaimed Andy.

The emcee and his podium vanished, and a Monster appeared.

"Now for the correct answer… meet Spirit Ryu!"

The odd Dragon appeared in front of Andy. (1,000/1,000)

"Heh, heh, you had me worried there for a minute," chuckled Ryo. "That Monster is far too weak to take down Fiend Skull Dragon…"

"Oh, is it now?" asked Andy, turning a card. "I'm switching Koumori Dragon to Attack Mode!"

Koumori Dragon reared up to attack position.

"You're actually going to attack?" gasped Ryo.

"In a word, yes," said Andy. "Spirit Ryu, attack Fiend Skull Dragon with sonic flash attack!"

A ball of energy formed in Spirit Ryu's jaws…

"You fool!" laughed Ryo. "You'll lose!"

"No I won't!" laughed Andy. "Due to Spirit Ryu's effect! When it attacks, it gains 1,000 Attack Points for every Dragon I discard from my hand, and thanks to Graceful Charity, I have three!"

He threw the rest of his hand into his discard slot, and images of Tyrant Dragon, Troop Dragon, and Red Eyes Black Chick appeared behind him. Spirit Ryu's Attack shot up to 4,000!

The Dragon's sonic blast shot forth, and Fiend Skull Dragon roared as it was torn apart!

Ryo gulped as his Life Points fell to 700.

"Now, Koumori Dragon, attack him directly and finish this!" yelled Andy.

Koumori Dragon shot forth a blast of flame, striking Ryo dead center! He fell to the ground, and his Life Points fell to zero.

"All right!" cheered Stan.

"Way to go!" laughed Francesca.

Andy sighed.

_Okay,_ he thought. _Deep breaths now…_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Well," sighed Ryo, handing over a Crystal Card, "I guess I owe you this…"

Andy took it and frowned.

"Um, you owe me something else, too," he mentioned.

"Huh?" asked Ryo. "Oh, right…"

He took the Cave Dragon card from his discard pile and handed it over. Andy handed over the Question card.

"Well," said Ryo, "I've got to get to Petalburg… And the tournament is still young. Who knows? We might meet again…"

"One thing," asked Andy. "Fiend Skull Dragon… is it a Fiend or a Dragon?"

"Oh, it's a Dragon," answered Ryo. "Unlike Black Skull Dragon. And like Cave Dragon, it's a Wind Monster. If you play other Fusions besides Ryu Senshi, you might want to look into getting a Lesser Fiend…"

"Hmm," muttered Andy. "Maybe I _will_ look into that…"

"Well," said Francesca, "let's head to The Great Tree and see what's there…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Lord Crump lay on the ground. He saw stars.

_Ugh,_ he thought. _My mother wanted me to be a dentist… I didn't listen…_

_I think if I ever write the story of my life, I'll leave this part out…_

A shadow appeared over him.

The figure picked up the video camera and removed the tape.

"Can't l-l-let you have th-th-this," said the figure, breaking the tape in half.

The figure looked around.

"Now to f-f-find them before they get t-t-to the Tree," he said. "An explan-n-nation is long overdue…"

**0**

**0**

**0**

**ALTAR OF MISTS**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Magic/Continuous  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description: **Image of an outdoor altar surrounded by cloudy mist. This card cannot be destroyed by card effects. On your third Standby Phase after playing this card, destroy this card and remove it from play, and then search your deck for one Ritual Magic Card and add it to your hand.

_Note: "Altar of Mists" was used by The Big Five in the multi-part anime episode "Merger of the Big Five." All creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0**

**0**

**0**

**GLASYA, DUCHESS OF DESIRE**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Fiend  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level: **4  
**ATK: **800  
**DEF: **2,000

**Card Description: **This attractive female noble of Pandemonium delights in seducing mortals and consuming their souls. _(Although this Monster has no real Effect, she is considered an Archfiend for all related purposes.)_

_Note: "Glasya, Duchess of Desire" first appeared in "The Mandate of Heaven" _

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**In case you were wondering who the odd, shadowy character who's in need of speech therapy is, you'll have to wait until next chapter.**_

_**Speaking of which…**_

**_Coming up next, our team takes a short break from dueling, to learn some of the mysteries surrounding them and the island they are visiting. But are they believable? Two new major characters are introduced (one malignant, one benign), and some new additions to our heroes decks are made. It all comes in a chapter called "Information, Please", coming soon…_**


	9. Information, Please

_**Sigh…**_

_**I've lived on this island for practically as long as I can remember… And always in secrecy.**_

_**If the Shadow Queen knew I was here, she'd make it a point to root me out. I wouldn't be safe. Fortunately, she doesn't know I'm here. She likely doesn't know I'm still alive.**_

_**My only friends on this island are the Monsters in my dueling deck… In particular, seven odd Monsters, the likes of which no-one has ever seen before… at least in card form.**_

_**Today I must break my silence. I must take the risk of being discovered. Because now there is finally the chance that the Queen's evil will be extinguished… forever…**_

_**I must confront them… I must make three new friends…**_

…_**and in doing so, I must part with seven old ones…**_

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER EIGHT**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Information, Please**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

It was one hour after Andy's duel with Ryo…

And the team was trudging through the tall, pale grass under the large trees.

Stan was speaking out a list:

"Rum Raisin…" he muttered. "French Raspberry Cheesecake… Banilla Minty Ripple… Chocolate-Chip Cookie Dough."

He paused. Francesca held her head.

"Wait a second…" mused Stan, "that's only forty-one… Must have missed one. Aw, I'll start again. Vanilla… Chocolate… Strawberry…"

"OKAY, ENOUGH!" shouted Francesca.

Stan drew back in fright, as did Andy.

"No more talking about ice cream flavors!" she yelled. "I'm gaining weight just listening to you!"

"Okay, okay…" squeaked Stan. "No more ice cream…"

"Sheesh!" exclaimed Francesca.

Andy went up to Stan.

"You know," he said, meekly, "I'm starting to like her…"

Stan gave him a weird look.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

In the Palace of Shadow, the mistress of the complex rubbed her chin.

She silently leafed through her deck, and chose a card from it.

She tossed the card into her fireplace, and the flames burned green…

_This should be fun, to watch,_ she thought.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"We're almost to The Great Tree," said Stan. "We should be seeing it soon…"

"Good," replied Andy. "Then we can…"

The ground started to tremble…

And then three huge forms erupted out of the ground! They were huge, hideous rose bushes, each with a pod bearing razor-sharp teeth! (1,200/900)

"Yike!" shouted Andy. "What are those?"

"Darkworld Thorns," sneered Francesca. "Nasty…"

"How do we get by three huge man-eating plants?" gasped Stan.

Francesca flipped her Disk into position.

"Slash and burn…" she replied.

Her allies activated their Disks, and they drew the top cards from their decks…

"Go, Amazoness Swords Woman!" shouted Fran, slapping a card down.

The sword-wielding Amazon appeared, swinging her huge blade! (1,500/1,600)

"Blast Magician, go!" yelled Stan, throwing a card down.

The fiery sorcerer appeared in a burst of flame, holding his bladed staff! (1,400/1,700)

Andy threw his card on his Disk.

"Go, Koumori Dragon!" he exclaimed.

The small winged, purple Dragon appeared. (1,500/1,200)

The three Monsters stood between their masters and the ugly plants. The Darkworld Thorns roared!

Amazoness Swords Woman leapt up, and chopped the pod clean off one of the wicked plants! The creature shattered into pixels!

Blast Magician aimed his staff and it burned with flames! He shot forth a stream of fire and the second Darkworld Thorns was immolated before vanishing!

Koumori Dragon shot forth a cone of flames from its jowls! The third Darkworld Thorns shrieked, and exploded.

The three victors turned to the duelists and smiled. They vanished.

The duelists sighed, and shuffled the cards back into their decks.

Then they heard clapping coming from in front of them.

"Well done, y-y-youngsters," said a voice. "W-w-well done!"

They all looked, as a strange old man came into view.

He was tall, and lanky, with a thin face. He wore glasses that were so thick, you couldn't see his eyes, and he had a long nose. His clothing was very loud and outdated – it looked like something out of the nineteenth century. Most remarkable was his hair. It was pure white, and incredibly frizzy.

He also wore a Duel Disk on his arm.

"Who is this guy?" whispered Stan to Andy.

"What's with the hair?" answered Andy. "He looks like he stuck his finger in an outlet!"

"N-n-nice work handling those Thorns," said the man with a smile. "I'm afraid the h-h-hazards on this island are g-g-going to get more challenging…"

They gave him "the eye."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

An instant before the odd man appeared, the Shadow Queen was watching through her viewing globe…

But then, it went dark.

"Huh?" she said in surprise. "What on earth…?"

She got up and pounded on it.

"What's wrong with this damn thing?" she shouted. "This is the third time this month I've had problems with it!"

She sighed.

"I wish there was tech support you could call for magical artifacts…" she muttered.

She took out her cell phone and dialed.

"Uh, hullo?" answered a voice.

"CRUMP!" she shouted. "Are you still watching those kids?"

"Um, yeah, sure…" was the response.

He was lying. Right now he was sitting down, nursing a bad headache.

"Don't let them out of your sight!" shouted the Queen. "I've got a crystal ball to fix!"

Crump shuddered in fear as she hung up.

_Man,_ he thought, _if I don't find those kids, she's gonna blow her top… right before she blows mine!_

He hurried off in the direction of The Great Tree.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_This guy looks like a character from some Disney animated movie!_ thought Stan.

"H-h-hello young ones," said the man. "Stanley, Anthony, Francesca…"

"You know our names?" asked Andy.

"I know m-m-much about you," he replied. "I have for a long time. You may c-c-call me Merlee."

"Yeah, well Merlin…" started Francesca.

"M-M-Merlee," he corrected.

"Whatever," replied Francesca. "You know, I have an uncle who could help with that problem…"

"Wh-wh-what p-p-problem?" he asked.

They all looked at him.

"Never mind…" she sighed, nervously.

"I see you're a duelist," said Stan with a smile.

"Oh, um, that," answered Merlee, looking at his Disk. "Well, y-y-yes, from time to time. But I d-d-don't have time to duel right now. I need to have a few w-w-words with the three of you."

Andy stared at him.

"Look, who are you, where are you from, and what business do you have with us?" he asked.

"Um, to t-t-take your questions in order," answered Merlee, "I consider myself an intellectual, I've l-l-lived on this island for most of my life, and I think I h-h-have a LOT of business with you."

"You're a native, huh?" asked Francesca. "Any family?"

She chuckled.

"Is there a Mrs. Merlee?" she asked, trying hard not to laugh.

"I was m-m-married once before," answered Merlee. "Sadly, old Bernice p-p-passed away a while back…"

Francesca felt like she had been kicked in the gut.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" she cried.

"It's okay," assured Merlee. "All f-f-folks die eventually. The only tragedies are those who d-d-die before they are supposed to."

"And as I said," he continued, "I have b-b-business to speak with you about, about w-w-why you all are h-h-here…

"B-b-because frankly, your lives are in d-d-danger."

They drew back.

"Come on!" said Stan. "This is just a tournament! We…"

"Th-th-this is more than just a t-t-tournament, folks," said Merlee. "Your coming h-h-here was all an elaborate trap…

"…set up by the Shadow Queen."

"That spook we saw in Hooktail Castle?" asked Francesca. "What about her?"

"Have a seat?" asked Merlee. "This might t-t-take a while."

He waved his arms, and four large mushrooms sprouted out of the ground – large enough to serve as chairs. Not knowing what else to do, Stan, Francesca, and Andy sat down.

"Tea and scones, f-f-folks?" he asked.

Another, larger mushroom, the size of a table, sprouted, and a silver tray with a teakettle and cups and a plate of scones appeared on it.

"Uh, thanks," said Andy, in wonder.

_Weird,_ he thought, as they reached for the pot.

"I guess it's best to start at the beginning," started Merlee. "One thousand years ago, the Shadow Queen was your average evil sorceress – thing was, she knew powers that set her apart from most evil sorceresses. She knew how to manipulate the Shadow Realm."

"Hey Fran," whispered Andy, "notice he isn't stuttering right now?"

"Shadow Games were played much like Duel Monsters is today," continued Merlee, "except that there were no holograms involved. The Monsters and the Magic was all very real…"

The three teenagers opened their eyes wide.

"The Queen got stronger, making deals with demons and other infernal beings," continued Merlee, "eventually gaining power that made her immortal. She set sights on her goal – world domination. From this very island, her demonic forces of Shadow marched forth, intent on conquering everything in their path.

"Resistance wasn't much. A few people in those days knew the skills she had, but not as well as she did. She never lost a Shadow Game. Her foes were defeated, one by one, and she started to build an empire…

"…an empire of enslaved nations…

"Eventually, with her vanity and ego at its peak, she decided her humble castle was too small, and she decided to construct a grander palace, located on this island, her capital. She would use her wealth – mostly stolen – to build her new Palace of Shadows inside the island's central mountain. Mountains were symbolic to her – they were steadfast, indomitable, and just as immortal as she was.

"And to any fools who would try to come uninvited or – heavens forbid – invade her Palace, the place would have a clever defensive property. You see, doors and the like meant nothing for the Shadow Queen and most of her followers – they knew how to slip in-between dimensions and travel anywhere in the blink of an eye. The Queen could travel to virtually any place in her empire in a moment… sort of like they do on _Star Trek_."

He chuckled for a minute, and then continued.

"So in terms of physical entrances, the Palace of Shadows would only have one. The grand doorway built into the side of the mountain was the only way in – or out – for those who lacked the power that the Shadow Queen or her servants had. And it was heavily guarded and fortified.

"Anyway, in the years after the Palace was completed, the Queen's mad reign continued. More kingdoms were subjugated, more people enslaved… Her evil empire grew.

"But this would not go unchallenged forever…"

He paused once again.

"H-h-how's the tea, folks?" he asked.

_Tastes like warm milk…_ thought Stan.

"Um, good," answered Stan. "Please, go on. This is getting good."

Truthfully, he thought this guy was more than a little eccentric – after all, his history classes never mentioned anything like this – but this _was_ getting good.

"Eventually," continued Merlee, "three saviors appeared. It's unclear how they met, or who brought them together. Their names are forgotten – folks just call them the Three Heroes now.

"It would be wrong to put them in any sort of order, because they didn't have a leader among the three of them. But one of them was a sorcerer of great skill. His powers of dark magic were said to be second only to that of the Shadow Queen herself. His powerful spells could lay waste to an army with one mighty blast…"

Stan paused at this. He looked at his Disk, and then slowly drew the top card off…

He looked at it…

It was Dark Magician.

He slowly put it back in his deck…

"Another one of them was a female warrior of incredible beauty and skill," continued Merlee. "It was said that no other fighter in the world, male or female, could defeat her in any physical contest. All who challenged her soon found themselves overwhelmed, and groveling at her feet…"

Francesca paused.

She drew the top card from her own deck and looked at it…

Amazoness Paladin.

She slowly put the card back.

"The third member of the group was the strangest," said Merlee, with an odd expression. "Legend says that his mother was a princess, and his father was a wise dragon who could take the form of a human. Whether this was true or not is not known, but while most folks were frightened of dragons, this warrior was the master of them. The fierce beasts bowed before him, and did whatever he said, eagerly coming to his aid."

A sensation came over Andy…

He slowly drew the top card from his own deck. He gazed at it…

Lord of Dragons.

Dumbfounded, he put the card back.

"The important thing was," said Merlee, "each of Three Heroes knew how to control Shadow Games themselves – but they each knew that, by themselves, even they were no match for the Shadow Queen. So they decided not to make the mistakes that others who challenged her had made. First, they would not do so alone. They gathered together for the mutual goal.

"Second, they would strike by surprise, and gain further support. They invaded this island, and rallied thoughts of rebellion in the Queen's own capital. They gained information, and allies.

"When they thought they were ready, they stormed the Palace of Shadows, easily breaking through the defenses placed on the doorway.

"Most would think that invading the Shadow Queen's home was suicide, and that no-one would dare try it. But the Heroes had one thing for their advantage – it was the last thing _she_ was expecting as well. She never saw them coming.

"Still, the heroes knew that this would be the fight of their lives…

"Legends say that when the Heroes confronted the Queen, a shadowy fog eclipsed the sun, moon, and stars, and darkness fell all over the world! For the next three days, no light shone upon the Earth, as humanity's would-be saviors clashed in the deepest recesses of the Palace of Shadows…

"After three days of fighting, the Three Heroes were exhausted, their small band of Companions given their all, and the Queen still had power to spare. A powerful spell cast by the evil tyrant brought them to their knees… It seemed that this attempt at rebellion would end the same way all others had: in failure…

"Now, I'm not truly one to believe in miracles, but at that moment, something happened. All over the world, in the uncanny darkness, the people in the Queen's empire felt that their saviors were about to lose. They didn't want that to happen…

"So at that time, the voices of a million people all gave their support. From every corner of the globe, their cheers and ovation came…

"And in the den of evil, they heard. With the spirits of thousands behind them, the Heroes found their power returning. They got up, and they fought on… And this time, the Shadow Queen's powers could barely scratch them.

"It was too much for the Queen to take. She didn't have a chance this time. She was fighting the will of too many. The willpower of a million oppressed people can bring even the most powerful of tyrants to their knees.

"With most of her power drained, she fell before their feet. It was finally over.

"The Three Heroes knew that justice had to be done – they quickly decided to execute their prisoner. But they soon found that they couldn't. The Shadow Queen had lost most of her powers, but she was still immortal. She _couldn't_ be killed. But they knew simple imprisonment wouldn't be enough. They couldn't take the risk that she'd escape…

"So, they decided to use a prison that was more secure than any they knew – the Palace of Shadow. They cast a powerful curse on the Queen, which would forbid her from ever leaving her grand castle. She'd be a prisoner of it… forever."

He paused.

"Really?" asked Francesca with a chuckle. "Quite a story… Ever think about expanding on it a little… making it into a book?"

"I'm not finished," said Merlee.

"Oh, there's more?" chuckled Andy.

"Unfortunately, yes," said Merlee. "The Queen never took kindly to her confinement, and certainly didn't accept it. She'd do anything to escape – commit any crime or any immoral act. She recovered some of her power after awhile, and eventually developed powers aimed at communicating with the outside. She gained special minions, and she urged them to research the curse that held her prisoner. Eventually, she found that there _was_ one means to escape…

"It stated that if she or anyone who served her, willingly or not, could defeat the blood heirs of the Three Heroes in a fair contest, then the curse would be broken.

"Thus, she began gaining more minions… the greatest of which are now her children, the Shadow Spawn…"

"Huh?" asked Francesca. "Like Melissa claimed to be?"

"Melissa is the youngest, my friend," sighed Merlee, "and the least powerful. Nineteen years ago, the Queen embarked on a grand scheme to create six of the most loyal servants. She looked for a mate… and she attracted one. He was an evil practitioner of dark magic, the mirror image of one of the Heroes who defeated her.

"He was a fool to fall for her charms. No sooner did she find that she was carrying his child, she banished him to The Graveyard…"

The eyes of the three teens opened at this.

"Graveyard?" asked Francesca.

"Yes, I should have mentioned that," answered Merlee. "It's sort of a dimensional prison where she banishes enemies and failed servants. A proper description doesn't exist because those who go there rarely come back.

"Anyway, nine months after this, Vladimir was born, and the Queen started again. Her next mate wasn't even human… he was a marid, a spirit from a dimension of water. Once he had served his purpose, she banished him as well, and nine months after that, a daughter was born… Maria.

"She was barely done. She next seduced another elemental spirit, this one a dao, a spirit of earth and rock. Once she got what she had wanted, she disposed of him, and after nine months, Leopold was born…

"Her next task was one of the hardest. Her target was an efreeti, a demonic spirit from a realm of eternal fire. Normally, efreet despise humans, so the Queen had to use powerful magic to make him her slave. Soon she was carrying another child, and she imprisoned the father. A son named Tyson was the result.

"The next task was even harder. She would attempt the same with an air spirit called a djinni. This was harder because djinn are noble creatures and aren't susceptible to mind control. The Queen had to use lies and disguises to get him to succumb. She succeeded, and the unfortunate creature was her next victim. Her fifth child was born soon after, a son named Kurtis.

"Finally, we come to Melissa, someone whom the Queen regarded as the biggest challenge and a grand experiment. Her choice of a father was a divine being… an angel if you will…"

Francesca looked at him in shock, but Merlee continued.

"His name was Galadriel, and the Queen knew that convincing an angel to surrender to her charms would be the hardest task of all. But somehow, she managed to do so. You'll be happy to know that Galadriel came to his senses and escaped before the Queen could get her claw on him, but he knew well enough never to return."

Merlee sighed.

"Funny, I at one time thought there was hope for Melissa. I thought that the child of an angel might have at least _some_ goodness in her. I approached her when she was ten, and tried to convince her to leave her mother… But I failed. Too much evil blood exists within her

"Now, Melissa is fourteen, her siblings are older, and they are their mother's eager pupils. All of them are eager to help her escape…"

"Hang on, Merlee," interrupted Francesca. "If this Shadow Queen can't leave her Palace… Call me crazy, but someone calling herself the Shadow Queen was in Hooktail Castle…"

Merlee chuckled.

"A s-s-simple spell that most w-w-wizards know," he stuttered. "Watch. First you have to s-s-see a place, like that grove over there…"

He pointed.

"Or v-v-view it live though a c-c-camera, or a magical viewing device, l-l-like a crystal ball.

"Now, _projectamentos_!"

As he said the words, an image of himself, just as he was in front of them, appeared in the grove.

He waved, and the image waved.

"S-s-see?" he and the image said in unison. "An illusion. A 'projected image'. I'm over _here_, but you also see and h-h-hear me over _there._ Th-th-the Queen does this when she w-w-wants to appear in person outside her Palace. S-s-so long as she doesn't p-p-pick up anything or let anyone touch her, it's a cl-cl-clever ruse."

The image vanished.

"All right," sighed Stan, "it's a clever story, and all these special effects are… effective. But what does this all have to do with _us_?"

"Isn't it obvious?" said Merlee, sipping his tea.

He paused.

"The Shadow Queen wishes to defeat you in Duel Monsters, the only 'fair' way she can think of, because _you_ are the blood heirs of the Three Heroes."

Stan, Francesca, and Andy looked at each other for a second.

And then they laughed out loud!

"Right," chuckled Stan. "Like my great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great grandfather was the master of dark magic!"

"And mine was half-dragon," laughed Andy. "You're really reaching here!"

"Gramps, I have to admit, your story might make a great movie," giggled Francesca, "but if my ancestor was some sort of Xena, I think I'd know about it!"

Merlee paused.

"Explain th-th-those," he said.

He pointed to the pendants around their necks.

"The Three Heroes m-m-made them as a symbol of the bond between them, and when you c-c-came here, they led you to each other.

"Destiny h-h-has brought you together again, and y-y-you must finish what your ancestors st-st-started. The Queen doesn't know the downside of her escape clause – if Iyou/I d-d-defeat her, she'll finally die."

"Heh," said Francesca, with a smirk. "Not that we'd do this, but who's to stop us from taking the next boat off this island?"

"Imp-p-possible," replied Merlee. "She c-c-controls the ships leaving and entering this island. She won't let a sh-sh-ship leave if you're on it.

"Believe me or not, you have no choice but to defeat her. And if you want more proof, there's your Earth Tremor card, and Stan's Sweet Treat card.

"Do you want to know why Earth Tremor didn't work when The Unfriendly Amazon tried to use it on you?"

"Offhand, yes," said Francesca, with a frown. "That did cross my mind…"

"When the Three Heroes set out on their quest, they created eight powerful spells, weapons that called upon the good side of Shadow. They used these spells in their journey.

"Once their task was done, they inscribed these spells on scrolls. They remained locked up in vaults, until the present day. A powerful wizard transferred their power into eight Duel Monsters cards. The Enchanted Cards, that's the best term for them. Sweet Treat and Earth Tremor are among the least powerful.

"But only the forces of good are allowed to use these cards. Evil beings cannot harness their power."

Andy looked at him curiously.

"Where are the other six?" he asked.

"Scattered," said Merlee. "The Queen's s-s-servants have some of them, and she's looking for the others. Look for th-th-them, and they'll help you in your quest."

Stan looked annoyed.

"Look buddy," he snapped. "I don't recall signing up for any 'quest'!"

"I'm with Stan," said Francesca. "Even if your story is true, which I doubt, we're not superheroes…"

"Yeah, and just because I'm good with Dragons, that doesn't make me Seto Kaiba," grumbled Andy. "Why don't you get him and Yugi Mouto to do this?"

"They can't be d-d-depended on for everything," sighed Merlee.

He paused.

"You are sk-sk-skeptics now, but hopefully in time, you will see the tr-tr-truth."

He took something out of his pocket.

He sighed.

"B-b-before I go, I have s-s-some gifts for you…"

"Gifts?" said Stan, raising an eyebrow.

"You s-s-see," said Merlee, "there's a p-p-part of the story I left out. "The Three Heroes w-w-weren't alone in their struggle…"

He shifted through a set of cards.

"Along their j-j-journey, a group of cr-cr-creatures joined them… seven in all. Sidekicks, cohorts… most of all, companions. They w-w-were called the Seven Companions. Once the Queen was defeated, the Heroes immortalized their images in f-f-fine art…

"Eventually, the C-c-companions died, as everyone does, but art lasts forever, and the s-s-same wizard who created the Enchanted Cards created special Monster Cards in th-th-their images.

"He told me… that their souls live within them…"

He placed the cards on the mushroom table.

"Divvy them among y-y-yourselves, and add them to your decks. You might not believe in your d-d-destiny yet…"

They all gave him strange looks.

"But these Monsters are p-p-powerful nonetheless. Just take c-c-care of them… they're like ch-ch-children to me."

Then he turned around, and walked away.

"W-w-we'll meet again s-s-soon," he said.

And then he vanished.

Stan, Francesca, and Andy looked at the seven Monster Cards…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

One thousand feet away, Lord Crump was watching through binoculars.

_Holy, good gravy!_ he thought. _Did that guy say his name was Merlee?_

He shuddered.

He picked up his cell phone and started to dial a number.

_I gotta tell the Queen this…_

Then he closed the cell phone in fright.

_NO! If the Queen finds out, she'll blow her blood vessels! And then she'll get mad… And when she gets mad…_

He shuddered.

_Ooh, I've gotta do something…_

He paused.

_I know, I'll go tell Sir Grodus. He'll know what to do!_

He rushed towards a clearing where a vehicle resembling a rusty, land-bound jet-ski was parked.

He got on the seat.

_Let's hope this piece of junk doesn't break down between here and Rogueport,_ he cursed, as he started it up.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The three teenagers looked at the Monster Cards in front of them.

"They are powerful, I'll say that," said Francesca, "and only two require a sacrifice…"

"Maybe I should take the two Spellcasters," said Stan. "My deck revolves around them."

Andy looked at one of them.

"Well I _can't_ use that one," he said, "because it needs another Warrior or Spellcaster to work… Why don't you take it Francesca? And that Fairy, she might fit in your deck."

"And you?" asked Fran.

Andy looked at two of them.

"Well, no Dragons, but these two will work in a deck that does a lot of damage," he said, taking them.

One card was left on the table.

"So who gets the odd one?" he continued.

Francesca paused.

"Everyone shuffle their decks," she said.

They all shuffled.

"Now," she said, "everyone draw the top card. Whoever gets the Monster with the _lowest_ Attack Score gets it."

"Sounds fair to me," said Andy.

He drew.

"Eh, Masked Dragon," he said, "1,400 Attack."

Francesca drew.

"I beat that!" she chuckled. "Command Knight, 1,200 Attack!"

Stan drew.

"Sorry Fran," he said.

He showed her the card: Mind On Air.

"Only 1,000 Attack," he said.

"You win," sighed Francesca.

Stan took the card, and they shuffled the new cards into their decks.

"So, our forbearers were Jedi Knights of the Old Republic…" chuckled Stan.

"Yeah," giggled Andy. "Say, Francesca, maybe _yours_ was that 'warrior maiden' that slew Hooktail!"

Francesca stopped short.

"Francesca?" asked Andy. "Something wrong?"

"Are you making fun of me?" she snapped.

"No!" gulped Andy. "Honest Francesca, no… I'm scared of you…"

"Whatever," sighed Francesca. "I think that guy's brain was a little broken. Come on, we have a Great Tree to find, and a tournament to win…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Among the members of Monster Island's ruling council, Sir Grodus was one of the… stranger ones.

Why was he strange? Well, there was his appearance for one thing…

His head was a blue, cybernetic contraption that resembled a globe with computerized lights flashing in it, along with a pair of spectacles that looked like mirrors.

He also liked wearing fancy wizard's robes, and carried a scary-looking scepter topped with an orb that resembled his cranium.

Still, he was such a frequent sight in Rogueport, that the people there were more or less used to his presence…

Not that they _liked_ him being there. He was downright rude to anyone he dealt with, and some people swore that they saw him casting evil spells at people who got him angry.

But right now, he was at a phone booth, and his intentions weren't very sinister….

…ordering lunch.

"Hello?" he said into the receiver. "Sir Grodus. Um, I think I'm in the computer… Yeah, I'll hold…"

He waited.

"Yeah," he said. "I'd like a large thick-crust with pepperoni, beef topping, mushrooms, and extra cheese…

"What? No, I don't want anchovies on it! No, I don't care if they are special this week! Those salty things give me gas!

"Huh? No, that's it. Bring it to the phone booth by the gallows."

He hung up.

_I'd eat at the Palace,_ he thought, _but that place is getting on my nerves. If I have to sit through another lecture on the new dueling system that they might be implementing…I mean, what the heck is wrong with normal Duel Monsters?_

"Sir Grodus!" yelled a voice.

"Huh, Crump?" he said, turning his head.

A sound like a noisy muffler roared over the street as Crump drove up in his vehicle. He parked it, and smoke poured out of the engine.

"Crump, turn that accursed thing off!" ordered Grodus. "You're getting soot on my robe!"

"Sir Grodus, sir," started Crump, "I gotta tell you…"

Grodus grabbed him.

"And when was the last time you washed these clothes?" asked Grodus. "You've got stuff growing in them!"

"Look, Sir Grodus," said Crump, in near panic, "I had to tell someone, and I didn't think telling her majesty would be a very good idea…"

Grodus rolled his eyes.

"Crump, rate this from one to ten, ten meaning inevitable defeat," he sighed.

"Um, twelve?" shuddered Crump.

"Well that's good to…" started Grodus.

He stopped short.

"_Twelve?"_

"Look, you know those kids she told me to spy on?" asked Crump. "Well, I saw them talking to a guy…"

He stopped.

"…who said his name was Merlee…" he squeaked.

"MERLEE?" shouted Grodus.

He grabbed Crump.

"Crump, have you been eating paste again?" he scolded.

"Um, yes…" stuttered Crump. "Yes I have. But I know what I heard! This guy said he was Merlee."

"That's impossible, Crump, and you know it!" yelled Grodus. "There's no way that he could still be alive!"

"Well, maybe it was a different Melee," suggested Crump, "although you have to admit, 'Merlee' isn't exactly a popular name. I mean, who would name their kid _that_? Well, then again, someone chose Whoopi Goldberg's name…"

Grodus put his hand on his head…

"What?" asked Crump.

Grodus clubbed him with his scepter.

"Goldberg's name is a stage name, soufflé-brain!" he shouted.

Crump held his head.

"Sheesh, actresses never use their real names these days…" muttered Grodus.

He thought for a minute.

"Look, what did this guy look like?" he asked.

"Well, he was kind of… um… uh…" started Crump.

"Here," said Grodus.

He pulled a notepad and a pencil out of his robe.

"Draw a picture."

"Well let's see," said Crump. "He had eyes like… this; and hair like… this; and a nose kind of like… this…"

He looked at the drawing.

"Hmmm…"

He reached in his pocket.

"Aw heck with it," he said, "here's a Polaroid I took."

"OOH!" grunted Grodus.

He snatched it.

"Crump, is your sole purpose on this planet to drive me crazy?" he yelled.

"I kinda figured you were already crazy…" said Crump, under his breath.

"WHAT WAS THAT?" yelled Grodus.

"I said I was sorry for being so lazy," said Crump, quickly.

Grodus looked at the snapshot.

"That matches the description…" he said, with a quiver in his voice.

He held his head.

"When the Queen finds out about this, she's going to be even angrier than she usually is…"

"So what do we do?" asked Crump.

"We keep quiet about it!" shouted Grodus, crumpling the photo. "If the stories about Merlee are true, he's even more powerful than I am! And the last thing we need is the Queen telling us to look for him!"

Someone nudged him on his shoulder.

"WHAT?" shouted Grodus, turning around.

"Uh, pizza for Sir Grodus," said the man behind him.

"Oh, right," said Grodus, taking a wallet out of his robe.

"And by the way," said the delivery boy, "someone across the street told me to tell you that she's getting a big laugh out the two of you screaming at each other."

Grodus stared at him.

He snatched the pizza.

"Just for that," he growled, "you get no gratuity."

His scepter glowed.

"Now beat it!"

A flash of lightning hit the delivery boy in the feet, and he ran in terror.

Grodus turned to Crump.

"Look Crump, we're going to have to…"

Crump's cell phone went off.

"Oh, geeze…" he said, looking at the number.

He answered it.

"Crump?" said the Queen's voice.

"Your excellence?" stuttered Crump. "Listen, if you want to know why I'm not…"

"Shut up, Crump!" ordered the Queen. "My son is going to meet the brats at The Great Tree, so stay out of his way. Go to Rogueport or something until I tell you otherwise."

She hung up.

"Well, that went well," gasped Crump, wiping sweat off his forehead.

"Yeah," said Grodus, opening the pizza box. "Now remember to…"

He paused.

"HEY! I told them NO ANCHOVIES!"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

At that moment, Stan, Francesca, and Andy were walking through Boggly Woods…

Which suddenly gave way to a gigantic clearing.

There, in the middle of the gigantic clearing, was the biggest, most majestic tree that they had ever seen.

It was the size of a small skyscraper, with branches that seemed to spread for a mile in all directions. And like a building, it had windows of various shapes in its immense trunk. Clearly, the town was built _inside_ the enormous tree.

"Whoa…" said Andy in awe.

"How did they even… _do_ that?" gasped Stan.

As they walked towards the gargantuan plant, someone watched from one of the highest windows.

He looked at a card depicting a vicious, yet beautiful, female Monster.

"Come to me, Stan," he said, in a billowy voice. "My pets are hungry… and soon their talons will tear into your flesh and rip you to pieces!"

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**You're probably wondering about the details of the Monster Cards that our team received; well, the talents of one of them will be revealed next chapter.**_

_**And speaking of which…**_

**_If you thought Melissa was a deadly foe, you'll soon see that she was only the tip of the iceberg of this demented family. Next chapter, her older brother takes on Stan in the boughs of The Great Tree, in a Chapter I call "Winds of Change", coming soon…_**


	10. Winds of Change

_**I've dueled my share of people whom I didn't exactly like…**_

_**Poor sports, sore losers, jerks who were a little too insulting ("trash talk" is okay, insults are a different thing entirely), and worst of all, cheaters. **_

_**But this nut who I'm about to face has to be the worst one yet. The underhanded way he got me to duel him has got to be the most cowardly act I've ever seen.**_

_**You know, I doubt the story that Merlee told us about us being the descendants of some legendary heroes who brought down this "Shadow Queen" have any basis in fact…**_

_**But right now, a small part of me wishes it were true. If this is the way the Shadow Queen operates, I'd be proud that any member of my family brought her down. **_

_**So now I just have to bring down this windbag…**_

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER NINE**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Winds of Change**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

The ground floor of The Great Tree was a large, circular cul-de-sac, surrounded by buildings. The large door to the outside was huge and made of colored glass.

The cul-de-sac was empty right now, except for a young man with a moustache in a sweater and slacks.

He was sweating heavily…

"Ivan…" whispered a voice.

He sighed.

"Ivan…" repeated the voice.

"What?" gasped the man.

"They're coming, Ivan," said the voice. "You know what to do…"

"Look," said the man, "I don't think…"

"You aren't supposed to think!" scolded the voice. "Now do what I told you to do, and I assure you no one will get hurt."

"What are you going to do to them?" he asked.

"I told you not to think about it," warned the voice. "Now, are you positively certain that item I described isn't here?"

Ivan paused for a minute.

"Answer me, Punio!" demanded the voice.

"I've told you three times already," he snarled back, "I don't own ANY Duel Monsters cards!"

There was a long pause.

"So you say," said the voice, which was now full of suspicion. "Well, we'll sit down and talk about this further after I've taken care of Stan…"

The voice was silent.

Ivan sneered.

_The Shadow Queen and her flunkies could tear this place apart, and they'll never find it,_ he thought. _I can only pray that Stan can blow this lunatic away…_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Stan, Francesca, and Andy went up to the huge stained glass doors.

A sign was next to the door:

**Welcome To The Great Tree**

**No Vagrants**

**No Littering**

**No Beavers**

"Eh," they all said, with a shrug.

Stan went up to the door and rang the bell.

The doors slowly swung open.

The walked in, and gazed upon the huge cul-de-sac.

"Wow," said Francesca, in awe. "It's like a town inside a cave… a cave made of wood!"

"Uh, how do you do!" said a voice.

Ivan rushed up to them.

"Welcome!" he said.

He quickly shook their hands.

"Uh, hi…" stammered Andy.

"The name's Ivan Punio, and I am the mayor of this humble burg," he quickly said. "Welcome to The Great Tree… contestants…"

"Uh, thanks…" said Stan. "Does… everyone get this warm welcome?"

"Uh," stammered Ivan, "only the tournament contestants… But hey, we love everyone!"

He chuckled nervously.

"Are you all right?" asked Francesca.

"Me?" stammered Ivan. "Never better! Look, uh…"

His eyes darted back and forth.

"Look," he said, "my sister and I were going to have lunch… We'd be honored if you'd join us…"

Stan's eyes narrowed.

"One…" he said, putting his finger up.

He motioned to Francesca and Andy. They got into a huddle.

"Guys, do you get the impression that Punio here is hiding something?" he whispered.

"Yeah," muttered Francesca, "I smell something funny – and I don't mean the cheap aftershave he's wearing."

"Guys, maybe we should leave," said Andy with a shiver. "How far is it to the next town?"

Stan opened the map and looked at it.

Ivan bit his lip.

"Aw geeze," he said. "Petalburg is closest. In the other direction there's something called 'Twilight Town', but that's some distance away…"

He read the map a little.

"There's something here I haven't been able to figure out," he continued. "There's a note that says that outside the forest you can gain 'passage' to a place called 'Glitzville', but you need permission from a council member to go there…"

"Which we don't have…" sighed Andy.

Francesca sighed.

"People," she suggested. "I know we didn't sign up to be heroes, and we don't really have to make a full-time job out of it…"

"What are you suggesting?" asked Stan.

"If something is wrong here, maybe we could, you know, lend a hand?"

She grinned a nervous grin.

"Fran, you don't actually believe that dumb story, do you?" asked Stan.

"NO!" shouted Francesca. "But…"

She paused.

"Well, how bad can this be?" she shrugged.

"Oh, fine," groaned Stan. "I just hope this guy isn't going to sic another living Duel Monster on us…"

They turned to Ivan.

"Sure, Ivan, we'd love to join you," said Stan, smiling.

"Great," panted Ivan. "We'll take the elevator to the top level."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Riding up to the top of The Great Tree was an experience.

The inside of the huge tree was hollow, and divided into several levels, built on to of each other; each level was built onto the inside, around the trunk. From the edge of one level, you could see all the ones below.

Riding the glass elevator to the top level, the three partners could see buildings full of townsfolk, mostly young people dressed in casual clothes.

And they all watched as the elevator went up.

Stan sighed.

_I've seen week-old fish that smelled better than this,_ he thought.

He looked at his deck and shuffled it.

Well, in case it's fish… 

The elevator stopped at the highest level. Ivan led them out.

"Um, this way," he said. "Our best buildings are on the top floor, as is the best restaurant…"

"I suppose it's on you?" asked Francesca.

"Um…" muttered Ivan.

As they approached a building, a young woman met them at the door. She was a sweet-looking young woman with her blonde hair tied in braids.

And she looked scared.

"Ivan…" she said.

"Don't worry," he whispered. "They'll handle it…"

Stan drew back.

He could tell that Ivan had purposely said that loud enough for him to hear it.

"Well, let's eat, huh?" he said with a forced laugh.

They went into the restaurant, where a long table had been set up…

And as soon as they entered, a wind began to blow…

"Ivan," asked Stan, "is it usual for it to be this windy… indoors?"

"Not usually…" he said in fear.

A chuckling laughter cackled over the room. The voice sounded like the low moan of a midnight storm…

"Okay," demanded Stan, "I've had enough of these shenanigans… SHOW YOURSELF!"

"As you wish," whispered a billowy voice.

A small whirlwind appeared at the head of the table, and a figure appeared, sitting on the chair…

He was bizarre in appearance. He looked about fifteen, or maybe a little younger.

His skin was pale, and his hair was thick and snowy white. He was dressed entirely in wool, colored white and blue.

"Who are you?" demanded Stan.

The youth chuckled, and put his arms on the table…

Everyone drew back in fright! Instead of fingers, he had talons, like those of some bird of prey!

Stan stood back up.

"It's impolite to put your elbows on the table!" he scowled.

"Funny," said the youth, softly. "You can call me Kurtis. I believe you met my sister, Melissa…"

"Yeah, and I kicked her ass good!" snapped Melissa.

"Well she was the baby of the family," whispered Kurtis, with a grin. "I'm the Shadow Spawn of Wind…"

He pointed at Stan.

"And as soon as this meal is over, Stan, you're going to be dueling for the last time…"

"Oh, geeze," gasped Ivan, mopping his brow with a handkerchief. "Kids, forgive me… He's been holding this town hostage since eight this morning… He said if I didn't bring you up here…"

"Calm down," said Stan.

He turned to Kurtis.

"Look you Freddy Krueger wannabe," he said, "it's going to take a lot more than a bad manicure for you to force me to duel you…"

Kurtis chuckled. The wind started to pick up in the room.

"There's much more to me than these talons," he said softly. "Melissa's powers were nothing compared to mine. You folks take air for granted – life giving air that you breathe… You can't imagine how deadly it can be when harnessed in just the right way!"

He pointed at Ivan's sister… She screamed as a transparent bubble surrounded her!

"What?" gasped Stan.

"Petuni!" shouted Ivan.

Kurtis chuckled. He lifted his hand, and she was raised off the floor.

"Now Stan," he said, "if you don't cooperate, I could contract that bubble and smash her flat…"

He paused and rubbed his chin.

"No, better yet, I _could_ just remove all the air inside it! Have you ever seen a human explode in a vacuum? It's quite a remarkable sight…"

Rage filled Stan's eyes.

"What are you?" he asked. "Besides a bully, I mean?"

"I'm someone with incredible power," answered Kurtis.

"No you aren't," scowled Stan. "Attacking someone who's defenseless… What you are is a coward!"

Kurtis growled.

"I'll duel you if that's what it will take to get you to leave," said Stan. "Just let her go, now!"

"Your wish… is my command…" said Kurtis with a grin.

He waved his arm, and the bubble vanished. Petuni screamed and fell to the ground.

Ivan ran up to her. Stan was beside himself.

"Make that bully, coward, _and _a sadist," he growled.

"Well," said Kurtis, softly, "let's eat, shall we? You wouldn't want to duel on an empty stomach…"

"I'd rather get this over with…" said Stan with a scowl.

"I didn't go through all this trouble paying for this meal to let it go to waste!" shouted Kurtis, angrily.

He calmed down.

"Besides, a condemned man is always allowed a last meal…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Stan and his two friends would have liked to say that they enjoyed the linguini with clams that was served, but it's hard to enjoy anything when your host is a lunatic with claws for hands. Fortunately, Kurtis didn't say much during the meal.

When the plates were cleared away, the Shadow Spawn wiped his mouth with a napkin, and spoke up.

"Ivan, Petuni!" he ordered. "Show them to the observation deck! I'll be there shortly."

"Yes… sir," said Ivan.

Ivan went over to the three of them.

"Ivan," whispered Stan, as the mayor led them out of the room. "Have you ever seen this guy duel?"

"Sadly, no," muttered Ivan. "I don't know anything about his deck, but he must use Wind Monsters…"

"A lot of Dragons are Wind Monsters," mentioned Andy.

"Good luck," said Ivan. "The whole town is behind you…"

He opened the elevator, and they got in.

They rode up, one more level, and got out…

…onto open air.

They were standing on a platform at the very top of The Great Tree. They could see for miles from where they were standing on this wide observation deck, and the wind whipped around them.

Kurtis's evil laugh echoed across the sky…

The whirlwind appeared again, and he appeared across from Stan.

"Well Stan," he whispered, "this is where it begins. Once you fall, my mother will be one step closer to seeing the open sky!"

_What?_ thought Stan. _This guy is selling the same story that Merlee told us!_

He looked at Andy and Francesca.

_Either they're both deluded, or we've got some serious thinking to do._

"Now then…" whispered Kurtis. "We're one-thousand feet above the ground… If the chill and harsh breeze is too much for you, you aren't much of a duelist…"

He waved his hand, and an eagle, hawk, and falcon flew out of the sky and alighted on his left arm. The three birds of prey melted into light, and formed into a slivery Duel Disk.

"Very pretty," said Stan, "Now let's see if you're anything more than a lot of hot air!"

The two Duel Disks activated, and swung into position.

The Life Point counters set to 8,000 apiece.

They each drew five cards.

"DUEL!" they both said at once.

The wind whistled through the air, surrounding them like it had a mind of its own…

"I'll start this out…" said Kurtis.

He made his first draw.

"And I see my deck has the wind at my back! I'll summon this Monster in Attack Mode… Go, Birdface!"

He threw a card down, and a tall Winged Beast appeared. It had the head, legs, and wings of a golden eagle, and wore a blue breastplate. (1,600/1,600)

"That will do for now," he whispered.

"Birdface?" questioned Francesca. "Come ON! Stan has plenty of Monsters stronger than THAT!"

"You tell me," said Andy with a shrug. "I haven't seen him duel yet…"

_Come on Stan,_ thought Kurtis, _take the bait…_

Stan made a draw.

_Hmmm,_ he thought, looking at his card.

"I'll play Graceful Charity!" he announced.

He plugged his card into a slot, and the beautiful angel appeared.

She flew into his deck and flew out with three cards. He took them.

"Now, I'll just get rid of these…" he said, handing her two of them.

She took the cards and flew into his discard slot.

"…and now I'll summon… Skilled White Magician!"

He put the card down, and a Spellcaster in a white robe and skullcap, carrying a long scepter topped with an orb appeared. (1,700/1,900)

"Go!" shouted Stan. "Attack his Birdface with white magic attack!"

Skilled White Magician twirled his staff and fired a beam of bright energy! Birdface squawked, and exploded.

Kurtis smiled, as his Life Points went down to 7,900.

"Why thank you, Stan," he whispered, "that's just what I wanted you to do…"

A card flew out of his deck, and he caught it.

He added it to his hand.

"When Birdface is sent to the Card Graveyard, I can add a specific Monster to my hand from my deck!"

Stan's eyes opened.

"Define 'specific Monster'," he growled.

"You'll just have to wait," said Kurtis softly. "Is that your turn?"

"Yes," muttered Stan.

"Then I'll draw…" whispered Kurtis.

He drew and looked at his card.

"And now I'll summon… Flying Kamakiri #1, in Attack Mode!"

He put a card down, and a frightening form appeared. It was a huge mantis with a green exoskeleton, and large wings! (1,400/900)

"What the?" said Francesca. "What's he up to? That bug may be scary, but it's clear that it's weaker that Skilled White Magician!"

Andy thought for a minute.

"Kurtis must be up to something…" he muttered.

Stan drew.

_Monster Reborn, _he thought. _I'll save this until I need it._

He looked at the Kamakiri.

_I have a bad feeling that attacking that Insect might be a bad idea…_ he thought. _But if I attack, I could hit him for a direct attack… if I don't attack, he could sacrifice it for a stronger Monster…_

_The proverbial Rock and the Hard Place…_

He put a card down on his Disk.

"I summon The Illusory Gentleman in Attack Mode!"

He put his card down, and the one-eyed Spellcaster in his colorful costume appeared. (1,500/1,600)

"Skilled White Magician, destroy his Kamakiri!" shouted Stan.

Skilled White Magician cast his spell of Light again, and he blasted the mantis into bug juice!

Kurtis laughed, as his Life Points fell to 7,600.

"Thank you again, Stan!" he exclaimed. "Flying Kamakiri #1 has an even better effect than Birdface!"

_Well Stan,_ thought Stan, _you've really put your foot in it…_

Another card flew out of Kurtis's deck.

"Now I can take any Wind Monster with an Attack Score of 1,500 or less from my deck, and summon it to the field!" laughed Kurtis.

The card alighted on his Disk, and a form appeared.

"So let's have a warm welcome," whispered Kurtis. "Making her first appearance in The Great Tree, the lovely yet lethal… Harpie Lady 1!"

The creature that now loomed before Stan was a Harpie Lady all right. This version of Mai Valentine's signature Monster wore a purple bodysuit, had long, red hair, and emerald green wings. Her feet and hands ended in sharp talons. (1,300/1,400)

"I'm not impressed!" snarled Stan. "It's still my turn, and my Illusory Gentleman is stronger than she is!"

"Is she now?" smiled Kurtis.

Harpie Lady 1's Attack Score went up to 1,600.

"You didn't take Harpie Lady 1's effect into mind!" chuckled Kurtis. "She raises the Attack Score of all Wind Monsters on the Field by 300 points, including her own!"

"Fine," said Stan. "Then I'll end my turn. My Skilled White Magician will get her on my next turn!"

"I don't think so…" whispered Kurtis.

He drew.

"First I'll summon this Monster I got from Birdface," he said, "Harpie Lady 3!"

He slapped a card down, and another Harpie Lady appeared. This one was similar to the first, but had blue hair, worn up and spiky. (1,300/1,400) –) (1,600/1,400)

"Now I'll play the Magic Card… Terraforming!" he whispered, slipping a card into a slot.

"Oh no," groaned Andy, "that lets him add any Field Magic Card from his deck to his hand!"

Another card flew out of his deck and added to his hand.

"Now," he said, flicking open his Field slot, "prepare to witness the last Field you'll ever witness… the majestic _Castle of Clouds_!"

He fit the card into the slot and it snapped into place. The results were dramatic.

Winds blew across the field, and the area around them was transformed into a great sea of fluffy clouds in a sapphire sky. A gorgeous palace of blue gems rose behind Kurtis.

"Lovely, isn't it?" he said, softly. "You know, mom says my dad was a noble in a realm such as this… before she eighty-sixed him."

He shrugged.

"These things happen…"

Stan gritted his teeth.

"You fiend…" he growled. "You don't even care what became of your poor father?"

"From what I know," answered Kurtis, "my father was a do-gooding meddler who would have gotten in my mom's way. But when I win this duel, maybe you'll get a chance to meet him…"

"You monster!" shouted Petuni. "What kind of…"

"SILENCE!" shouted Kurtis.

Thunder rolled, and a lightning bolt struck at her feet. She shrieked and held onto Ivan.

"Now where were we?" he asked. "Oh yes… Castle of Clouds has two potent effects on Wind Monsters. First, it raises their Attack Score by 300 points."

Harpie Lady 1 and Harpie Lady 3 both rose to 1,900 Attack.

"Second," continued Kurtis, "it gives them all a trampling effect similar to a Fairy's Meteor Crush! So you can't hide in Defense Mode!"

"Harpie Lady 1, take down his Skilled White Magician!" ordered Kurtis.

The first Harpie flew forward and raked her talons across the mage! He fell over and burst.

"Harpie Lady 3, your turn! Destroy his Illusory Gentleman!"

The second Harpie dive-bombed The Illusory Gentleman, and tore him to pixels.

Stan's Life Points fell to 7,500.

"Your move," said Kurtis, with a smile.

Stan smiled.

And then he chuckled.

"What's so funny?" sneered Kurtis.

"Oh, nothing," answered Stan. "I just thought Harpie decks were for…"

He paused.

"…girls?" said Kurtis with a scowl, tapping his foot.

"You said it, I didn't!" laughed Stan.

"Well, you're partially right," sighed Kurtis. "One of the reasons I chose Harpies as my weapon of choice was due to admiration for a famous duelist…"

He sighed again.

"A beauty named Mai Valentine. I've admired her from afar for such a long time… and some day, once my mother my siblings and I leave this island, we'll finally meet…"

"…and then what?" interrupted Francesca. "One, she's too old for you, two, I doubt she goes for boys with talons, and three, she can do better!"

Kurtis frowned.

"Will you make your move already Stan?" he demanded.

_This guy is nuts,_ thought Stan, drawing, _and the worst part is, I must be some brand of pistachio myself! I'm almost starting to believe Merlee's story! Why else is this guy speaking so much having to beat me so his mother can escape?_

He looked at the card.

"I'll summon Mystical Elf in Defense Mode…" he announced, putting a card down.

He placed the card down, and the peaceful, meditative elf appeared, kneeling in prayer. (800/2,000)

"That won't help you for long," quipped Kurtis.

"She will for a while," replied Stan. "I end my turn. Now make your move."

Kurtis drew.

He looked at the Ritual Monster Card he had drawn.

_I'll use this if I need it,_ he thought.

"Actually, I choose to end my turn without making _any_ move," he said.

"Well, suit yourself," said Stan.

He drew.

_Well that's useful,_ he thought.

"I'll play my Pot of Greed," he announced, placing the card into a slot.

The smiling Jar appeared, and handed him two cards.

He looked at the cards…

And his eyes opened wide!

_It's one of the Monsters that Merlee gave us!_ he thought, looking at one of them.

His eyes squinted.

_I don't know if this gal was truly a friend of my ancestor,_ he thought, _but there's no harm in using her…_

"Okay, Kurtis," he said, "I'll summon this Monster in Defense Mode… Meet **_Goombella the Scholar_**!"

He threw a card down, a flash lit up in front of him…

And a weird Monster appeared. She looked like, in shape, a two-foot tall mushroom with eyes and legs. Her mouth had two upward pointing fangs, and on the top of her head was a long, blonde ponytail. She wore a red necktie, and a strange visor with a circular lens in the center. (500/2,000)

Now, it was a strange thing. Stan (and Francesca, and Andy), always felt a sensation when they summoned a Monster. Who wouldn't feel a thrill upon seeing their Monsters spring off the cards and come to life?

But with this Monster, there was something additional. Stan felt it… And by watching him, Andy and Francesca felt it too. There was a powerful aura coming from this Monster directed at them…

It was an aura of friendship. It was almost as if they were greeting an old friend that they all hadn't seen for a long time, and were delighted to see again.

But this was lost on Kurtis…

"HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA!" cackled Kurtis. "You expect me to be afraid of some oversized pizza topping?"

Goombella made an angry face at him…

"Don't insult Goombella!" snarled Stan. "She's an intellectual who can help me make decisions, and help the outcome of my actions. Just by summoning her, I get to activate her powerful effect! It's a little thing… called 'Tattle'!"

"Tattle?" said Kurtis, in confusion.

Goombella hopped up, and landed on Stan's shoulders!

"Case in point," said Stan, "I get to look at the top four cards in my deck…"

Four cards flew out from the top of Stan's deck, and positioned themselves in front of him.

"…and then I get to put then back in any order I desire!"

Goombella whispered something in Stan's ear. He gave her an "A-OK" sign. The four cards rearranged themselves, and then flew back to the deck.

Goombella hopped back down into position.

"Now it's your move," said Stan.

Kurtis drew.

He looked at the Monster Card.

_This I'll save for later,_ he thought.

"I'll pass again…" he said.

"Ooh, he's planning something!" cried Petuni.

"There, there," said Ivan, comforting her. "I'm certain Stan can defeat this fiend…"

"He'd better," sighed Francesca.

Stan drew.

He added the card to his hand.

"First," he said, "I'll shore up my defenses, and I'll sacrifice Mystical Elf for Neo Aqua Madoor, in Defense Mode!"

Mystical Elf vanished, and a tall form arose. It was an icy sorcerer in a brown suit, with white hair and pale skin, with a veil over the lower part of his face. (1,200/3,000)

"You'll never crack this defense!" threatened Stan, taking the card he had just drawn. "And now I'll play my Sweet Treat card!"

He threw the card into the slot.

"Sweet Treat?" exclaimed Kurtis. "My mom's been looking for that!"

The gingerbread man appeared with his dice, and tossed it…

It skipped and rolled…

And landed on the six!

"YES!" shouted Stan. "That means I gain 6,000 Life Points!"

"WHAT?" screamed Kurtis.

Stan's Life Points shot up to 13,500.

"Yay!" cheered Petuni. "Stan just got a great lead!"

"Well," sighed Kurtis, "this will just make it more of a challenge."

"Now I have to end my turn," stated Stan, "so do your worst!"

Kurtis drew.

"My worst, eh?" he exclaimed.

He threw a card down.

"I summon my Cyber Harpie Lady in Attack Mode!"

Another Harpie materialized beside the other two, this one with flowing red hair, and wearing exotic black armor. She bore a glowing whip in her claw. (1,800/1,300)

"And don't forget," whispered Kurtis, "she gains a bonus from Harpie Lady 1,_ and_ Castle of Clouds!"

(2,400/1,300)

"Cyber Harpie," ordered Kurtis, "wipe out his mushroom!"

Cyber Harpie Lady flew forward and cracked her whip! Goombella shrieked and shattered into pixels.

Francesca and Andy gasped. It was as if someone had driven a dagger into them…

And Stan was just as upset…

His Life Points fell to 13,100.

"You'll pay for that, Kurtis," he snarled.

"Just send me the bill," whispered Kurtis. "Now make your move…"

Storm clouds began to appear over Castle of Clouds. Neo Aqua Madoor looked up in worry…

Stan drew.

_Just as I planned,_ he thought, looking at it, _The Sage's Stone. And thanks to Goombella, my next draw will be Dark Magician Girl._

_Once I draw her, I'll summon her by sacrificing my Madoor, and then use this to summon Dark Magician! Then this duel is as good as won!_

"I'll pass this turn," he said, adding the card to his hand.

"Fine," whispered Kurtis, drawing.

"I'll play a Pot of Greed of my own…" he said.

He fit a card into a slot, and the Pot of Greed handed him two more cards.

He looked at them. He grinned a sinister grin…

"I'll summon Whirlwind Prodigy in Attack Mode!" he exclaimed, placing a card down.

A windstorm blew across the field, and a young boy dressed in brown appeared next to the Harpies. He was surrounded by buffeting winds, and strange birds and bats flew about him. (1,500/1,600) –) (2,100/1,600)

"Eek!" shrieked Francesca. "Stan, watch out! That Monster…!"

"Quiet Francesca!" shouted Kurtis. "It's against the rules to shout out help!"

Francesca bowed her head.

Kurtis took the other card.

"I'll place a card facedown, and that will end my turn," he announced.

He fit a card in a slot, and it appeared behind his Monsters.

"Well," said Stan with a smile, "I don't know what secret your Whirlwind Prodigy is hiding, but I'll destroy him before you can do anything with him!"

He reached for his deck…

"Not so fast, Stan!" shouted Kurtis.

His Trap Card lifted.

"What? A Trap?" gasped Stan.

"Activate… Time Seal!" laughed Kurtis.

"Ack!" gasped Stan. "That stops me from drawing any cards!"

"Exactly," said Kurtis, with a smile.

"All right," said Stan, taking a card from his hand. "I'll place this card facedown, and end my turn."

He set the card, and it appeared behind Neo Aqua Madoor.

Kurtis chuckled evilly as he drew his next card.

"Now I can really take a bite out of your Life Points," he said in his soft voice. "You see, when I sacrifice Whirlwind Prodigy, he counts as _two_ Monsters, so long as I sacrifice him to summon a Wind Monster…"

He switched cards on his Disk. Whirlwind Prodigy vanished.

And a huge explosion lit up the sky of Castle of Clouds!

A huge Dragon with maroon-colored scales, bat-like wings, a golden leash around its neck, and a bejeweled tiara formed out of the explosion. It roared a bellowing roar! (2,000/2,500)

"What is THAT?" gasped Stan.

"Harpie's Pet Dragon," answered Kurtis, "the Harpies' loyal companion, servant, and bodyguard. She may not look like much by herself, but she gains 300 Attack points for each Harpie on the field… plus another 300 due to Harpie Lady 1's effect, plus and additional 300 from Castle of Clouds!"

(3,500/2,500)

"No!" gasped Petuni. "I can't watch!"

She buried her head in Ivan's arms.

"Harpie's Pet Dragon," ordered Kurtis, "melt his Neo Aqua Madoor!"

The huge Dragon belched forth a stream of flame, and Neo Aqua Madoor was blasted into vapor!

Stan's Life Points fell to 12,600.

"Now my beautiful Harpies," shouted Kurtis, "attack him directly!"

The three Harpies screeched and flew into formation… Stan gulped…

Harpie Lady 1 clawed at him with her arm talons! Harpie Lady 3 raked with her foot talons! And Cyber Harpie Lady lashed with her whip!

Stan fell over and winced in pain. His Life Points plummeted to 6,600.

"STAN!" gasped Andy. "Are you okay?"

"Define 'okay'," moaned Stan.

He dragged himself to his feet.

"Still haven't figured out that it's hopeless?" chuckled Kurtis. "Please. You're suffering for no reason. Why don't you just give up and save yourself the embarrassment?"

"Kurtis," said Stan with a snarl, "do you know what it will take for me to surrender to a bully like you?"

"I dunno," sighed Kurtis with a smirk. "Would Hell have to freeze over?"

"Not only would Hell have to freeze over," growled Stan, "but the Devil would have to start giving free sleigh rides!"

He drew.

He took another card from his hand.

IMaybe this will be even better/I he thought.

"I play… Monster Reborn!" he exclaimed. "To bring back Goombella!"

He played the Magic Card, and Goombella reappeared. (500/2,000)

She hopped on his shoulders again.

"You know what that means," said Stan, with a smile. "Her Tattle kicks in again!"

The top four cards flew off of the top of his deck, and appeared before him. he consulted with Goombella again, and the cards rearranged. They flew back to the top of his deck.

Goombella hopped back to the floor.

"Now," he continued, "I'll sacrifice Goombella to summon Dark Magician Girl!"

Goombella winked, and then vanished. A flurry of hearts filled Stan's side of the field, and the sexy, buxom sorceress flew into view. (2,000/1,700)

"Now," said Stan, taking a card from his hand, "I play The Sage's Stone!"

He fit the card into a slot, and a gemstone appeared in the air. Dark Magician Girl caught it, and it glowed.

A card flew out of Stan's deck, and alighted on his Disk…

The mighty Dark Magician appeared! (2,500/2,100)

The two Magicians nodded to each other.

Kurtis drew back…

But then he regained his composure.

_Clever, Stan,_ he thought, _but you haven't won yet…_

"Before I attack," continued Stan, "I'll activate my facedown card…"

His card lifted.

"Gift of the Mystical Elf!"

The card glowed, and a huge vision of Mystical Elf appeared behind him.

"This Trap Card increases my Life Points by 300 for each Monster on the field, and I count six!"

His Life Points went up to 8,400.

"Dark Magician Girl, attack Harpie Lady 1!" commanded Stan.

Dark Magician Girl leapt up into the air, and fired her scepter! Harpie Lady 1 screamed and burst!

Kurtis's Life Points fell to 7,500.

"With her out of the way," said Stan, "Your two other Harpies lose 300 Attack Points, and your Dragon loses 600!"

Harpie Lady 3's Attack score fell to 1,600, Cyber Harpie Lady's fell to 2,100, and Harpie's Pet Dragon's fell to 2,900.

"Your point being?" chuckled Kurtis.

Stan ignored the wisecrack.

"Dark Magician, attack his Cyber Harpie Lady with dark magic attack!"

Dark Magician spun his staff, and fired, blowing Cyber Harpie away!

Kurtis's Life Points fell to 7,100.

"And now your Dragon gets even weaker," mocked Stan.

The Dragon's Attack Score fell to 2,600.

"Are you quite done?" asked Kurtis.

"Yes," said Stan.

Kurtis drew.

"Harpie's Pet Dragon," he ordered, "attack Dark Magician!"

"What?" said Stan, in shock.

The Dragon exhaled her flame, and Dark Magician was incinerated.

Stan's Life Points fell to 8,300.

"That was a stupid move, Kurtis!" exclaimed Stan. "By sending Dark Magician to the Graveyard, Dark Magician Girl's Attack Score is increased by 300!"

"So?" asked Kurtis with a yawn.

"So?" said Stan. "Once she destroys your last Harpie, their Attack Scores will be equal, and we'll have a standoff!"

"Well by all means, try," mocked Kurtis in a whisper. "I end my turn."

"Ha, ha!" laughed Francesca. "Kurtis you jerk! You forgot to move your Harpie into Defense Mode!"

"Um… oops?" said Kurtis, with a shrug.

"Oops is right!" exclaimed Stan, drawing.

He looked at the Monster Card. He added it to his hand.

"Dark Magician Girl," he ordered, "attack Harpie Lady 3!"

Dark Magician Girl cast forth her dark spell; Harpie Lady 3 screamed and was blown away.

Kurtis's Life Points fell to 6,400.

"Well, so much for your Harpies," said Stan with a smile.

"So you say," whispered Kurtis. "Well, take a look at your Dark Magician Girl…"

"Huh?" said Stan.

Dark Magician Girl gasped… And then she froze into a statue!

"WHAT?" shouted Stan. "My Dark Magician Girl! She turned to stone!"

"That's right!" chuckled Kurtis. "All due to Harpie Lady 3's curse! You see, any Monster that battles her can't attack for two of your turns! So until then, Dark Magician Girl's only use to you is as a big doorstop!"

He laughed again.

"You are one nasty kid, do you know that?" growled Francesca.

Kurtis chuckled.

"You know Fran," he said, "this is getting fun. Maybe once I finish your pal here, I'll take care of _you_ next! Won't my mom be pleased…"

"Wait!" shouted Ivan. "That wasn't part of the deal!"

"QUIET!" yelled Kurtis.

He held out his hand, and a fierce gust of wind blew Ivan over. Petuni ran to help him up.

"Some people will believe in anything," sighed Kurtis. "Deals, bargains… the Tooth Fairy. He should be glad I'm not going to blow this whole tree over once I'm done… Maybe I will anyway…"

Stan stared at him.

"Make… your… move…" he growled.

Kurtis drew.

"I chose to pass again this turn," he said, adding the card to his hand.

"You're up to something," snarled Stan, making his own draw.

He looked at the Trap Card.

"So I'll place this card facedown, and that will end my turn."

He fit the card into a slot, and it appeared behind the petrified Dark Magician Girl.

Kurtis drew.

"Heh, heh," he chuckled. "Well, it's time to make a move that will blow you over!"

He put a card down on his Disk.

"I summon… Sonic Bird!" he exclaimed.

A sound like a jet engine erupted over the field, and a large eagle wearing a jetpack and aviator's goggles flew into view. (1,400/1,000) –) (1,700/1,000)

"By summoning this little guy, I can…" he started.

"I know!" interrupted Stan. "He lets you add a Ritual Magic Card to your hand from your deck!"

"Smart," mumbled Kurtis.

A glowing card flew out of his deck, and he caught it.

"See this?" he said, softly, showing it to Stan. "It's a Ritual called Chant of the Harpies!"

"Chant of the Harpies?" said Stan, in wonder. "I've… never heard of that one…"

"This Harpie Lady accessory is so rare, that not even Mai Valentine knows about it!" chuckled Kurtis, plugging it into his Disk. "But when I finally meet her, I'll give her this card and the Monster Card – she'll be sure to accept me then!"

"That seems unlikely…" scowled Stan.

Kurtis ignored him…

A strange altar decorated with birdlike totems and fetishes appeared on his side of the field. Then the three Harpie Lady Sisters appeared over it, and started chanting in a musical song.

"To complete this ceremony, I'll sacrifice my Harpie Girl, and Sonic Bird itself…" said Kurtis.

Sonic Bird hopped up on the altar, and then a cute, young Harpie in a black outfit with pink wings appeared on it…

The two Monsters vanished into sparkles, and then the chanting Harpies vanished. Kurtis put a card down on his Disk.

"…and I'll summon… _Calypso the Harpie Queen!_

An intense light shone over Castle of Clouds, and a tall form alighted on the altar. She looked like a Harpie Lady, but more beautiful than the others, with long, golden hair, platinum armor, and metallic wings. She was decked in gold jewelry and a crown. (1,900/1,900) –) (2,200/1,900)

"Okay, impressive…" stuttered Stan.

"Your about to be more impressed," chuckled Kurtis. "When Calypso is summoned, her effect activates!"

Calypso started to sing a lovely song, and three forms started to appear next to her.

"What's happening?" asked Stan. "What is she… YAAAAHH!"

Before Stan's unbelieving eyes, Harpie Lady 1, Harpie Lady 3, and Cyber Harpie Lady reappeared!

"Calypso can resurrect up to three of her subjects from the Graveyard!" laughed Kurtis. "With my army in front of me, I truly have the wind beneath my wings!"

(1,300/1,400) –) (1,900/1,400), (1,300/1,400) –) (1,900/1,400), (1,800/1,300) –) (2,400/1,300)

Calypso's Attack Score went up to 2,500, while that of Harpie's Pet Dragon went back up to 3,500!

"No…" cried Francesca.

Blue fire burned in Kurtis's eyes.

"It may be a little late, but here's a tip, Stan," he chuckled, "next time you go out in stormy weather, bring a poncho! Not that there's going to _be_ a next time! Calypso, attack his Dark Magician Girl with Harpie's windstorm!"

Miniature whirlwinds encircled Calypso's hands, and she shot forth a blast of air.

"Not so fast!" shouted Stan. "I activate Magic Cylinder!"

His Trap Card lifted, and two Cylinders appeared in front of him. The windstorm blasted into one of them, and blasted out the other, slamming into Kurtis, knocking him over!

"Ow…" he cursed.

His Life Points fell to 3,900.

"Fine," he whispered, getting up. "I'm adaptable. But you're just delaying the inevitable. Harpie's Pet Dragon, _you_ attack that bitch!"

The Dragon exhaled a furious gout of flame, and Dark Magician Girl was incinerated!

Stan's Life Points fell to 7,100.

"Now my Harpies," said Kurtis, evilly, "PUNISH HIM!"

The three Harpies screeched and flew at Stan! They savagely tore at him and lashed at him with the whip!

Stan fell over, as his Life Points plummeted to 900.

"You might as well stay down," he heard Kurtis's soft voice say as he felt himself losing consciousness. "Forgive me for making such a crude remark, but you… blew it!"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Someone was nudging Stan's face.

"Stan, get up!" said a young, female voice he had never heard before.

He groggily got up…

And saw himself face-to-face with Goombella.

"Goombella?" he groaned.

"I'd help you up," she answered, "but as you can see, I have no arms."

Her voice was tough and sassy… and maybe a little bossy.

"How can you be here?" he asked. "You're in my Graveyard…"

"Come on now, Stan!" she urged. "You of all people should know that Duel Monsters are immortal! And I'm different than most – I'm attached to you in ways you can't imagine!

"You have to keep fighting! You can't let Kurtis win! Once he defeats you, Francesca and Andy won't last long… And if the Shadow Queen escapes…

"…the world is in jeopardy…"

"Oh, please…" groaned Stan. "Not that crazy story again…"

Goombella gave him an angry look.

And then she jumped up and headbutted him on the head!

"OW!" shouted Stan. "Why'd you do that?"

"I'm trying to drive some sense into you, lead-head!" shouted Goombella. "Stan, you deny it now, but do you know what I think? I think you and your two friends are just too afraid to admit it!

"And besides, you said you were going to teach Kurtis a lesson because you hated bullies… You want to know something?

"There was a reason I joined your forefather – because he saved ME from a bully. One that, it turned out, was working for the Shadow Queen, even though we didn't know it at the time. People who pick on others who are weaker than them are scum. So show him how it's done!"

"How?" moaned Stan. "He has five powerful Monsters on the field, and I have a clear side… and very little in my hand…"

"True," said Goombella, "but thanks to me, you know what your next two draws will be…"

She smirked.

"Think about it!"

She nudged him again with her foot.

"Now get up, and go get 'em! Don't let your friends and the people of The Great Tree down!

"You may not WANT to play the hero, but you're gonna HAVE to!"

She gave him a kick.

"Because frankly, you have no choice…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Stan woke up.

He slowly picked up his cards. He got up to his feet.

"Humph," sighed Kurtis. "For a minute there, I thought I might be able to win by forfeit…"

"This isn't over yet, Kurtis…" snarled Stan.

"Still trying to win?" sighed Kurtis.

The three Harpies and their Queen chuckled evilly, and their pet growled.

"We'll see," said Stan, drawing.

He added the card to his hand, and took another card from his hand.

"I've had it with your sadistic attitude, you big bag of wind," he said, "so I'm willing to take a major risk to defeat you…"

He put a card down.

"I'm summoning Blast Magician, in Attack Mode!"

A flame erupted in front of him, and the fiery Spellcaster appeared, brandishing his sickle-ended staff. (1,400/1,700)

"That's weak!" mocked Kurtis.

"Maybe so," replied Stan, taking the card he had just drawn, "but I'm also playing this…"

He fit a card into a slot.

"Swords of Revealing Light!"

A shower of Swords rained from the heavens and crashed down upon Kurtis's side. The Harpies and their Dragon drew back in surprise.

"And that's my turn," he said with a grin.

"Great!" exclaimed Andy. "Now Stan has three turns to figure out a way out of this!"

Kurtis frowned as he drew a card.

"Fine," he said. "If that's your game, I'll just pass this turn…

"But you're taking a big risk here, Stan. If I managed to draw something that would destroy your Swords, only one attack would win me this duel!"

"True," said Stan, nodding, "but you'd have won anyway if I hadn't. So faced with a serious risk or certain defeat, I'd rather take the serious risk."

"Touché," said Kurtis, with a shrug.

Stan drew.

He took another card from his hand and fit it into a slot.

"Now I'll play this," he said. "Premature Burial!"

His Life Points fell to 100.

"I'll use it to revive my Dark Magician!"

The card appeared on the field, and the clouds below parted. Dark Magician crawled out. (2,500/2,100)

"Is Stan out of his skull?" gasped Petuni. "How can he win with only 100 Life Points left?"

"I guess he figured he had nothing left to lose…" said Francesca, with a shrug. "100 isn't all that less than 900 in perspective…"

"And now," continued Stan, "I'll use this!"

He played the Magic Card he had just drawn.

"Dedication Through Light And Darkness!"

A card flew out of his Disk, and he caught it.

"Now I can sacrifice Dark Magician for an even stronger Spellcaster!" he exclaimed.

He switched cards, and Dark Magician and the Premature Burial card vanished.

"Dark Magician of Chaos, come forth!"

The powerful sorcerer appeared, holding his glowing scepter! (2,800/2,600)

"NO!" shouted Kurtis. "You managed to summon a very powerful Monster!"

"Yes, and that's just part one of my genius plan!" exclaimed Stan. "You see, when Dark Magician of Chaos is summoned, I get to retrieve one Magic Card from my Graveyard… And I'm going to use that ability to retrieve one that I discarded when I used Graceful Charity on my first turn!"

An orb of light shot out of his discard slot, and it formed into a card. He caught it, and placed it into a slot.

"It's a Magic Card called… Scroll of Bewitchment!"

"Scroll of Bewitchment?" said Kurtis, sounding confused. "What does _that_ do?"

"Simple," replied Stan. "It's an Equip Card that lets me change a Monster's Attribute. So I'll use it to change Dark Magician of Chaos's Attribute from Dark… to Wind!"

A long scroll of parchment appeared, surrounding Dark Magician of Chaos in its reams. It vanished, and his raiment turned sky blue.

"What good will THAT do you?" asked Kurtis, even more confused.

"Isn't it obvious?" said Stan with a smile. "Think about it…"

Kurtis stared for a minute…

Then it sunk in.

"AWK!" he gasped. "If he's a Wind Monster, then he gets the boost from my Castle of Clouds!"

"AND the boost from Harpie Lady 1," said Stan with a grin, "so thanks a bunch!"

Harpie Lady 1 gasped!

Dark Magician of Chaos soared up to 3,400 Attack!

"But I won't be using him just yet," continued Stan. "Now we get to part three of my brilliant strategy!"

"Part three?" gasped Kurtis.

"Yes!" exclaimed Stan. "Namely, my Blast Magician! I've played four magic cards since I summoned him – that gives him the ability to destroy a Monster with up to 2,800 Attack Points!

"And since I learn from my mistakes… Blast Magician, destroy Harpie Lady 3!"

Blast Magician's staff blazed with flames! They shot forward, and Harpie Lady 3 screamed as she was engulfed in fire! Within seconds, she was reduced to ashes.

"Now, Dark Magician of…" started Stan, "or should I say, Wind Magician of Chaos, attack Harpie Lady 1 with chaos scepter blast!"

The chaos mage twirled his staff and slammed it to the ground! A fierce tornado shot forth, and shot towards Harpie Lady 1! She screamed and was torn apart!

"Yes, go Stan!" shouted Andy.

"Put that bully in his place!" yelled Francesca.

"Finish him off, Stan!" cheered Petuni.

Cyber Harpie Lady's Attack fell to 2,100, Calypso's fell to 2,200, and that of Harpie's Pet Dragon fell all the way to 2,600. Dark Magician of Chaos dropped to 3,100 Attack, but he was still the strongest Monster on the field.

And Kurtis's Life Points plummeted to 2,300.

"And by the way," mentioned Stan, "Harpie Lady 1 isn't just gone, she's _staying_ gone, because any Monster destroyed by my chaos magician is removed from play.

"Make your move…"

Kurtis looked at his hand…

_Curses…_ he thought_. I just have to draw something to destroy his Swords… Heavy Storm, Mystical Space Typhoon, either one will do…_

He drew.

_Another Castle of Clouds?_ he thought, in panic. _Talk about worthless!_

Sweat started to bead on his face.

_I can't risk taking any more damage until I think of something…_ he thought.

His hand shook.

He turned the cards on his Disk.

"I'm switching Cyber Harpie Lady, Calypso, and my Dragon to Defense Mode," he said, nervously.

Calypso and the Harpie shielded themselves with their wings, as did their Dragon.

"It's your move…" he snarled.

"Heh, heh…" chuckled Stan. "HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA!"

"What's so funny?" shouted Stan.

"Kurtis, you made the dumbest mistake yet," replied Stan. "Namely, you panicked. And in doing so, you made a sloppy move – you forgot all about the second effect of your own powerful Field Card!"

"Huh?" said Kurtis.

He paused.

"NOOO!" he shouted. "Wind Monsters have a trampling effect when it's active!"

"Right!" said Stan, with a smirk. "And every one of your Monsters has a lower Defense Score than their Attack Score right now!"

He drew.

"Now, I'll sacrifice my Blast Magician for my mighty Chaos Command Magician!" he shouted, switching cards.

Blast Magician vanished in a bright light, and a sorcerer in a glossy black robe, cape, and hat with sharp edges, carrying a staff appeared. (2,400/1,900)

"Command Magician, attack his Cyber Harpie with chaos magic!" he shouted.

Chaos Command Magician aimed his staff, and shot forth a wave of rainbow-colored light. Cyber Harpie screamed, and was consumed by the radiance.

"Now my chaos mage, attack his Dragon!"

Dark Magician of Chaos fired his wind magic at the immense Dragon and she roared! She was blown into pixels.

Kurtis gasped, as his Life Points fell to 1,600.

"Your move now…" dared Stan.

"No…" moaned Kurtis drawing.

"Got to be… something I can… do…"

He looked at his cards…

But there wasn't anything.

There was a long pause.

"Well?" asked Stan. "Are you going to move or aren't you?"

"No," said Kurtis with an angry scowl. "Make your last attack… You win this round. But mark my words… this is far from over…"

Stan just glared at him as he drew.

"Chaos Command Magician, attack Calypso!" shouted Stan.

The Spellcaster cast forth his bright spell, and Calypso the Harpie Queen was obliterated.

"Now, Dark Magician of Chaos, attack him directly, and wipe out the rest of his Life Points!"

Dark Magician of Chaos shot forth his windy spell, and Kurtis screamed! He fell to his knees…

As Kurtis's Life Points fell to zero, he transformed into a cloudy mass. A sigh like a gentle breeze was heard, and he dissipated.

The Castle of Clouds vanished, as did Stan's two Monsters.

Stan took a card out of his discard slot.

_Thanks Goombella,_ he thought. _Merlee's story is a little farfetched… But maybe I'll think about it some more…_

Francesca and Andy ran up to hug him.

"Oh, Stan," said Ivan. He wiped his brow again. "How can we thank you?"

"Well, you can start by…" started Stan.

"Wait…" started Ivan. "I know exactly how I can thank you... come with me…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Fifteen minutes later, on a lower level, Ivan, Petuni, and the three teenagers were in a museum filled with antique clocks.

"Um, Ivan," said Francesca, "we appreciate the tour of your Museum of Historic Timepieces, but I think Stan was hoping for a more material reward…"

"This isn't just a museum," said Ivan, "this is a vault!"

He went up to a very old grandfather clock.

"Kurtis wanted something else when he was here," said Ivan, "something I was trusted with. I lied, and told him I didn't know what he was talking about… And I wouldn't have given it to him if he had burned the whole town down!

"It's been waiting here until someone showed up to oppose thugs like him… And certainly, it will be safer with you…"

He started to turn the hands on the clock.

"Seven-fifteen left," he said, "nine-thirty right, one o'clock left."

A clicking was heard, and the grandfather clock moved aside. In a small, hidden alcove was a podium…

…on which was a Duel Monsters card.

Ivan handed it to Stan.

"Here, take it," he said. "It's a powerful card – you can use it well."

Stan looked at it, as Andy and Francesca crowded around.

It was a Magic Card called "Clock Out".

"Well, that is remarkable," said Stan.

"And please," said Ivan, "stay as our guests at least until tomorrow morning – we'll put you up in our finest lodgings."

"Works for me," said Francesca with a shrug.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

In a dark place, Kurtis came to his senses.

He turned and saw Melissa trapped in the Nightmare Steel Cage… with a girlish grin on her face.

"Ha, ha, you messed up, windbag," chuckled Melissa.

"Yeah? So did you, lighthead!" scowled Kurtis.

"Melissa, you're in enough trouble already," said a sinister voice from in front of them.

The Shadow Queen walked out of the darkness, frowning like a thunderstorm. Kurtis shivered…

"Uh, mom…" he stuttered.

"On your feet, Kurtis!" she demanded.

Kurtis got up.

"What have you got to say for yourself?" she said, angrily.

"Uh," said Kurtis, sweating. "Will begging and groveling help?"

"No," she answered.

"That's what I figured…" muttered Kurtis.

"This is getting out of hand," grumbled the Shadow Queen, flicking her Disk into position. "First Melissa goofs up, and now you… It won't be long before those three start to figure the situation out…"

She took five cards out of her dress.

"Now choose a card, Kurtis, and make it quick!"

"Uh…" said Kurtis.

Sweat started to pour down his face.

"C'mon," said the Queen. "If you don't choose one in one minute, I'm going to let your sister decide."

Melissa grinned broadly at him.

"No!" shouted Kurtis.

He shakily pointed his finger.

"The one in the middle…" he stammered.

"Fine," said the Queen, taking it.

She slid it into her Disk.

"Spellbinding Circle!" she exclaimed.

Kurtis screamed, as a shimmering pentagram formed around him and he froze in place.

The Queen put the cards away and turned to leave.

"Bad choice," chuckled his sister.

"Can it, Melissa!" snapped Kurtis (as best he could, seeing as he couldn't move his mouth).

As the Shadow Queen exited the chamber, thoughts were on her mind.

_Kurtis may have failed,_ she thought, _but I did manage to gain one thing…_

…_knowledge._

_That wretched Stanley used a Monster Card that was a dead wringer for that accursed Goomba that aided my enemies a millennium ago. Clearly, Maximillion Pegasus did not design this card – and I'd be a fool to think that this is the only Monster card of its type that those three brats have._

_Clearly, those meddling Seven Companions have been reborn in the form of cards…_

_The only question is… How did those kids get them?_

**0**

**0**

**0**

**CASTLE OF CLOUDS (Magic Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Magic/Field  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description: **Image of a majestic palace of blue gems amid a sea of fluffy clouds. When this card is active, increase the ATK of all WIND Monsters on the field by 300. When a WIND Monster attacks a Defense Position Monster who's DEF is lower than the attacking Monster's ATK, inflict Life Point damage to the attacked Monster's controller equal to the difference between the Attacking Monster's ATK and the attacked Monster's DEF.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**CHANT OF THE HARPIES (Magic Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Magic/Ritual  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description: **Image of three Harpie Ladies dancing over a stone altar decorated with a bird-like motif. This card is used to Ritual Summon "Calypso the Harpie Queen". You must also offer Monsters whose total Level Stars equal six or more from the field or your hand.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**CALYPSO THE HARPIE QUEEN (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Winged Beast/Ritual/Effect  
**Attribute: **Wind  
**Level: **6  
**ATK: **1,900  
**DEF: **1,900

**Card Description:** This powerful avian being is the queen, goddess – and some say mother – of the three Harpie Lady Sisters. She has the power to revive her daughters should they perish. This card can only be ritual summoned with the Ritual Magic Card "Chant of the Harpies". You must also offer Monsters whose total Level Stars equal six or more from the field or your hand. When this Monster is successfully ritual summoned, you can special summon up to three "Harpie Lady" cards to the field from your Graveyard in Attack or Defense Mode.

Note: "Chant of the Harpies" and "Calypso the Harpie Queen" first appeared in "The Mandate of Heaven"

**0**

**0**

**0**

**GOOMBELLA THE SCHOLAR (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Spellcaster/Effect  
**Attribute: **Earth  
**Level: **4  
**ATK: **500  
**DEF: **2,000

**Card Description: **The first member of the Seven Companions, there was very little this smart – and sassy – little Goomba could not figure out. When this Monster is Normal Summoned, Flip-Summoned, or Special Summoned, look at the four cards on the top of your deck, and replace them in any order.

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**Coming up next:**_

_**You may have liked Kurtis's Field Magic Card Castle of Clouds, but coming up next, our team is invited to a castle among the clouds! Namely… Glitzville!**_

_**And once there, the team barely has time to take in the sights, when Francesca is ambushed by a strange character who forces her to duel for incredible stakes. Oh, and Merlee might show up again too. Don't miss a chapter I call "Strike of the Assassin", coming soon.**_


	11. Strike of the Assassin

_**You ever hear of a Monster named Jowgen the Spiritualist? He's weak, but he can destroy any Special Summoned Monster.**_

_**These days, folks use him in decks called "Last Turn Decks". The idea is to purposely bring your Life Points down to 1,000 or less, summon Jowgen, and activate the Trap called Last Turn. If you pull it off, you win automatically, because Jowgen's ability prevents your opponent from summoning anything.**_

_**Unfortunately, no-one seems to realize anymore that Jowgen is so useful for his original purpose – destroying Special Summoned Monsters. And some of the deadliest Monsters these days are Special Summoned. Take Black Luster Soldier – Envoy of the Beginning, for instance. Dark Necrofear is another example. And so is every Fusion and Ritual Monster. **_

_**Why am I bringing this up, you ask?**_

_**Because I'm dueling for my life…**_

_**And Jowgen the Spiritualist would be a great card to have in my deck right now…**_

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER TEN**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Strike of the Assassin**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

At six AM the next morning, Lord Crump crawled out of bed.

_Ooh,_ he thought, clutching his stomach, _that's the last time I order the spicy bouillabaisse…_

The cell phone by his bed rang.

_Now what?_ he thought.

He answered it.

"Crump," said the Queen's voice. "I have an assignment for you that's going to make you very happy…"

"That seems doubtful…" muttered Crump.

"What was that?" asked the Queen.

"Nothing," sighed Crump. "I was clearing my throat. So what do I have to do?"

"I want you to go to Glitzville," answered the Queen.

Crump perked up with excitement.

"Glitzville?" he exclaimed. "I haven't been there in ages!"

"Don't get too excited," warned the Queen. "This will be strictly business. Show your I.D. to the conductor at the blimp port for the 10 AM shuttle, and you'll be let on board. I'll give you further instructions once you're there.

"Now move it!"

She hung up.

"Wow!" exclaimed Crump. "She hasn't let me go there since the… um… popcorn incident. Not that that was really my fault…

"Better hustle…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Half an hour earlier, Stan was in the middle of a nightmare…

He was dreaming he was running though a mountainous valley, being chased by three ravenous Harpie Ladies…

He stumbled and fell. They shrieked with glee and swooped down on him…

Just before they had their claws on him, he felt Andy shaking him awake.

"Ugh…" moaned Stan. "Thanks…"

"Thanks for waking you up?" asked Andy.

"No, long story…" muttered Stan. "What time is it?"

"Six," replied Andy. "Petuni called me and told us someone wants to meet us for an early breakfast – something important, she said."

Stan sighed.

"Well," he said, "if it's another ambush, _you_ take care of it."

"Funny," sighed Andy. "I kind of wish that jerk didn't disappear… I could have used those Field Cards for my deck…"

"Ah, whatcha gonna do?" sighed Stan. "First dibs on the shower…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

It was the same restaurant where they had met Kurtis, but this time it wasn't as threatening. For one, the place was crowded. For another, the atmosphere was much nicer.

Ivan Punio led the three teens to a rounded table that was laden with muffins, bagels and croissants. Sitting there was a familiar face. A woman in a business suit with glasses and her hair tied in a bun…

"Wha?" said Francesca, quizzically. "Sydney Meyers?"

"Hi kids!" she said with a wave. "Sorry to get you up so early, but I'm on a busy schedule… Council work, you know… Sit down!"

They sat down.

"Anyway," she continued, "I can't thank you enough for saving The Great Tree from that… thug. We are so sorry if the Shadow Queen's goons are giving you trouble…"

"Excuse me for asking, Ms. Meyers," accused Stan, "but I seem to remember you making a joke about the Shadow Queen 'waiting for us' behind The Thousand Year Door when you briefed us…"

"Yes, well," said Meyers, nervously, pulling at her collar, "the fact is… mistakes have been made, and the true Shadow Queen is apparently trying to disrupt the tournament. But don't worry, we'll handle her. If she's gotten into The Thousand Year Door, we'll root her out…"

They all looked at her.

"Anyway," she continued (nervously again), "to show our appreciation for saving The Great Tree… Punio, give them the envelope…"

Ivan placed an envelope on the table.

"…you may have heard of a place called 'Glitzville' that contestants need the permission of a Council member to go to – well, consider this your permission! The next blimp leaves at ten this morning…"

"Blimp?" asked Andy. "Where is this place, on a cloud?"

"Actually, yes…" stuttered Meyers.

They drew back in surprise.

"A marvel of technology," she continued. "They built a small amusement center in the sky, and the main attraction is the Glitz Pit, a sporting arena. And I assure you, only the best contestants will be there today… You like a challenge don't you?"

Francesca took the pass out of the envelope and looked at it.

"Well," she said, "eat up and get to the blimp station, and happy dueling! I've got to be going…"

She got up and hurried off.

Francesca picked up a muffin and started to butter it.

"So what are we waiting for?" asked Stan.

"I dunno," sighed Francesca. "With all that's happening, this may be a trap…"

"Yeah," shuddered Andy. "I don't know about that Meyers woman. For all we know, she could be the Shadow Queen in disguise. She even looks a little like her."

"Oh come on," said Stan, "that's ridiculous…"

"What do you mean, ridiculous?" snapped Andy.

"Look," answered Stan, "Meyers wears glasses, and the Shadow Queen doesn't, so…"

"Oh, Stan come on!" said Andy, rolling his eyes.

"Well, the Queen doesn't look like the type who'd wear contact lenses!" protested Stan.

"Still," said Francesca, "an arena in the clouds… It is tempting… And judging from the map, it's either this or we take a long trek to… 'Twilight Town'…"

They all looked at each other.

"Glitzville," they all said at once.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

After bidding Ivan and Petuni goodbye, the trio packed up their Disks, decks, and belongings, and headed in the directions they gave them. It wasn't long before the trees and tall grasses of Boggly Woods started to thin.

Eventually, a sign with the words "Blimp Port" written on it appeared on the roadside, and they quickly went in that direction.

They saw it from a long distance away. A zeppelin the size of the Goodyear Blimp was parked outside a small building. And it seemed that they were not the only ones waiting to board. A line was forming outside the building.

_Sheesh,_ thought Francesca. _Day three of the tournament, and already the Council is making use of their executive rights._

They got into line behind someone. He turned and noticed them.

They didn't know who it was, but he knew who they were…

He turned away from them.

_Act natural Crump,_ he thought, _act natural…_

He remembered that he had chewing gum in his pocket. He reached in to get it.

As he took the gum, he was startled by Francesca's voice.

"Hey, pal!" she said.

"ACK!" shouted Crump. "Don't!"

"Uh, buddy," she said. "Your wallet fell out of your pocket when you took that gum out…"

Crump looked down.

"Oh," he said. "I knew that…"

He picked up his wallet.

"Uh, better go use the bathroom," he said.

He ran towards the men's room.

"Hey!" shouted Francesca. "You'll lose your place in line!"

"S'okay!" he shouted back. "I_like_ waiting in line!"

The three of them turned to each other.

"Weirdo," said Stan.

"Speaking of weird…" muttered Andy.

They all turned and saw who had gotten into line behind them.

A chill came over them when they saw her.

Her Disk indicated her as a duelist, but her fashion sense was… creepy.

She wore a black leotard with long sleeves, and wore a midnight blue cloak with a hood, as well as boots that were the same color. Her hair was dark, and her complexion was pale.

They looked at her for a minute.

"It's impolite to stare!" she snapped.

"Sorry," they all said at once.

_Who ordered Goth?_ thought Stan.

Crump watched them from a distance.

_Think I'll just wait here for the boarding call_, he thought.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Ever since the Hindenburg disaster of 1921, passenger zeppelins had been pretty much taboo, and blimps in general were uncommon. There wasn't much danger anymore – blimps weren't filled with volatile hydrogen anymore, making them much safer. Still, airplanes were faster and safer yet, so there was no need for passenger zeppelins to make a comeback.

Still, this particular blimp seemed rather nice – the seats in the cabin were all first class-style, and the windows were huge.

As Stan, Andy, and Francesca took their seats, they saw the odd Goth girl sitting across from them.

They knew it was impolite to stare, but this duelist was creeping them out.

"Welcome passengers," said a voice over a loudspeaker. "We will be departing shortly. We will arrive in Glitzville after only a half-hour flight. Enjoy your time there."

The engines whirred to life, and the huge blimp started to take off…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The Shadow Queen watched from her throne room. She rubbed her chin…

She took her cell phone out of her dress.

"Crump?" she said into it.

"Oh, your excellence," was the response. "I'm on the blimp…"

"Well before you get airsick, listen up," she responded. "When you get there, there's an incredibly probable chance that one of those kids is going to be challenged, and a duel will take place. You know what to do…"

"Of course," said Crump. "And maybe then I can…"

"Forget it Crump!" snapped the Queen. "I saw you run in fear when they saw you. You may talk tough, but you're never going to be anything more than a coward! And I don't need a duelist who's likely to panic in the middle of a duel!"

"Hey!" protested Crump. "I might have gotten nervous, but…"

"Quiet!" she snapped. "And hay is for horses!"

She hung up.

She closed her eyes and concentrated.

_Lotus, are you there?_ she said in her mind.

There was a pause.

_Yes,_ responded a slow, feminine voice. _You were right about Glitzville, master – it is a great place to duel. I already have four Crystal Cards…_

_Yes, that's all well and good,_ relayed the Queen, _but enough warm-up duels. Your true target will soon be there. You know the plan. Succeed, and you'll be richly rewarded…_

_And I'm sure you know the price for failure…_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Ladies and gentlemen," said the pilot, "if you look to your right, you'll be able to see our destination clearly."

Everyone looked out the window. It was an awe-inspiring sight – Glitzville was like a miniature Las Vegas, built on top of a cloud-like base, floating in mid-air! Neon lights of all the colors of the rainbow flashed from the buildings. Certainly, this was the entertainment center of Monster Island…

Eventually, the blimp landed on a large landing pad near the edge of the floating island, and the passengers disembarked.

"Well," said Andy, in wonder, "what should we do first?"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_The nerve of that witch,_ thought Crump, as he followed the three kids. _I'm not a coward!_

He paused.

_I mean, so I ran and hid in the broom closet and didn't come out for three hours last month when I saw Melissa summon that Ritual Monster… what was it called? Reshef the Dark Being? That doesn't make me a coward…_

He paused.

_And, sure, maybe I fainted the week before that when I saw Tyson use that crazy Field card of his, but does that make me a coward?_

He paused again.

_Aw, who am I kidding?_ he thought, holding his head. _I'm a disgrace…_

Meanwhile, the subjects he was supposed to be watching were wandering pretty far ahead of him.

In front of them was a large arch shaped like a rainbow. At the bases of the rainbow were two statues that looked like ball and chains with faces that had googly eyes and sharp teeth. (Fans of the Mario games could identify these as depictions of "Chain Chomps".)

"This place is loud in more ways than one," grumbled Francesca.

"I dunno," muttered Andy, "it seems pretty hip."

"I'm just worried," answered Francesca. "Places like this tend to attract weirdoes…"

They passed a guy with clothing that was even louder than the décor.

"Hey babe," he said to Francesca, "hows about a kiss?"

"Drop dead," snarled Francesca.

"Aw c'mon," he said, walking up.

Suddenly, he grabbed Francesca from behind…

…and forced a kiss!

Francesca forced him away with rage in her eyes…

"Uh oh…" said Stan and Andy at once.

Francesca cracked her knuckles…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Two minutes and twenty-seven seconds later…

"Wow, Fran," exclaimed Stan, "I can't believe that shiner you gave that guy!"

"Yeah," gasped Andy. "And that was the most _atomic_ atomic wedgie I've _ever_ seen!"

"Yeah," muttered Francesca. "I can't believe that guy wore briefs. What a loser."

"Remind me to stay on your good side," gasped Andy, as they approached a hot dog stand.

"Any of you duelists care for one of Glitzville's famous franks?" asked the vendor. "They're extra-spicy!"

They couldn't say no to that.

"Sure," said Francesca. "I take it everything's still free for contestants…"

"Yep, here ya go," he chuckled, handing them three hot dogs.

On a rooftop, a figure watched…

It loaded a dart into a blowgun, and took aim…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"I have to admit, buddy," commented Francesca, "these _are_ pretty spicy."

She never saw it coming…

She was halfway through the hot dog when a sharp pain hit her in the right buttock!

She yelped!

"ALL RIGHT!" she shouted. "Where's the guy who just got tired of breathing?"

"Uh, Francesca…" said Stan, nervously. "Stand still…"

He reached down, and slowly extracted the dart.

"Ow…" groaned Francesca.

"Francesca," muttered Stan, "when someone attacks someone with a dart, ninety percent of the time, the dart has been poisoned with something…"

"What are you talking about?" muttered Francesca, rubbing her butt. "I don't feel any…"

She held her head.

"Come to think of it…"

A sudden flushed feeling appeared over her. She started to turn pale…

She looked at her arms…

Before the horror of her two friends, her skin started to change from its normal flesh color to sapphire blue!

"Oh… my… God…" she said looking at her hands.

"If you laugh," said Andy to Stan, "_I'll_ kill you before she does!"

Francesca ran up to a reflective mirror on the side of the building next to vendor's stand.

"ACK!" she screamed. "I look like… like Mystical Elf!"

"I wasn't going to say it unless you did," muttered Stan. "Francesca, we have to get you to a doctor, fast!"

"A doctor's not going to help, Stan," laughed a voice.

A cackle filled the air, and a figure leapt into view.

It was a female whom they assumed was about their age. They could only assume. She was dressed in black Ninja clothing, with a loose black jumpsuit, hood, and veil. She even had a katana sword strapped to her back – and she had a Duel Disk on her left arm.

"Hello Francesca…" she said in a sinister voice.

"Who are you?" demanded Francesca. "Did you do this?"

"Why yes," said the Ninja, "and blue coloring to skin is only the first effect of the poison made from blue lotus extract."

She pointed to Francesca.

"You now have three hours to live…" she chuckled.

Francesca drew back, partially in fear, and partially in rage…

"Give me the antidote, you bitch…" she ordered. "That is, if there _is_ an antidote…"

"There is," chuckled the girl, "but unfortunately for you, I'm not too keen on sharing. You may be good at punching out boys who can't keep their hands to themselves, Francesca, but can you defeat a master of Ninjitsu?"

"She's got a point, Fran," muttered Andy. "You try to force her to do anything, she'll likely pound you flat…"

"But I'm willing to make a deal," said the girl, reaching into her jumpsuit.

She took out a set of Crystal Cards and a small vial.

"I have four Cards, and I know you have three. If you win, you get one of my Cards and the antidote. If I win, I take one of your Cards and leave you to die."

Francesca stared at her.

"Did I mention that if you don't agree within the next ten seconds, I'll smash this on the ground?" she said, holding the vial out.

"Okay!" shouted Francesca. "I guess I don't have a choice. But who are you anyway?"

"A Ninja never reveals her true identity to an enemy," said the girl. "But for purposes of identification, you may call me… Lotus."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

By this time a sizable crowd had gathered, forming a circle around the two duelists.

On one side, Lord Crump was watching.

_So this was the duel she had arranged,_ he thought, taking a notepad out of his duffle. _Awfully clever – but I don't recall her employing any Ninja assassin named Lotus. Who exactly is this kid?_

On another side, the dark girl with the cloak and cowl was watching. She surveyed the situation.

_Seems a Mystical Elf is about to take on a female Strike Ninja,_ she thought. _Well, might as well take in some dueling sights before doing some myself…_

She noticed a wealthy-looking man standing next to her.

With the skill of a pro, she reached over and picked the wallet out of his pocket.

She edged over to another part of the crowd.

_And being among so many rich snobs is a great opportunity!_ she thought.

She removed the cash from the wallet and tossed the wallet itself into a trash bin.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Just one question," asked Francesca to her opponent, more than a little pissed. "Why force me to duel under such stakes?"

"I'm an assassin," answered Lotus. "It's what I do."

_Assassin?_ thought Stan. _Is she working for someone?_

The Disks activated.

The Life Points set to 8,000 apiece…

"_HATASHIAI!_" shouted Lotus.

They drew their hands.

"I'll start," said Lotus, drawing her first hand.

She looked at her hand.

_And from my hand, it seems the Dark spirits of Ninjitsu already show me blessing…_ she thought.

"I'll summon this Warrior in Attack Mode," she said. "Arise, Ninja Commander Ikusa!"

She put a card down, and a shadow appeared on her side of the field…

A Ninja Warrior dressed in a green jumpsuit with a sword slung across his back and a crescent moon on his cowl appeared. (700/700)

"Give me a break," said Francesca with a small chuckle. "That guy's weak!"

"We'll soon see…" said Lotus.

A card flew out of her Disk, and she placed it down.

A sound like a gong sounded, and Ninja Commander Ikusa faded into blur. Another shape formed out of him… another Ninja, this one similar to him, but dressed in blue. (400/400)

"Heh, heh," chuckled Lotus. "When I summon Ikusa in Attack Mode, I can Special Summon his partner, Ninja Soldier Katana!"

"Please, that's even weaker!" mocked Fran.

"Well, that will do for my move," responded Lotus.

"Stan," whispered Andy. "Why would Lotus put weak Monsters in Attack Mode?"

"I'd at first say she's playing a Gravity Bind deck," answered Stan, "but there's clearly no Gravity Bind…"

Francesca drew.

_Only one Monster,_ she thought, _but she's more than enough…_

"Let me show you a _real_ Warrior," she said. "I summon Amazoness Fighter!"

She threw a card down, and the muscular Amazon leapt into view! (1,500/1,300)

"Attack her Ninja Soldier!" she shouted.

Amazoness Fighter leapt up and did a flip! She delivered a savage drop-kick to Ninja Solder Katana, blasting him into pixels!

Lotus's Life Points fell to 6,900.

"Pathetic," mocked Francesca.

_You say so now…_ thought Lotus.

"Well, make your move," dared Francesca.

"I will," said Lotus, drawing.

She placed a card down.

"I'll summon a second Ikusa in Attack Mode," she said.

A twin of the first Ninja Commander Ikusa appeared out of the shadows. (700/700)

And then the gong sounded again, and a second Katana appeared. (400/400)

"You may be strong in body, but not in mind," sneered Francesca. "Don't you know any other moves?"

"Will this do?" asked Lotus. "I'm also laying a card facedown."

She placed a card into a slot, and it materialized behind the three Ninja.

"What did I tell you?" said Stan. "Gravity Bind."

"Make your move," said Lotus with a gleam in her eye.

Francesca drew.

"I'm activating my Trap Card!" exclaimed Lotus.

The card lifted.

To Stan surprise, it was _not_ Gravity Bind…

Rather, it was a Trap with the image of two goofy looking Monsters on it.

"I activate Taunt!" shouted Lotus.

One of the two Ninja Commanders glared at Amazoness Fighter and made a beckoning gesture…

"What's the point?" asked Francesca.

"Simple," explained Lotus. "Any attacks you make this round must be made towards this Monster."

Ninja Commander Ikusa continued to taunt his foe…

Francesca looked at her cards.

_Nothing at all to summon now,_ she thought, _but Fighter is more than enough…_

"I don't know what your game is," snarled Francesca, "but if you want me to destroy your Commander, I'll be happy to oblige! Amazoness Fighter, attack!"

Amazoness Fighter leapt into the air again, and kicked Ninja Commander Ikusa to pieces!

Lotus's Life Points fell to 6,100.

"You've already lost nearly 2,000 Life Points," laughed Francesca. "Frankly, I'd say your dueling stinks!"

"Francesca's right," sighed Stan. "This is a little too easy…"

Andy's brow furrowed with worry.

"Andy…" he said. "You know, when you think something is too good to be true, it usually is…"

Lotus chuckled as she drew.

"Actually Francesca," she said, "you forgot one important thing…"

She paused.

"Namely, that I'm an assassin… And a classic trick that any assassin knows is to lead prey into a false sense of security, so that they let their guard down and don't see the fatal blow coming until it's too late…

"You see, I have a powerful Monster, but to summon him, I first had to send one Ninja Soldier and one Ninja Commander to my Graveyard, and then remove both from play!"

She switched cards on her Disk.

"Now I'll sacrifice my other Ninja Soldier to summon Ninja Master Shogun!" she shouted.

One Ninja Soldier Katana faded into shadows. A pair of scrolls with kanji script written on them formed out of the ground, and a frightening Monster emerged. He was a Warrior dressed in a red, decorative _gi_, with long white hair, and a scary red Japanese mask. A sword was slung across his back. (1,600/1,600)

"Okay…" stuttered Francesca. "That's… impressive…"

"It's about to get more impressive," said Lotus.

Two cards flew out of her Disk. She caught them and threw them down.

"By summoning Shogun, I'm able to Special Summon two other Ninja Warriors of three stars or less from my deck. So I summon Ninja Commando Kabuki, AND Lady Ninja Yae!"

Two forms flipped into view from behind Lotus. The first was a Ninja in a white mask, blue pants, and a purple vest. Like the others, a sword was slung across his back. (700/700)

The second was a female ninja. She wore a tight-fitting purple suit, a red scarf, and had long, green hair. She was armed with a long dagger. (1,100/200)

"But wait, there's more!" laughed Lotus.

Another card flew out of her deck.

"When Kabuki is summoned, I can Special Summon a Ninja with _two_ stars or less!"

She threw the card down.

"So I summon Kunoichi Ayame the Ninja Girl!"

A shower of lotus flowers fell upon the field, and a young teenage girl in a maroon _gi_ with a veil and her black hair in a ponytail appeared. (300/300)

"Holy…" shouted Stan. "She managed to summon _four_ Monsters in one move!"

"And that's trouble…" gulped Andy.

"Still think my dueling stinks?" asked Lotus.

Francesca was too startled to answer that.

"Ninja Master Shogun!" shouted Lotus, "attack Amazoness Fighter! _Kasai raishuu_!"

Shogun breathed a savage gout of flames from his mouth, and Amazoness Fighter was incinerated!

_Okay, that's not good…_ thought Francesca, looking at the other Ninja.

"Now," ordered Lotus. "Ikusa, Kabuki, Yae, Kunoichi… all of you attack her directly with shuriken swarm!"

The four other Ninja leapt into the air! What looked like a hundred bladed throwing stars flew at Francesca! She screamed as they hit her!

She landed on her behind.

Her Life Points tumbled to 5,200 as Lotus cackled.

"Bet you'd feel sore from THAT in the morning!" she laughed. "Good thing for you, you won't be _seeing_ another morning!"

"Are you quite done?" snarled Francesca, getting up.

"Almost," said Lotus, selecting a card.

"I'll place this facedown, and then you can make your move."

She put a card in a slot, and it appeared behind her army.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_Wow,_ thought Lord Crump, _who is this kid? She's good!_

_I hope the Queen introduces her soon – I'd love to meet her…_

Meanwhile, the Goth girl was more than a little upset.

_Humph,_ she thought, _assassins… They give people like me a bad name… As if our name wasn't bad enough without the help of hired guns…_

_Come on Francesca, take down these stupid Ninja…_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Inside Lotus's head, a conversation was taking place.

_Everything is going according to plan, my master,_ she communicated.

_Excellent,_ responded the Shadow Queen. _Just remember the last part of the plan – be sure to show Francesca who you are once you are victorious. I am certain she would be eager to know who it was who destroyed her…_

Francesca looked at her hand, and then at her deck.

_This next draw better be someone who can defeat that Ninja Master,_ she thought, _otherwise, she'll just do that again!_

She drew.

"Alright Lotus!" she shouted. "It's go time!"

She threw a card down.

"I summon Amazoness Paladin in Attack Mode!"

The powerful, sword mistress appeared, furiously holding aloft her weapon! (1,700/300) –) (1,800/300)

"All right!" shouted Andy. "Hot dogs on me!"

"Amazoness Paladin, attack Ninja Master Shogun!" shouted Francesca.

The Paladin flew towards her foe with her sword.

"I activate…" exclaimed Lotus, "Ninjitsu Art of Decoy!"

The Trap Card lifted. As Amazoness Paladin closed in, Shogun vanished, and a wooden scarecrow appeared in his place. Amazoness Paladin smashed it to bits.

"What?" gasped Francesca.

Shogun reappeared, and Lotus's Life Points slipped to 5,900.

Lotus chuckled.

"Ever hear of Obnoxious Celtic Guardian?" she asked. "He can resist attacks? The same applies to any Ninja that's under the protection of this Continuous Trap Card. So long as it remains, Shogun can't be destroyed in battle!"

"Maybe so," sneered Francesca, "but now you can't attack me again."

"That remains to be seen," answered Lotus. "My move…"

She drew.

And then she laughed wickedly.

"Now I'm going to take you down slowly and painfully!" she mocked, adding it to her hand.

She turned four of the cards on her Disk.

"First," she said, "I'll shift my four lesser Ninja to Defense Mode…"

Ikusa, Kabuki, Yae, and Kunoichi all knelt in Defense.

"Now," she continued. "I'll Equip Ninja Master Shogun with my most powerful Magic Card… Great Kite of Ninja!"

She fit a card into a slot, and a huge, square kite, colored red and blue appeared in the sky. It swooped down, carrying Shogun into the air!

Shogun chuckled as he looked down upon the crowd.

"Let me explain how this works," chuckled Lotus. "First, it renders Shogun immune to attacks, Magic Cards, and Monster effects.

"Second, I can use him to bypass _your_ Monsters and attack directly, so long as I sacrifice another Monster first!"

"So," she said in triumph, "I'll sacrifice my Ninja Girl…"

Kunoichi Ayame vanished into pixels…

"…and Shogun, ATTACK! _Ikazuchi gekido!_"

Thunder flashed in the sky, and Ninja Master Shogun blasted forth a bolt of lightning, striking Francesca dead center! She screamed and fell over.

Her Life Points fell to 3,600.

As she looked up, Lotus took another card from her hand.

"I'll end by summoning Armed Ninja in Defense Mode," she announced.

She placed a card down, and a Ninja garbed in black with a blue mask and a horned, golden circlet, carrying a staff with a curved blade appeared. (300/300)

"So _now_ what?" gasped Andy.

"I don't know," muttered Stan. "Unless Fran has an extraordinary amount of luck on this draw, she won't be able to wipe out more than two of Lotus's lesser Ninja, leaving Lotus with the ability to simply repeat the trick again on her next turn…

"And don't forget, a lot of Lotus's Monsters let her Special Summon more Monsters – I don't think she has to worry about running out…"

Francesca slowly drew.

"I play Card Destruction!" she announced, fitting a card into a slot.

"Now we both have to discard both our hands and draw an equal number!"

"Whatever," said Lotus. "It won't help you…"

Francesca discarded her six cards, and drew another six.

One of the cards caught her eye.

_It's one of the cards I got from Merlee!_ she thought. _This is just what I need!_

She took a card from her hand.

"Okay, you Kung-Fu B-movie reject," she said, "I'll first place a card facedown…"

She fit a card into a slot, and it appeared.

"Then," she continued, "I'll play Monster Reborn!"

She inserted another card, and Amazoness Fighter reappeared. (1,500/1,300)

"But she won't be staying for long," said Francesca, with a smile. "Now I'll sacrifice Amazoness Fighter to summon one of the newest additions to my deck!"

She threw a card down… Amazoness Fighter vanished in a sparkling mist…

"I summon… **_Madame Flurrie of the Fog!_**"

A purple mist appeared over the field, which formed into a cloud… And the cloud took shape…

The creature that appeared before Francesca could best be described as a cross between a purple cloud and an opera diva. The well-endowed female Monster had dimples and a broad smile, wearing rouge and a great deal of lipstick. Her hair was neatly styled, and she wore a pearl necklace. She had no legs, her lower body trailing off into vapor. (1,800/1,000)

Just like they had when Stan had summoned Goombella, Francesca, Stan, and Andy felt an aura coming from this Monster – the same aura of friendship that they couldn't explain…

"Heh, heh, heh," laughed Lotus. "You expect me to be afraid of Aretha Franklin there?"

Flurrie gave her a dirty look.

"Don't insult Flurrie," warned Francesca, "because she has a powerful effect, one that I'm activating right now…"

"I thought I told you that my Ninja Master is now immune to Monster effects," laughed Lotus.

"True," agreed Francesca, taking two cards, "but that's not who I'm aiming for! I simply have to discard two cards…"

She discarded two cards.

"…and Flurrie, use your merciless Gale Force!"

Madame Flurrie took a deep breath, and blew forth a blast of wind! Armed Ninja, Ninja Commander Ikusa, Lady Ninja Yae, and Ninja Commando Kabuki all staggered against the windstorm…

And eventually they lost, and were thrown back! They shattered into shards!

"Like it?" said Francesca with a smile. "By discarding two cards, Flurrie's powerful lungs can destroy all opposing Monsters! It wasn't enough to reach your Ninja Master, but it made my job easier. I can only have Flurrie do that once per duel, and if I chose to have her do so, she can't actually attack on the same round…

"But my Amazoness Paladin can, and I have a theory about your Great Kite of Ninja…

"Amazoness Paladin, attack Lotus's Life Points directly!"

Amazoness Paladin charged, and slashed at Lotus with her sword! The Ninja gasped and fell over.

Her Life Points fell to 4,100.

"Just as I thought," said Francesca with a grin. "While he's on that Kite, he can't defend you from a direct attack!"

"All right!" shouted Andy. "Go Fran!"

"So now what are you going to do?" asked Fran. "If you summon something and sacrifice it to let your Ninja Master attack, I'll still be standing, and then my Paladin, Flurrie, and whatever I summon next will have a free shot at your Life Points! If you summon something to defend yourself, I'll likely destroy it easily.

"Either way, Ninja girl, you're trapped.

"I end my turn…"

She crossed her arms.

_Even if she does have her Ninja Master attack, it won't do any good, thanks to my Waboku card…_ thought Francesca.

Lotus slowly drew.

She looked at the card.

"I'll place a card facedown," she said, "and that will end my turn."

_Huh?_ thought Francesca. _She didn't do either? What's her game?_

She drew.

_Mystical Space Typhoon? That will work…_

"I'm activating my Trap!" shouted Lotus.

Her Trap Card lifted.

"I activate Ninjitsu Art of Transformation!"

The Great Kite of Ninja shattered and Ninja Master Shogun landed on the ground. Then the Ninjitsu Art of Decoy shattered.

Mystical energy surrounded Shogun…

"What's happening?" exclaimed Francesca.

"The Ninja can call upon the spirits of nature for great power!" exclaimed Lotus.

She chuckled.

"In game terms, this Trap lets me sacrifice any Ninja Monster for a Beast, Winged Beast, or Insect from my hand or deck with level stars up to three more than the sacrificed Monster's star level. And Ninja Master Shogun has five stars!"

"EEK!" shouted Andy. "That means the Monster she's about to summon could be as powerful as eight stars!"

Lotus deftly threw a card down on her Disk…

Ninja Master Shogun melted into a blob of magical light. It grew, and grew, and grew! It started to take shape…

And then, standing before Francesca was an enormous beetle with a exoskeleton that seemed to be made of steel!

"Meet my **_Metal Armored Bug_**!" laughed Lotus.

(2,800/1,500)

"Uh…" said Francesca.

She looked at her hand. Sweat poured down her face.

"I uh, end my turn…"

"FRAN!" yelled Andy. "You forgot to move your Monsters into Defense Mode!"

"HA, HA!" laughed Lotus, drawing. "Sloppy move Francesca!"

She pointed.

"Attack her Madame Flurrie, my Metal Armored Bug!"

Metal Armored Bug scurried forward…

"I activate Waboku!" shouted Francesca.

Her Trap Card lifted, and the three priestesses garbed in blue cloaks appeared to halt the Bug's advance.

"Pathetic…" said Lotus. "I'll end by placing one card facedown."

She placed a card down, and it appeared in front of her.

"Well, make your move…"

_My Destroy Defense card will make shifting to Defense Mode a pointless endeavor,_ she thought.

Francesca drew.

_Amazoness Chain Master?_ she thought, looking at it. _She's no help…_

She started to feel dizzy. She held her head…

_Darn,_ she thought. _This poison must be starting to make me feel flushed… How can I beat that thing if I can't even think straight…_

She closed her eyes…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Francesca?" said a husky voice. "Francesca? Come on, baby, get up…"

Francesca felt someone nudging her.

She opened her eyes, and she was in a cloudy place.

And she saw that the person who was nudging her was none other than Madame Flurrie.

"Come on, honey," she said. "This isn't over yet."

"Flurrie?" gasped Francesca. "You can talk?"

"As well as you can darlin', and I though I needed to," replied Flurrie. "I figure you're ready to give up. And I'm not gonna let you!"

"But it seems so hopeless…" mused Francesca. "I already discarded my Amazoness Spellcaster Magic Card… I didn't figure I would need it. And I can't use your effect again… I have very little that can help now…"

"So you're going to give up and let that assassin win?" asked Flurrie. "Let her go back to her employer and get her reward after she mocks you? That's not something that the first ones I worked with would have done.

"You're right in your suspicion, you know. That warrior in your vision who looked like you, the one who killed Hooktail – you're her descendant."

Francesca just stared at her.

"I hadn't joined the Three Heroes at that time," continued Flurrie. "It was really odd how I came to join them – a group of rascals had stolen this…"

She pointed to her necklace.

"…and then they got it back for me. So I decided to tag along."

She chuckled.

"A lot of it was because I had sort of a crush on Andy's ancestor!" she laughed. "Anyway, even when things got frightening and intense, I stuck by them…

"…and we got stronger as a team."

"The story is true?" asked Francesca, somewhat astonished.

"You can keep denying it and let it torture you, or you can accept it and become stronger. You have divine blood. And you can use it to defeat this second rate assassin!"

"But how?" asked Francesca. "That Insect is tougher than almost anything I have!"

"Do what your ancestor did and use your brain, baby," said Flurrie. "The answer is right in front of your face!"

_Right in front of my face?_ thought Francesca.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Francesca opened her eyes.

"Well, are you going to move, or aren't you?" asked Lotus.

"Give me a minute!" snapped Francesca.

She studied her hand, and then the field.

_Wait a second…_ she thought.

She noticed something…

Lotus's Ninjitsu Art of Transformation card had not left the field.

She noticed that the card had an infinity sign in the upper-right corner.

_It's a Continuous Trap,_ she thought.

She paused.

_Is that big bug somehow tied to that Trap Card? What would happen if I got rid of the Trap?_

She took a card from her hand.

_Let's find out…_

"I summon Amazoness Chain Master in Attack Mode!" she shouted, throwing a card down.

The female warrior with her spiked chain appeared. (1,500/1,300)

Amazoness Paladin's Attack went up to 1,900.

"What?" said Lotus in surprise. "Attack Mode?"

"And now," said Francesca, throwing a card into a slot, "I play Mystical Space Typhoon!"

The card revealed itself.

"Now to blow away your Ninjitsu Art of Transformation!" she yelled.

The cyclone blew forward, and smashed the Trap Card to pieces.

Then Metal Armored Bug screamed!

It shattered into shards.

"I thought so," said Francesca with a smile. "A Monster that's 'transformed' with your Trap Card depends on that Continuous Trap. Destroy the Trap Card, and destroy the Monster!"

Lotus drew back in fear…

"Now to finish this!" shouted Francesca. "Amazoness Paladin, attack directly with blade of the Amazons!"

Amazoness Paladin flew forth and struck Lotus with her sword! Lotus stumbled back, and her Life Points fell to 2,200.

"Amazoness Chain Master, attack with chain rend!"

Chain Master swung her weapon above her head, and hurled it forward, sending the barbed end into Lotus's gut! She screamed and fell over.

She slowly rose to her feet. Her Life Points fell to 700.

"And finally," yelled Francesca, "Madame Flurrie, blow her over with Gale Force!"

Madame Flurrie took a breath, and blasted forth her powerful gust! Lotus lost her balance and toppled over.

She lay sprawled on the ground, and her Life Points fell to zero.

The crowd cheered.

"All right, Francesca!" shouted Andy. "You go, girl!"

Francesca walked up to Lotus.

"You lost, and a deal's a deal," she said. "Hand over the antidote now!"

A look of fear crossed Lotus's eyes.

_The Queen…_ she thought. _Once she gets her hands on me…_

She took the antidote out of her jumpsuit, closing her fist around it.

_If I simply smash this on the ground and let her perish, maybe I'll be forgiven…_

Then somebody else grabbed her arm!

Francesca looked shocked.

"Merlee?" she said.

It was indeed Merlee. And he forced the vial out of Lotus's hand.

"N-n-not so fast, Yumi," he said.

He handed the vial to Francesca.

"Drink it quickly Francesca," he said, trying to restrain the Ninja.

"Yumi?" asked Francesca, uncorking the vial.

The Ninja tried to struggle, but Merlee was too strong for her. As Francesca drank the contents of the vial, Merlee removed the veil and hood from her head.

Francesca was shocked!

"YUMI?" she exclaimed.

Underneath the mask was a young Asian girl with long black hair.

"You know this kid?" asked Stan.

"YES!" shouted Francesca. "We've been friends since kindergarten! Yumi, why on earth…"

"I'll explain in a m-m-minute," said Merlee.

She stared into Yumi's eyes. His eyes started to glow…

"_Powers of Light,"_ he chanted, "_Shine through, and dispel the cloud of Darkness…"_

Yumi got up, and held her head.

She started quivering in fear…

"Merlee, why did Yumi attack me?" asked Francesca. "How did she get here? And how did she learn to duel so good?"

"I'll answer the s-s-second question first," said Merlee. "The Shadow Queen thought it w-w-would be… fun if you died believing a close friend had b-b-betrayed you. So when you l-l-left for Monster Island, she had Yumi kidnapped, and hypnotized her. That's how s-s-she convinced her she was someone else, and t-t-taught her to duel like a pro."

"Wait a second!" exclaimed Stan. "I may not be an expert on hypnosis, but I know that you can't be hypnotized against your will…"

Merlee chuckled.

"By that s-s-same theory," he said, "Kurtis c-c-can't control air and w-w-wind, but he was able to anyway…"

"Fran…" sobbed Yumi, "I'm… I'm sorry…"

She got up in panic.

"And you gotta help me!" she screamed. "The Queen said if I couldn't beat you she'd bury me in The Graveyard! When she finds out…"

"C-c-calm down dear…" said Merlee, putting her hand on her shoulder. "The Queen can only do that to servants or d-d-defeated foes. You aren't her s-s-servant anymore. S-s-so if you simply r-r-refrain from any more dueling, she won't be able to t-t-touch you."

Yumi sighed.

"Thanks," she sighed.

She took a Crystal Card out of her outfit.

"But this _was_ an official tournament duel," she sighed, "so I owe you this."

She handed Francesca the card.

"Thanks Yumi," said Francesca. "Apology accepted."

_So now I have four,_ she thought. _Three more to go…_

Then she noticed something.

"Um, Merlee?" she asked. "Why isn't my skin turning back to normal?"

"The blue c-c-color will last for about twenty-four hours, unfortunately," sighed Merlee.

Francesca held her head.

"Looks like the Queen managed to get one last shot at you," groaned Stan.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Crump was watching intently.

His cell phone rang.

Before he could even say "Hello," the Queen's voice shouted at him.

"CRUMP!" she shouted. "I hope you were watching…"

"Yes!" protested Crump, nervously. "Yes I was… That was a good duelist you sent after Francesca – she almost won…"

"Yeah, well, I seem to have lost my control over her!" shouted the Queen. "Who broke the spell?"

"Uhm, you didn't see?" asked Crump, getting nervous.

"NO! My stupid crystal ball went on the blink right after Francesca's Monster struck the last blow."

"Uhm," said Crump.

_Think, Crump, think…_ he thought, nervously.

"It was nobody I saw," he lied. "Maybe the shock from that direct attack blew her back to her senses…"

There was a pause.

"That might be possible, actually," pouted the Queen.

Another pause.

"Look, keep watching those kids, and keep tabs on anything they do."

"Sure," said Crump, "I can do that…"

"I have another plan in mind that might be entertaining," said the Queen. "Listen carefully."

As Crump listened on the phone, the girl in the cloak slipped up behind him and plucked the wallet out of his pocket.

_As the great P.T. Barnum once said,_ she thought, removing the cash, _there's a sucker born every minute._

She dropped the wallet and snuck away.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

It took three hot dogs to get Yumi to calm down.

"T-t-take heart, child," said Merlee, "she's enspelled people far stronger than y-y-you."

"I could have killed my best friend…" she moaned.

"Yeah," muttered Stan, "that was pretty low…"

"It's like I s-s-said," said Merlee. "She'll do anything to escape. Commit any crime, or any immoral act…"

After a long pause, Stan spoke up.

"Folks," he said, "maybe we should start listening to this guy a bit more… This is heavier than we thought. What do you think Andy?"

He looked around.

"Andy?"

Andy was a hundred feet ahead of them, looking at a sign.

"What's the scoop, Andy?" he asked.

"Look at this, guys," he said, pointing to the sign.

They read.

**WELCOME CONTESTANTS!**

**Great opportunity for great duelists!**

**Fame and fortune, and a grand prize**

**awaits any contestant who**

**can outduel the Glitz Pit's reigning champion!**

**Register at the Pit and ask for Jolene**

"What do you say guys?" said Andy. "Maybe this could be a great opportunity!"

They turned to Merlee.

"Actually, it sounds like a great opportunity," he said. "The Glitz Pit is a great way to earn a reputation on Monster Island…"

"Well I'm not appearing in public with blue skin," moaned Francesca. "One of you do it."

Stan and Andy looked at each other.

They raised their fists and shook.

Andy's stayed closed, rock. Stan's fingers jutted open, scissors.

"Darn…" sighed Stan.

"Well," said Andy. "Let's go check this out!"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The Glitz Pit.

One hour later.

Before the tournament had started, this arena was a haven for boxing and wrestling exhibitions.

That was changed when the tournament was announced. The arena floor had been converted into a dueling ring.

The woman in charge of this large structure was in her office right now. She was a woman about thirty years old or so, with blonde hair down to her waist, who wore a red business suit. She also had a habit of wearing sunglasses, even indoors on cloudy days.

Right now she was killing time with a crossword puzzle.

_Let's see,_ she thought. _Seven letter word for "goddess of wisdom", starting with M…_

She paused.

_I'll go back to it…_

The beeper on her desk speaker beeped.

"Miss Jolene," said a voice. "Some folks to see you. It's about the notice you posted."

"Really?" she responded. "Send them in."

She put the puzzle in her desk and waited.

After a few minutes, Stan, Andy, and Yumi walked in. (Francesca insisted on waiting outside, as did Merlee for some reason.)

"Come on in," said Jolene. "So, which one of you is interested?"

"Uhm…" stuttered Andy.

He paused, nervously.

"That would be me," he stammered. "The name's Andy Markova."

"Well," said Jolene, with a sly smile, "the Glitz Pit takes its contenders seriously. Let's take a look at the deck…"

"Well, uhm…" said Andy, reluctantly.

"Come on," sighed Jolene. "You won't be dueling _me_, and I don't give out favors to the one you will be."

Andy sighed and handed her his deck.

"Interesting," said Jolene, leafing through the cards. "Interesting… Ooh, that's rare… never saw that one…"

She handed it back.

"Well," she said, walking to a closet, "I think you'll be able to put on quite a show…"

She removed a tall box from the closet.

"The match will start at four," she said, handing it to him. "Here's your costume."

"Costume?" said Andy, nervously.

"Sure!" commented Jolene. "If you're going to lose, you might as well do it in style! Anyway, my assistant will show you to the green room."

Andy sighed.

"I'm gonna regret this," he muttered under his breath.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

As soon as the three had left, Jolene's phone rang.

"Y'ello," she said, answering it.

"Hello, Jolene…" said a sinister voice.

"Y-your excellence…" she stammered.

"Shut up and listen, Jolene," ordered the voice. "I heard you had a contender for your little offer…"

"Well, the offer was your idea!" protested Jolene.

"Yes," said the voice, "and since I'm funding your little event, there's going to be a little change in the fight card…"

"WHAT?" shouted Jolene. "What do you mean? I can't…"

"You'll do as I say!" ordered the voice. "Give the champion the day off; my son is taking over."

"But… ma'am…" she protested.

"NO BUTS!" shouted the response. "He'll be there in an hour."

The phone hung up.

"Curse you," muttered Jolene.

"Fine," she sneered, "I'll change the fight card if you want…"

She went up to a light fixture in the wall, and twisted it.

A secret door in the wall swung open.

"But you didn't tell me what prize I have to give away if your brat loses. And if he does, Andy is getting a _special_ prize!"

She walked into the secret door.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

One hour later…

Andy felt somewhat self-conscious as he looked at himself in the mirror…

…and saw himself wearing the black spandex suit with a cape and a claw-like helmet.

"Truthfully guys," he asked, "how do I look?"

"Truthfully?" commented Stan. "Like Lord of Dragons."

"I look ridiculous…" muttered Andy. "As much as I like Lord of Dragons, I never expected to start dressing like him…"

"I think you look cute," giggled Francesca.

"_I don't want to look cute!"_ shouted Andy.

"Hey," sighed Stan, "you have to make sacrifices for stardom."

At that point, Merlee walked in.

"You still here?" grumbled Andy.

"Cool it guys," snapped Francesca, "he saved Yumi."

"Everyone m-m-mind if I speak to Andy in p-p-private?" asked Merlee.

"Sure, Merl," said Francesca. "We'll just go and see if we can get good seats…"

She, Stan, and Yumi left the room.

"Andy," said Merlee, sitting down, "I h-h-have a feeling this is g-g-going to be a t-t-tough duel for you…"

"I can handle it," replied Andy.

"Well…" muttered Merlee. "M-m-mind if I take a look at y-y-your deck first?"

"Geesh," moaned Andy. "Why does everyone have such an interest in my cards?"

Nonetheless, he felt he could trust Merlee, so he took the deck out of his Disk tray and handed it to Merlee.

"Yes, yes, y-y-yes," said Merlee, looking over them. "Quite a few powerful c-c-cards…"

He looked at one in particular.

"Tyrant Dragon?" he asked.

"Um, yeah," answered Andy. "That's my most powerful Monster… Aside from Red Eyes Darkness Dragon."

"Indeed," said Merlee with a frown.

He took a card out of his coat.

"Tyrant Dragon is qu-qu-quite powerful," he agreed, "but for this particular duel, I'd s-s-suggest replacing it w-w-with this guy."

He handed Andy a card.

Andy looked at the card and gave him a strange look.

"Well?" said Merlee.

"Uh, Merlee," he said, "not to offend, but that's a pretty dumb suggestion…"

"H-h-how come?" asked Merlee.

"One," explained Andy, "this Monster isn't as powerful as Tyrant Dragon, two, its effect isn't as useful, and three, although it's a Dragon, it isn't meant to be used in Dragon Decks!"

"Those are all g-g-good points," replied Merlee, "b-b-but I have a feeling that you'll find more use for this one in th-th-this particular duel than Tyrant Dragon.

"Anyway, that card is p-p-pretty rare, so be sure to r-r-return it later."

He got up and left the room.

Andy looked at the card, and he looked at Tyrant Dragon.

_He's nuts!_ he thought. _How can this guy be better in ANY way than Tyrant Dragon?_

A pit of doubt started to form deep inside him…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Outside the Glitz Pit, a bonfire erupted on the street! Everyone around it fled in terror!

Someone stepped out of the flames.

"Well, the Glitz Pit!" he exclaimed.

He chuckled. He took a deck of cards out of his pocket.

"I don't want to get caught in a rant here, but right now, I feel more confident than Ruth Ginsberg about to enter an 'ugliest woman in the U.S. Government' contest! Watch out Andy…"

**0**

**0**

**0**

**NINJA COMANDER IKUSA (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Warrior/Effect  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level: **3  
**ATK: **700  
**DEF: **700

**Card Description:** This stealthy fighter is a master of the Ninjitsu technique known as "multiplicity." If this Monster is Normal Summoned in Attack Mode, you can special summon one "Ninja Soldier Katana" from your hand or deck in face up Attack Mode.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**NINJA SOLDIER KATANA (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Warrior  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level: **2  
**ATK: **400  
**DEF: **400

**Card Description: **This assassin is a longtime partner of Ninja Commander Ikusa, and is seldom far behind him.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**NINJA MASTER SHOGUN (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Warrior/Effect  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level: **5  
**ATK: **1,600  
**DEF: **1,600

**Card Description: **It is said that no-one has ever seen this master assassin coming until it was too late. This Monster cannot be Special Summoned. This Monster can only be Tribute Summoned by first removing one "Ninja Commander Ikusa" and one "Ninja Soldier Katana" in your Graveyard from play. When this Monster is successfully Tribute Summoned, you can Special Summon up to two Monsters with the word "Ninja" in their name who have three stars or less from you hand or deck.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**NINJA COMMANDO KABUKI (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Warrior/Effect  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level: **3  
**ATK: **700  
**DEF: **700

**Card Description: **This sly assassin is believed to be second in command to the Ninja Master. When this Monster is Normal Summoned, Flip Summoned, or Special Summoned, you can Special Summon one Monster with the word "Ninja" in its name with two stars or less from your hand or deck.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**KUNOICHI AYAME THE NINJA GIRL (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Warrior  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level: **1  
**ATK: **300  
**DEF: **300

**Card Description: **The youngest of the Ninja clan, this teenage assassin's skill is limited, but she is believed to have potential.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**GREAT KITE OF NINJA (Magic Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Magic/Equip  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description: **Image of a huge, square, red and blue kite. This card can be Equipped to any Monster with the word "Ninja" in its name. A Monster Equipped with this card cannot be attacked by an opposing Monster, is immune to all Magic Cards (except this one), and is immune to Monster effects. Also, you may attack your opponent's Life Points directly with the Equipped Monster if you offer another Monster on your side of the field as a Tribute. If the Monster Equipped with this card is the only Monster on your side of the field, your opponent may attack your Life Points directly.

_Note: The above six cards were used by Jean-Claude Magnum in the anime episode "Lights, Camera, Duel!". All creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0**

**0**

**0**

**MADAME FLURRIE OF THE FOG (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Fairy/Effect  
**Attribute: **Wind  
**Level: **5  
**ATK: **1,800  
**DEF: **1,000

**Card Description: **It is said that this glamorous wind spirit developed a crush on one of the Three Heroes, and decided to follow him as one of the Seven Companions. When this Monster is face up on the field, you can discard two cards from your hand to destroy all face-up opposing Monsters. If you choose to use this effect, this Monster cannot attack during the same turn. This Monster's effect can only be used once during the duel.

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**I'll bet I caught a lot of you by surprise with Lotus/Yumi's "intentions". You likely thought she was just as evil as the rest of the Queen's servants, didn't you?**_

**_You probably want to know who the creepy girl in the cloak is. You'll have to wait, but you'll certainly be seeing more of her. _**

**_Anyway, next chapter, Andy duels before a capacity crowd, and his foe is as mean as they come. Don't miss "Clash in the Coliseum", coming soon…_**

**_Any similarity to the name of the chapter and that of the anime episode is intentional!_**


	12. Clash in the Coliseum

_**From the dawn of time, fire has been both a friend and an enemy of mankind… Folks learned that quickly.**_

_**On one side of the coin, it is a useful tool. It can provide light, keep you warm, cook food that would be otherwise inedible, and keep dangerous creatures at bay…**_

_**But on the other side, it can be a deadly hazard that can burn and destroy anything in its path if left unchecked. Wounds caused by fire do not heal easily, and lands ravaged by fire take many years to recover. **_

**_Let me tell you… When your mother tells you not to play with matches, _listen_ to her._**

_**Fire has become increasing popular in Duel Monsters in recent years. Powerful decks have been created meaning to take advantage of this Attribute. **_

_**Right now, I'm in front of a sold-out crowd, facing a guy who uses such a deck…**_

**_Unfortunately, he's far from the average duelist. This guy seems to have been _born_ of Fire…_**

_**With a capital F.**_

_**Well, no problem. Stan and Francesca already handled two members of this guy's family… It's my turn now…**_

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER ELEVEN**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Clash in the Coliseum**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

Andy's watch read fifteen minutes to four.

"Well," he said to himself, "Jolene said her assistant would be here in five minutes…

"So I'm either going to go out there and win, or make an absolute fool out of myself…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

In her office, Jolene was biting her nails.

"Geeze, Jolene," said a voice, "you look more jumpy than a virgin at a prison rodeo!"

"Must you make fun of me?" groaned Jolene. "It isn't professional!"

"No, but it's fun!" laughed the voice. "You just do your job, and I assure you, no one will get hurt."

An assistant walked in.

"Ms. Jolene, are we ready to start?" he asked.

"I'm doomed…" she moaned.

"Huh?" he asked.

"Doomed," she repeated. "Once this whole tournament is over, she'll just lock me up like she did my brother…"

"Not that it's my position to give advice," he answered, "but why don't you just leave Monster Island?"

"I wouldn't get far," stammered Jolene. "She'd find me. There isn't a redcap, waitress, cab driver, or hotel bellboy in existence who wouldn't be happy to tell her where I am…"

"How come?" he asked.

"I undertip…" she replied.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

In ringside seats, Francesca and Yumi were sitting, watching the coliseum fill up. Stan was at the concession stand, and Merlee… well, he was nowhere to be seen.

The arena was pretty big – not as big as, say, Madison Square Garden, but it was a decent-sized place. And it seemed like a large crowd was turning out.

Francesca inspected the ring itself, if you could call it that. It was circular, and about one hundred feet in diameter, bordered by holographic imaging projectors. Clearly, this was state of the art…

Stan came back, carrying a tray of refreshments.

"Okay," he said. "I hope I've got enough…"

"Andy should take down this guy pretty fast," said Francesca with a smile. "Say, anyone have any idea who he's fighting?"

"I've been in Glitzville for a while," answered Yumi. "Some folks mentioned that the Glitz Pit's reigning champion is a guy who calls himself 'Rawk Hawk'. But I don't know much about him…"

At that moment, the lights dimmed, and the spotlight fell on the ring.

Jolene appeared in the center of the ring.

"Welcome ladies and gentlemen!" she shouted. "And welcome to what promises to be an exciting and thrilling contest!

"Let's give it up for our challenger! Presenting… from Florida, the Sunshine State, MARKOVA THE LORD OF DRAGONS!"

_Ho boy,_ thought Andy.

He walked up onto the ring, and to his surprise, a good many people cheered.

"And his opponent, a native of Monster Island…" she started.

She cringed.

"May I present, TYSON THE LEGENDARY FLAME LORD!"

Andy perked up a little at this. He looked towards the other side of the arena for his opponent…

And saw, in the dim light, to glowing red eyes appear in the entrance…

As the spotlight fell on the entrance, a young boy about fifteen or so walked towards the ring…

He certainly _wasn't_ dressed like Legendary Flame Lord…

This kid was strange, no question about it. He had hazel eyes and coal-black hair. His skin was deeply tanned, and his features suggested those of a native of Hawaii. He was somewhat muscular, and apparently, he liked to show his muscles. He wore a red vest, and a pair of leather trousers.

Then Andy noticed something… As this guy was walking up to the ring, his footsteps were leaving scorching footprints in the carpet!

Jolene groaned.

"Heh, heh," laughed Tyson. "Glad to be here, Jolene, but I'm afraid I can't promise you an 'exciting and thrilling contest'. This duel is gonna be over faster than Luke Perry's movie career!"

That did it. The nervousness was flushed out of Andy's mind… And his determination began to take over.

"Really?" he snapped back. "If your dueling is as bad as your jokes, I have nothing to worry about!"

Tyson motioned for him to come forward. Andy did so.

"Heh, heh," whispered Tyson. "You're obviously as clueless as the typical 'Dungeons & Dragons' fan…"

"What's wrong with 'Dungeons & Dragons'?" snapped Andy.

Tyson ignored him and continued.

"…but you obviously don't know who you're dealing with!" he chuckled. "Want a hint?"

He stared at Andy…

A ball of flame appeared in his hand…

"I'm one of the Shadow Spawn!" he exclaimed. "Tyson's the name, master of Fire! Your two pals may have defeated my brother and sister, but I'm hotter than Emeril Lagasse's spicy Cajun shrimp! And once I outduel you…

"Well, you'll be sorry…"

"You can't force me to duel you, Tyson…" growled Andy.

Tyson's eyes glowed red.

"Aw, Andy, you wouldn't want to disappoint all your fans, would you?" he asked.

He paused. His hand lit on fire again.

"Besides," he whispered, "if you refuse, I can set fire to this arena… Do you know what would happen if five-hundred people started to panic in a crowded auditorium?"

Andy's eyes narrowed.

"Fine," he sneered. "You want a duel, you've got one."

"Great," smiled Tyson out loud. "Then prepare to burn! I can defeat chumps like you faster than Willard Scott can clean out an all-you-can-eat buffet!"

Flames enshrouded his left arm, and a shimmering, bronze Duel Disk appeared on it…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Who is this guy?" asked Stan.

"Wait…" muttered Francesca, "did he say his name was Tyson?"

"Yeah…"

"Merlee said that one of the Shadow Spawn's names was Tyson…" muttered Francesca.

"Shadow Spawn?" cried Yumi, shivering. "I saw them… briefly in the Palace. They were creepy!"

"You're telling us!" exclaimed Stan. "We've got to hope Andy can handle this guy…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

As usual, the Disks flipped into place, and the scores set to 8,000 apiece.

"It's time to duel, as they're so fond of saying…" chuckled Tyson. "I'll start this show…"

He made his first hand.

_This is too easy…_ he thought. _Andy will be more outclassed than Mike Tyson was against Evander Holyfield!_

"Okay Andy," he said, "I'm playing Graceful Charity!"

He plugged the card into his Disk, and the beautiful angel appeared in front of him. She handed him three cards.

"Now, seeing as you can't stop me," he continued, "there's not much harm in showing you one of the cards I'm discarding…"

He flipped one Monster Card towards Andy.

"Marie the Fallen One?" asked Andy.

"Uh huh," replied Tyson.

He handed it and another card to the angel, and she flew into his discard slot.

"And so long as she's in my Graveyard, I gain 200 Life Points per round!"

"Next," he continued, "I'll place this card facedown…"

He slid a card into a slot, and it appeared in front of him.

"And then," he continued, "I'll summon my Fire Princess, in Attack Mode!"

He put a card down, and a beautiful woman dressed in a flowing red gown carrying a wooden staff appeared. (1,300/1,500)

"That will do for now," he said with a grin.

_Hmph,_ thought Andy, drawing a card. _Classic Fire Princess strategy. Every time his Life Points go up, mine will go down… So that facedown card is clearly a Trap…_

He looked at his hand.

_But I've got to try anyway…_

He put a card down.

"I'll summon Twin-Headed Behemoth in Attack Mode!" he shouted.

The huge, grey, two-headed Dragon appeared in front of him. (1,500/1,300)

"Twin-Headed Behemoth," he shouted, "attack his Fire Princess with double flame blast!"

Behemoth opened its two jaws and shot out two blasts of fire…

"You're more stupid than the guy who greenlighted _National Treasure_!" laughed Tyson. "I activate Magic Cylinder!"

His Trap Card lifted, and the two Cylinders appeared in the air. The flames flew into one of the Cylinders, and then shot out of the other striking Andy!

His Life Points fell to 6,500. The crowd gasped.

"Fine," snarled Andy. "I end my turn. But at least I made you use up your Trap…"

_I'm not too worried about that…_ thought Tyson, looking at his hand.

"Now," he said, "I draw one card…"

He drew.

"…meaning my Life Points rise…"

His Life Points went up to 8,200.

"…which means my Fire Princess can do her work!"

Fire Princess aimed her staff, and shot a blast of flame at Andy! He staggered back, and his Life Points fell to 6,000.

"And now," smiled Tyson, "if you think my Fire Princess is hot stuff, I'll raise the temperature even more, by summoning her brother…"

He put a card down.

"…a guy called Fire Prince!"

A flame appeared next to Fire Princess, and a new Monster appeared. He was a young man dressed in fiery red royal raiment, and his hair was cherry red. He carried a scepter topped with a red ruby. (1,500/1,300)

"And that's my move," he chuckled.

_Odd,_ thought Andy.

He drew.

His eyes opened at the sight of the card!

_It's one of those cards Merlee gave us!_ he thought.

He looked at the two Pyros in front of him.

_If my hunch about his Fire Prince is right, I'll be able to do some serious damage to his Life Points…_

He put a card down.

"I summon this Monster in Attack Mode…" he exclaimed. "Allow me to introduce… Koops the Bashful!"

A small form leapt up onto the field. The creature looked, for all intents and purposes, like a turtle walking on his hind legs, with long arms. He had a sullen look on his face, and a bandage covering his nose. (1,800/500)

Stan and Francesca got up.

Again, there was that feeling. The feeling like they were seeing an old friend that they hadn't seen for a long time…

Clearly, these special cards were much more than mere cards…

"A turtle?" questioned Tyson.

"Uh huh," answered Andy. "Okay, Koops, show that teenage mutant what a full grown turtle can do! Attack his Fire Prince with Power Shell!"

"NO!" shouted Tyson.

Koops retracted into his shell, and then shot forward like a missile! He plowed into Fire Prince, and blasted him into pixels!

"Ack…" gasped Tyson.

Then he noticed that Koops was starting to spin wildly…

"If you think _that_ was impressive," continued Andy, "Koops, now attack his Fire Princess!"

Koops darted past Tyson, and then plowed into Fire Princess from behind, blasting her to shards!

"Your Monster can attack twice?" gasped Tyson.

"Yes," said Andy, as Koops leapt back to his side and emerged from his shell. "In return for that special move, he can't attack on my next turn…

"But let's not forget about my Twin-Headed Behemoth!"

Tyson drew back in fear…

"Behemoth, attack his Life Points directly!"

Twin-Headed Behemoth blasted forth its fire, striking Tyson! He shielded himself as he was engulfed in the inferno!

The crowd let out an uproar!

Tyson's Life Points stood at 5,900.

"How'd you like that, flame-brain?" laughed Andy.

"I absolutely love it!" laughed Tyson. "In case you didn't catch it the first time, I'm the Shadow Spawn of Fire!"

Fran gasped.

"Well, that clinches it…" muttered Stan.

"At least Andy is slightly ahead…" muttered Yumi.

"Not for long…" sighed Francesca.

Tyson drew, and his Life Points went up to 6,100.

"Okay," he said, "I place one card facedown, and end my turn…"

A card appeared in front of him.

Andy looked at him strangely.

"No Monsters?" he asked.

Tyson starred at him.

Andy drew.

"Sorry, firebug, but I'm not falling for it…" he said.

"So you aren't going to attack?" asked Tyson.

"Not only am I not going to attack," said Andy, "but I'm shifting both my Monsters into Defense Mode…"

He turned his cards. Twin-Headed Behemoth folded its wings, and Koops knelt in a defensive stance.

"And now I'll summon The Dragon Dwelling in the Cave in Defense Mode," he continued.

He placed a card down, and the large, sleepy Dragon appeared. (1,300/2,000)

"That will end my turn," he said.

Tyson chuckled. He drew, and his Life Points went up to 6,300.

"I knew it," he laughed. "You're more gullible than the jury that acquitted O.J. Simpson!"

"Will you cut it out?" said Andy, annoyed. "You may think you're as witty as Dennis Miller, but you're not!"

"Too bad!" laughed Tyson. "I reveal my facedown card – it's a Trap called Level Conversion Lab!"

The card lifted. It showed a scientist in the foreground of a space-age laboratory in front of a creature inside a glass cylinder, hooked up to wires.

"Huh?" questioned Andy. "I've never heard of Level Conversion Lab…"

"Let me explain to you how this complex Trap Card works," said Tyson. "First, I have to show you a Monster Card from my hand… And I chose this one…"

He presented a card.

"A mighty Warrior of flame known as Fire Queen!"

_Fire Queen?_ thought Andy, puzzled. _Who's that? Fire Princess's mom?_

"Now comes the fun part…" said Tyson, with a smile.

A silvery dice flew out of the Trap Card.

"This dice is going to roll," explained Tyson. "If it lands on a one, I have to discard the Fire Queen. If it lands on any other number, then that's Fire Queen's star level until the end of my current turn!

"You might be interested in knowing, by the way, that Fire Queen is normally an eight-star Monster…"

Francesca gasped!

"No!" she shouted. "That Monster normally needs two sacrifices to summon, but when that dice changes its star level…"

"Tyson has a flat fifty-percent chance of being able to summon it with _no_ sacrifice…" muttered Stan.

The dice fell to the floor… It skipped and rolled…

And it came up… a four!

The crowd gasped.

"Talk about luck," chuckled Tyson. "I should think about going to Vegas when I get older…"

He threw the card down, and a bonfire erupted on his side of the field. A tall, buxom woman wearing a shiny, strapless leotard colored gold, golden boots and gloves, and a golden crown set with a fire opal stepped out of the blaze. Her eyes burned with fire, and her skin was richly tanned. She held a blazing sword in her hand. (2,500/2,000)

"Heh, heh," smiled Tyson. "My Queen… Even if you could destroy her, and I doubt you can, my opponent takes any damage resulting from a battle with her! And she has another ability…"

A card slipped out of his deck and he took it.

He placed it on the Disk.

"When she's summoned, I get to summon another Monster… the even stronger **Fire King!**"

And even larger bonfire appeared, and a muscular form appeared out of it. It was a powerful Warrior wearing bronze armor and a decorative crown set with _several_ fire opals. His eyes burned with flame as well, and he had a flaming beard. He also carried a blazing sword. (3,000/2,500)

"But wait!" shouted Tyson, "there's more!"

"More?" groaned Andy.

Another card flew out of Tyson's deck.

"When Fire King is summoned," he continued, "I get to add a specific Field Card to my hand!"

"What, Molten Destruction?" sneered Andy.

Tyson laughed out loud.

"No…" he chuckled. "This is better than Molten Destruction…"

He opened his Field slot and fit the card in. The slot snapped shut.

"Watch," laughed Tyson, "as the ring is transformed into a fiery realm known as… **VOLCANO PALACE!**"

Everyone gasped, and an aura covered the arena. The "sky" became smoky and red, and the floor turned into a lava-choked wasteland. Geysers of magma shot up all around them! Finally, a sinister palace of shining obsidian rose into view behind Tyson…

"Ah!" exclaimed Tyson. "My ultimate three-card-combo! Reminds me of where I grew up…"

"You grew up in a volcano?" asked Andy snidely.

"Actually, yes," chuckled Tyson. "Mom sent me to live on Hawaii for the first few years of my life. But let me explain the benefits of this card…

"First, all Fire Monsters gain 500 points to both their Attack _and_ Defense!"

Fire Queen's stats rose to (3,000/2,500), while Fire King's rose to (3,500/3,000)

"Second," continued Tyson, "whenever a Fire Monster is destroyed by any means other than an attack, the owner gains Life Points equal to its original Attack! So a Mirror Force, assuming you have one, will only help me!"

He laughed.

"Now, my Queen," he laughed, "wipe out his turtle with royal flames!"

Fire Queen laughed, and swung her sword forward! A wave of fire shot forward, and Koops was incinerated.

Andy closed his eyes.

_Sorry Koops…_ he thought. _I promise you, I won't let this bastard win…_

"Fire King…" yelled Tyson, "destroy his Behemoth with imperial blast!"

Fire King waved his fiery blade forward, and Twin-Headed Behemoth burst!

Andy frowned.

"Twin-Headed Behemoth, return!" he shouted.

The two-headed Dragon reappeared where it had been destroyed. (1,000/1,200)

"Neat trick," chuckled Tyson. "Ah well… I end my turn… But I doubt even any of your double-sacrifice Monsters can defeat my monarchs! You're in worse shape than Johnny Knoxville would be at any network _other_ than MTV!"

"He isn't in the best shape _there_ any more either!" snarled Andy, drawing.

_Not much I can do now, but defend…_ he thought.

He placed a card down.

"I summon Masked Dragon in Defense Mode!" he shouted.

He threw a card down, and the metallic rust-red Dragon wearing a mask appeared, folding its wings.

"And thanks to your own Field Card," continued Andy, "he gets a bonus!"

(1,400/1,100) –) (1,900/1,600)

"Big deal!" laughed Tyson. "It isn't nearly enough. And that bonus will only help me…"

"Say what?" asked Andy.

"You'll see," said Tyson. "Is that your turn?"

"Yeah, go ahead…"

Tyson drew, and his Life Points went up to 6,500.

"Now," said Tyson, "let me explain _another_ benefit I now have…"

"Another one?" exclaimed Andy in surprise.

"Yes!" laughed Tyson. "When Fire King is on the field with Volcano Palace, then once per round, I get to summon one of _these_!"

A small flame appeared, and a fiery teenager wearing a page's outfit appeared. (500/500) –) (1,000/1,000)

"It's a token called a Fire Servant," chuckled Tyson. "And don't let his low scores fool you. So long as Volcano Palace exists, he can't be destroyed via battle… AND, and damage involving a battle with him is inflicted on _you_ instead of me!"

"Eep!" shrieked Francesca. "This _is_ the perfect three-card-combo!"

"And he's in trouble…" sighed Stan.

"Fire Queen," commanded Tyson, "burn up his Twin-Headed Behemoth!"

Fire Queen laughed and shot flame from her sword, blasting the Dragon away a second time!

"Fire King, roast his Dragon Dwelling in the Cave!"

Fire King shot forth his own flame, and the Dragon was blown apart.

"Fire Servant, attack his Masked Dragon, and take a chunk out of his Life Points!"

Flames appeared in Fire Servants hands, and he shot the flame forward, striking Masked Dragon! Masked Dragon roared in pain, and Andy's Life Points fell to 5,400.

"Your move," snickered Tyson. "And just so you know, next round I'll add another Fire Servant to the field!"

Andy drew.

_This will protect me for one round, at least…_ he thought.

"I summon this in Defense Mode!" he shouted. "Troop Dragon!"

He placed the card down, and the trio of winged draconic warriors appeared, kneeling in Defense. (700/800)

"That's all for me this round," he snarled.

"Please," said Tyson, "you have about as much a chance as Rick Lazio did against Hillary Clinton. Why keep it up?"

He drew. His Life Points went up to 6,700.

Another Fire Servant appeared on his side of the field. (500/500) –) (1,000/1,000)

"Fire Queen," commanded Tyson, "wipe out his Masked Dragon!"

Fire Queen blasted forth her flame, and Masked Dragon was incinerated.

"Nice," said Andy.

A card flew out of his deck.

"Too bad you don't know about Masked Dragon's effect. When he's destroyed in battle, I can Special Summon another Dragon with a low Attack Score…"

He put the card down.

"So I'll summon another Masked Dragon in Defense Mode!"

A new Masked Dragon appeared!

"Cute," sneered Tyson. "Fire King, destroy his second Masked Dragon!"

Fire King shot forth his blazing fire, and the second Masked Dragon exploded!

Another card flew out of Andy's deck. He placed it down…

A third Masked Dragon appeared!

"You think you're so smart?" scoffed Tyson. "Fire Servant number one, attack his Troop Dragon!"

The first Fire Servant cast his fiery spell, and the small Dragons were blown away.

Again, a card flew out of Andy's deck.

"Nice try," said Andy, with a grin, "but Troop Dragon has a similar ability. When one Troop Dragon is destroyed, I can summon another!"

He placed the card down, and a new Troop Dragon appeared.

Tyson growled.

"You!" he shouted, pointing to his second Fire Servant. "Destroy his second Troop Dragon!"

The second Fire Servant obliterated the Troop Dragon.

Andy put a card down, and his third Troop Dragon appeared.

Francesca sighed.

"Andy managed to put up quite a wall," she groaned, "but next round, it's going to come tumbling down…"

"There's got to be something he can do…" muttered Stan.

"My move now!" exclaimed Andy.

He drew.

"And I play… Reload!" he exclaimed.

He put the card in a slot.

His Disk flew out of the holder, and then the five cards in his hand floated into it. Then the deck reshuffled itself in mid-air, and placed itself back in its holder. Finally, five new cards flew out of the deck and Andy caught them.

_Let's see,_ thought Andy, _I've got two Trap Cards, two Magic Cards, and one Mon…_

He stopped short.

_Hey…_ he thought. _This is that Monster that Merlee convinced me to put in my deck before the duel…_

He paused.

_Maybe this guy IS a little better than Tyrant Dragon in this situation… I think I have all the cards I need for one big combo!_

_But Merlee and I are having a long talk after this is over…_

"Okay, Tyson," said Andy, in a threatening tone, "I'm placing _three_ cards facedown on the field…"

He threw the cards into slots, and they appeared in front of him.

"…and that will end my turn."

Tyson drew.

His Life Points went up to 6,900.

And then, a third Fire Servant appeared. (500/500) –) (1,000/1,000)

"You think that scares me?" laughed Tyson. "I already told you, if one of those Traps destroys one of my Monsters, I'll just get stronger!

"And to prove I'm not scared of you, I'm sending my strongest Monster to attack first! Fire King…"

"I activate my first facedown card!" interrupted Andy. "Reveal Threatening Roar!"

The Trap Card lifted, and a huge beast with horns and purple fur appeared behind Andy. It bellowed, and Tyson's five Monsters drew back in fright! They cowered close to him, quivering.

"My Trap Card has made your forces too frightened to attack this round," stated Andy, "meaning that my Monsters are safe."

"For now…" sneered Tyson. "But not for long. I end my turn."

Andy drew, and added the card to his hand.

"Okay, Tyson," he said, "your Volcano Palace is a nice place, but frankly, I'm sick of it…"

He fit a card into a slot.

"…so I'm destroying it with Mystical Space Typhoon!"

A whirlwind erupted around the field, and Volcano Palace disintegrated, the lava evaporating and the Palace itself crumbling into dust. The ring returned to normal.

Fire King's stats returned to (3,000/2,500), Fire Queen's returned to (2,500/2,000), and the stats of each Fire Servant returned to (500/500).

"Bah!" shouted Tyson. "Big deal! My King and Queen are still stronger than anything you're likely to summon!"

"We'll see about that," said Andy, taking a card from his hand. "Because now I sacrifice my Masked Dragon AND my Troop Dragon…"

His two Monsters vanished, and he placed a card down…

"To summon a beast whose name is feared in the mystical Orient as…**YAMATA DRAGON!**"

A bellowing roar shook the field, and an immense form arose behind Andy. The Dragon didn't seem to have a body… It looked like eight ugly, snake-like, Dragon heads, colored tan with reptilian eyes! Smoke poured from its eight jaws! (2,600/3,100)

The crowd gasped… And then they cheered!

"Francesca?" said Stan, puzzled. "Why on earth would Andy put _that_ in his deck? Yamata Dragon is powerful… but it isn't for a standard Dragon Deck…"

"Uh…" stammered Francesca. "I… don't know…"

"HA, HA, HA, HA, HA!" laughed Tyson. "What a dope! I haven't seen a move that dumb since they elected the dead guy Senator of Missouri!"

"Why is it dumb?" asked Andy.

"Duh!" laughed Tyson. "In case you didn't know, Yamata Dragon is a Spirit Monster! You may be able to destroy my Queen with it, but after that, its card will return to your hand, and my Fire King will smash you!"

"That's not what I have planned at all," said Andy with a grin.

Another of his facedown cards lifted.

"I activate another Trap… Burst Breath!"

"Huh?" said Tyson, in surprise.

"By offering my Yamata Dragon as a sacrifice, all Monsters on the field with a Defense Score equal to or lower than its Attack Score are destroyed! And in case you didn't notice, all of your Monsters' Defense Scores are lower than 2,600!"

"WHAT?" shouted Tyson. "YOU CAN'T!"

"I can!" laughed Andy. "Yamata Dragon, wipe out his Fire freaks! Burst Breath!"

Yamata Dragon roared, and blew flame from its eight mouths, and the whole field erupted in an inferno! Five screams filled the air!

When the smoke cleared, Fire King, Fire Queen, the three Fire Servants, and Yamata Dragon itself had been eradicated.

The crowd rose to their feet and cheered!

Tyson stood with his mouth agape.

"And I'm not done yet, Tyson," said Andy. "I activate my last facedown card…"

The card lifted.

"It's a Quickplay Magic Card called Super Rejuvenation. This lets me draw one card for each Dragon that I sacrificed during this round, and I sacrificed three – two to summon Yamata Dragon, and the Yamata Dragon itself to activate my Trap."

Three cards flew out of his deck, and he caught them.

"So make your move…" he said.

"In case you didn't realize this," said Tyson, "you may have destroyed my whole side, but your side is clear now as well."

"I'm used to taking risks," sneered Andy. "Now move…"

Tyson sneered as he drew. His Life Points went up to 7,100.

He growled as he looked at his hand.

_I could summon this…_ he thought. _Or this… but if Andy managed to destroy one of them, I might not be able to summon my ultimate beast..._

He sighed.

"I'll place a Monster facedown in Defense, and that will be all for me…" he said.

The hidden Monster appeared.

"Do your worst," said Tyson with a smile.

Andy drew.

"My worst you say?" said Andy with a grin. "Fine…"

He put a card down.

"First I'll summon Luster Dragon #1 in Attack Mode!"

A shimmering light fell on the field, and the beautiful sapphire Dragon appeared. (1,900/1,600)

"Now," continued Andy. "I'm discarding my Thunder Dragon…"

He threw a card into his discard slot.

Two cards flew out of his deck.

"This lets me draw the other two Thunder Dragons from my deck! Know why? Because now I can play Polymerization to fuse them both together!"

He threw a card into a slot. Two green, scaly lizards with draconic features and lightning crackling all over them appeared on the field.

Aportal behind them opened and drew the two Thunder Dragons in.

"Thunder Dragons exist only to be fused together," said Andy, "alone, they're pathetic for five star Monsters. But when I fuse them, I'm able to summon something incredibly powerful…"

A huge form lumbered out of the portal.

"Say hello to **_Twin-Headed Thunder Dragon!_**"

Coming out of the portal was an immense two-headed lizard with orange skin and a long horn on one of its snouts! (2,800/2,100)

The crowd cheered again!

"I may not be able to attack with it this round," said Andy, "but my Luster Dragon can attack! Luster Dragon, take out his facedown Monster with sapphire flash blast!"

Luster Dragon shot forth a beam of blue energy from its jaws…

And a huge statue made of burnt wood appeared on the card. The blast bounced off of it. (100/2,100)

Andy's Life Points fell to 5,200.

"Sorry, Andy," chuckled Tyson, "but you attacked my Charcoal Inpachi! A little too much for your Luster Dragon!"

"Fine," said Andy, "I'll place a card facedown, and end my turn."

A facedown card appeared behind his two Monsters.

Tyson drew, and his Life Points went up to 7,300.

_Darn,_ he thought. _Still don't have all the cards I need…_

"I'll summon Molten Zombie in Defense Mode!" he shouted.

He threw a card down, and a hulking creature made of molten lava appeared, shielding itself with its gloppy arms. (1,600/400)

"Go ahead and attack," dared Tyson. "My creatures are in Defense Mode, so it makes little difference!"

"That's where you're wrong," said Andy.

He made a draw.

"I activate my Trap Card…" he said. "Dragon's Rage!"

His Trap lifted.

"This Trap lets all of my Dragons trample your Monsters and hurt you even when they're in Defense Mode!" exclaimed Andy. "It doesn't affect my Twin-Headed Thunder Dragon, since it's technically a Thunder Monster, but my Luster Dragon is all Dragon!

"Twin-Headed Thunder Dragon, barbecue his Inpachi with double lightning blast!"

Twin-Headed Thunder Dragons twin mouths shot forth bolts of lightning, blasting Charcoal Inpachi to dust!

"Luster Dragon, wipe out his Molten Zombie!"

Luster Dragon shot forth his blast, and Molten Zombie exploded in a burst of lava!

Tyson was thrown back, and his Life Points fell to 5,800.

"Ergh…" said Tyson, getting up.

"Make your move…" dared Andy.

Tyson drew. His Life Points went up to 6,000.

_Now I have all three of the required creatures!_ he thought. _But without the right Magic Card, I don't dare summon one…_

He put a card down.

"I summon Blazing Inpachi in Attack Mode!" he shouted.

A second Inpachi arose, this one blazing with fire. (1,850/0)

"Make your move," he said, sweating.

Andy drew.

"Time to take control of this duel," he said. "Luster Dragon, destroy his Inpachi!"

Luster Dragon shot forth his lethal breath, blowing Blazing Inpachi into an explosion of burning sticks!

"Now my Thunder Dragon, attack him directly!"

The lizard's two mouths shot forth their thunderous breath! Tyson screamed, and was thrown backwards!

His Life Points plummeted to 3,150. The crowd went nuts!

"YES!" shouted Francesca. "Andy's going to win! He's going to win!"

"Your move, Shadow Spawn…" dared Andy.

Tyson slowly drew. His Life Points went up to 3,350.

"Heh, heh," he chuckled. "HA, HA, HA, HA!"

"Now what?" groaned Andy.

"I just drew the card that will win the match for me!" exclaimed Tyson.

He showed him the card…

Polymerization.

"Really?" said Andy. "And just what two Monsters do you intend to fuse together?"

"Not two," chuckled Tyson. "_Three!_"

"THREE?" exclaimed Andy.

"What on earth?" gasped Francesca. "A fusion of _three_ Monsters?"

"They're rare," muttered Stan, "but Kaiba's Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon is not the only one…"

Fire appeared in Tyson's eyes.

"I'm using this card," he hissed, "to fuse together Darkfire Soldier #1, Spirit of Flames, _and_ Darkfire Soldier #2!"

The three fiery Monsters appeared on the field…

(1,700/1,150), (1,700/1,100), (1,700/1,000)

The Polymerization card appeared behind the three fiery Monsters and sucked them into it!

A fierce blaze appeared on Tyson's side of the field!

"And now," laughed Tyson, "come forth my Volcano Assassin!"

A fiery Ninja in crimson clothing, carrying a blazing katana leapt forth!

"What?" said Andy, puzzled.

"Let me explain," chuckled Tyson. "The Attack and Defense Points for Volcano Assassin are the combined Attack and Defense points, respectively, that the Monsters used to create him currently had! That's a number you can't argue with!"

(5,100/3,150)

"Plus," continued Tyson, "during each of my Battle Phases, his Attack Score will go up by another 300!"

The creature's Attack Score went up to 5,400!

"And he's immune to Trap Cards that target, too, by the way," he chuckled.

"Since I can't attack with him yet, I'll simply end my turn…"

"No!" gasped Francesca. "He'll never beat that thing…"

"Calm down…" muttered Stan. "At least Andy has a round to prepare…"

Andy started to sweat as he drew his next card.

_What am I gonna do?_ he thought. _None of these cards can help me now…_

"I'll shift both my Monsters into Defense Mode and end my turn," he said.

Both of his Dragons curled up into Defense.

"Heh, heh," chuckled Tyson. "Took the bait just like I thought!"

He drew, and his Life Points went up to 3,550.

"I didn't tell you about Volcano Assassin's _last_ effect!" he laughed. "He has the same trampling effect that your Dragons do under the influence of Dragon's Rage!"

Andy gasped.

"Face it Andy," said Tyson, evilly, "you're more doomed than the careers of Timothy McVeigh's defense team! Volcano Assassin, slay his Luster Dragon with volcanic katana!"

Volcano Assassin ran his finger along his blade, and the flames blazed! He leapt forward, his Attack went up to 5,700, and he smote Luster Dragon! A fierce explosion blew Andy backwards!

As Andy's Life Points plummeted to 1,100, he felt himself passing out…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Andy was in a dark place… Fires were burning around him…

He shivered in fear…

"No…" he pleaded. "Keep them away… I can't…"

He shivered again.

"Help…" he begged.

"Andy, please!" urged a voice. "You can't panic now…"

Andy's eyes adjusted to the dim light, and he saw a form in front of him…

To his surprise, it was Koops.

"K… Koops?" he said, shaking. "What…?"

"Andy, you have to get back up and fight!" begged Koops. "You haven't lost yet!"

Andy didn't get up.

"I may have well have," he moaned. "That Monster is too powerful. And I've pretty much lost my façade… right now… I'm scared…"

Koops sighed.

"Is that a reason not to try?" he said. "Let me tell you something that your ancestor told me, Andy…

"He told me that true courage is when you're scared, but you try anyway. You're only a coward if you give up.

"You see, when I first met your ancestor and his two friends, my home was being ravaged by Hooktail… I was scared to death of Hooktail! I had good reason to – my dad had gone to fight her once, and had never returned…

"But I decided to join the Three Heroes when they went to fight her, not only because I wanted to avenge my dad, but because…"

He paused.

"Well, uhm…"

"Yes?" asked Andy.

"Well, I had a girlfriend and I wanted to do something to impress her," sighed Koops, blushing. "But anyway, when I went with them to confront Hooktail, I was scared stiff… but we beat her!

"And even though I was scared for the rest of the time I with them, from that point up until the time we confronted the Shadow Queen, I never thought of running away to hide! I remembered what your ancestor said – I'd never be a coward so long as I kept trying!

"You have to keep trying too! You have to defeat this guy so the Queen can't return!"

"But how can I defeat a creature with over 5,000 Attack Points?" asked Andy.

"You have a Monster that's stronger…" suggested Koops.

"My trump card?" replied Andy.

He lifted up his hand, and looked at his cards…

"But I need one more card to summon it!" exclaimed Andy. "For all I know, it could be at the bottom of my deck!"

"Have faith, Andy," pleaded Koops. "I may be in your Graveyard at the moment, but I'll still be standing behind you…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Andy pulled himself up off the ground…

"Amazing," laughed Tyson. "Are you still trying to win? Don't you know when you're outclassed?"

"I'm not gonna lose…" growled Andy. "A friend of mine just told me I shouldn't be afraid of you, and you know what? It will take a long time before I'm afraid of a jerk who makes bad metaphors!"

He deftly drew out a card.

"And my card is Pot of Greed!" he exclaimed, throwing it into the slot.

The colorful jar appeared, and the spectral arm handed him two more cards from his deck.

Andy looked at them. And then he looked at Tyson.

"I truly feel sorry for you Tyson," he said. "You're about to suffer a loss more embarrassing than the Yankees had when the Red Sox beat them in the 2004 American League Championship Series!"

"HA!" laughed Tyson. "I'll have to remember to write that one down. That would be a good one… If it were anything more than a bluff!"

"No bluff, Tyson," snarled Andy. "First I'll move my Twin-Headed Thunder Dragon back to Attack Mode!"

The two-headed lizard reared up and roared!

"Then," he said, placing a card down, "I summon Red Eyes Black Chick in Attack Mode!"

A small egg appeared on the field, and a_little_ hatchling Dragon crawled out of it. (800/500)

"Don't make me laugh!" chuckled Tyson. "That runt isn't worth my Assassin dulling his sword on!"

"Really?" said Andy. "Well wait until you see its effect. I can instantly sacrifice it for this…"

He put a card down, and Red Eyes Black Chick began to grow, quickly evolving into full-grown Dragon-size! The fiendish Dragon's eyes blazed, and it glared at Tyson!

"Meet my Red Eyes Black Dragon!" shouted Andy.

(2,400/2,000)

"Red Eyes?" exclaimed Yumi. "Where the heck did Andy get a card that rare?"

"I dunno!" gasped Francesca. "This is new to me!"

Tyson chuckled.

"I must admit, that's impressive," he said, "but even your Red Eyes is hardly a match for my Volcano Assassin… And I know that it has _no_ effect."

"True," said Andy, "your Assassin is more than twice as strong as my Dragon…"

He put a third card down.

"…so now I'll sacrifice him to Special Summon a beast called Red Eyes Darkness Dragon!"

Darkness grew over the field, and Red Eyes grew darker and more fiendish. His eyes burned with diabolical fire and he growled… (2,400/2,000)

"How do you like three-card-combo?" mocked Andy. "When summoned at the right time, Red Eyes Darkness Dragon is practically unbeatable, because he gains 300 extra attack points for every Dragon in my Graveyard!"

"Um, I lost count…" muttered Yumi. "How many Dragons does he have in his Graveyard?"

"Let's see…" muttered Francesca.

She counted off…

"Counting Red Eyes Black Chick and Red Eyes Black Dragon, twelve!"

"With twelve Dragons in my Graveyard," announced Andy, "I've got a number you _really_ can't argue with!"

The Dragon howled in bloodlust as the spirits of Dragons flew from Andy's Disk and were absorbed into the creature's form! His Attack Score skyrocketed!

(6,000/2,000)

Tyson gulped…

"So, Tyson," chuckled Andy, "run out of clever metaphors?"

Tyson was sweating heavily…

"Red Eyes, wipe out Volcano Assassin with your diabolic fire blast!"

Red Eyes Darkness Dragon shot forth a searing blast of dark flame, burning Volcano Assassin into smoke!

Tyson's Life Points fell to 3,450.

"And now…" shouted Andy. "Twin-Headed Thunder Dragon, attack his Life Points directly!"

The two headed Dragon shot lightning from his twin mouths, and Tyson screamed!

As his Life Points fell to 655, the crowd gave a standing ovation!

"Now I'll place this card facedown, and end my turn," he said, placing a card into a slot.

The card appeared behind his two Monsters.

"Make your move…" dared Andy.

Tyson shakily drew, and his Life Points went up to 855.

He looked at the card.

"I'll play my own Pot of Greed!" he exclaimed!

The jar handed him two cards.

Tyson looked at them…

Rush Recklessly, and Monster Reborn.

_Huh…_ he thought. _I could use these to bring back my Volcano Assassin and attack his Thunder Dragon… and I'd win… but his facedown card… It's likely something to protect himself… Volcano Assassin is immune to most Traps… but not all of them…_

_What if it's a Mirror Force? What if it's Negate Attack? Hallowed Life Barrier?_

A light shone in his eye…

_Hey…_ he thought. _I got an idea…_

"I'll place a card facedown," he said, fitting the card into a slot, "and then I'll play Monster Reborn!"

Andy drew back…

"I'll bring back my Fire Queen in Defense Mode!" he exclaimed.

Fire Queen reappeared, and knelt in Defense. (2,500/2,000)

"That ends my turn," he sneered.

_He brought back his Queen and not his Assassin?_ thought Andy. _Something's not right…_

He drew.

He thought for a minute…

_Of course…_

"Twin-Headed Thunder Dragon," he commanded, "attack his Fire Queen!"

Lightning sparked in the two-headed Dragon's mouth…

"I'm activating my facedown card!" laughed Tyson. "Go, Rush Recklessly!"

The card lifted.

"What good will that do you?" asked Andy. "Your Monster is in Defense Mode!"

"Exactly!" laughed Tyson. "I tricked you! I'm using Rush Recklessly to increase the Attack of YOUR Twin-Headed Thunder Dragon to 3,500! You forgot Fire Queen's effect! Any damage involving a battle with her is taken by YOU, not ME!

"And since my Queen is in Defense Mode, and your Dragon's Rage Trap is still in effect, when you destroy her, you'll take 1,500 points of damage and lose!

"And it's too late to call off your attack…"

Tyson cackled, and the crowd gasped, as Fire Queen was blown apart.

Andy held his head in his hand.

"Sniff, sniff…" he sobbed.

"Heh, heh," he chuckled. "HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA!"

"What?" said Tyson, shocked.

Andy's Life Points were untouched.

"Idiot," said Andy. "I _didn't_ forget about your Queen's special ability! But _you_ forgot that Twin-Headed Thunder Dragon _isn't_ really a Dragon, so Dragon's Rage doesn't affect it! Weren't you even listening when I activated that Trap? So a battle involving it and your Queen in Defense Mode does no damage at all!"

Tyson turned white.

"But a direct attack from my Darkness Dragon will sure do a lot!" he laughed.

"NO!" screamed Tyson.

"Diabolic fire blast!" screamed Andy.

Tyson screamed bloody murder as he was engulfed in dark flames. He fell to the ground.

As his Life Points were depleted, the crowd's applause was deafening.

"And by the way, Tyson," said Andy, taking a card out of his Disk, "you were probably wondering about my facedown card?"

He showed it to him.

"It was The Dragon's Bead, a Trap that protects Dragons from other Traps. It wouldn't have protected my Thunder Dragon from your Volcano Assassin, so if you had brought him back, well, you'd have won. But too bad."

"Curse you…" moaned Tyson. "You may have extinguished me for now… but this isn't over… my flame will relight!"

And he vanished in a burst of fire and smoke!

Jolene came up and raised Andy's hand into the air.

"And the winner is… Markova the Dragon Master!" she exclaimed.

"Good job, Andy…" she whispered.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

One hour later…

The crowd was dispersing, and Andy was in Jolene's office, with his three friends behind him.

"That was quite a match, Markova," she commented.

"Yeah," sighed Andy, "now there was something about a prize?"

"Of course," said Jolene, removing something from her desk, "but on one condition…"

She handed him a colorful card.

"You didn't get this from me…" she whispered.

"Huh?" said Andy, looking at the card.

He read the description. It was a Quickplay Magic Card called "Power Lift".

_Man, that's powerful,_ thought Andy. _This has got to be another Enchanted Card!_

He looked at Jolene strangely.

"Sure," he said. "My lips are sealed…"

At that point, Merlee walked in.

"Andy," he said. "Congratulations on w-w-winning your match."

"YOU!" shouted Andy. "I want a word with you!"

"Y-y-yes?" said Merlee.

"What can you do, see the future?" asked Andy, angrily.

"Uh, n-n-no," answered Merlee, "I'm not that p-p-powerful."

"Well…" said Andy. "Strange… Somehow, you knew I'd need to use a Dragon with over 2,500 Attack in combination with Burst Breath. The only Dragon I had who was that strong was Tyrant Dragon, but I can't use Burst Breath with him, because Traps don't effect him, including my own! That's why you told me to replace him with Yamata Dragon!"

"Well…" said Merlee.

"Look, Merl," demanded Andy, taking the Yamata Dragon out of his deck, "we appreciate you giving us those special Monster Cards, but we don't need you fighting all our battles for us! I could have handled that jerk on my own!

"So you can take this dumb Spirit Monster and get lost! We can deal with our problems without you holding our hands!"

He threw the Yamata Dragon at him.

Merlee sighed and left the office.

_Maybe he's right,_ thought Merlee. _I can't help them every step of the way. But they can't do this alone… Eventually, they'll welcome my aid…_

"Don't you think you were a little hard on him, Andy?" asked Francesca. "He broke the spell over Yumi, you know…"

"Yeah, well, I don't like being dependent on someone…" sighed Andy. "Come on, let's get a cheeseburger."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Tyson appeared in a dark cavern…

And he gasped, as he saw Melissa and Kurtis, held prisoner by two magical devices.

"Tyson…" hissed a sinister voice.

Tyson cringed in fear as his mother stepped out of the shadows.

"Mom, it wasn't my fault!" begged Tyson.

"Then who's fault was it?" she scolded. "Mine? You had a Horn of Heaven Trap in your hand, and you didn't even set it! You could have used that to stop him from summoning his Red Eyes Darkness Dragon!"

"But…" stammered Tyson. "To use that Trap, I'd have had to sacrifice a Monster, and…"

"…and with your great ego, you were so proud of your mighty Volcano Assassin, that you couldn't _bear_ to sacrifice him!" shouted the Shadow Queen. "That was stupid, Tyson!"

"Well, um…" gasped Tyson.

The Queen frowned and took four cards out of her dress.

"Please, no!" begged Tyson.

"Stop whining!" shouted the Queen. "You know the rules. Just pray you don't choose Tribute to the Doomed!"

Tyson turned pale…

"Come on Tyson…" snarled his mother. "Decide, or _I'll_ decide, and you won't like what I decide…"

"Uh… the one on the far left…" stammered Tyson, covering his eyes.

The Queen chuckled and slid the card into her Disk.

"I was joking, Tyson," she said with a grin, "there's no Tribute to the Doomed. I might still have use for you later, after all but until then… Shadow Spell!"

A mass of iron chains sprang up around Tyson! He screamed as he was hog-tied and forced to the ground!

"Humph," said the Queen, turning to leave.

She pulled a cell phone out of her dress…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The sun was going down, and outside the Glitz Pit, Jolene took out her ringing cell phone.

"What?" she snapped. "Look, it's far from my fault that Tyson lost!"

She paused.

"What?" she said, nervously. "No, I didn't give Andy any 'Enchanted Cards', I have no idea what you're talking about!"

She paused.

"Fine!" she yelled. "Watch me as close as you want! I don't care! What are you going to do, put me with my brother?"

Another pause.

"Yeah, I know, but I don't have to _like_ doing it, do you hear me!"

She hung up.

She sadly took out her wallet and looked at a picture.

_Ooh, Mush…_ she said to herself._ I wish I knew what you were going through…_

A tear fell down her face.

_If anyone can defeat that witch and save you, Andy can… Hopefully that card I gave him will be enough…_

She was so distracted, she didn't see the girl in the dark cloak sneak up behind her.

The girl reached into her pocket, and swiped her golden pocket watch.

She hid the watch in her cloak, and vanished into the shadows.

_This tournament is sure making me a profit,_ she thought, _but all the money in world won't get me into the Thousand Year Door…_

_Filching Crystal Cards would be a little TOO underhanded… Stick always told me, don't steal something when it's more of a challenge to earn it yourself…_

_So, time to find a challenger…_

She looked around…

And her eyes fell on four teens exiting a restaurant…

**0**

**0**

**0**

**FIRE PRINCE (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Pyro/Effect  
**Attribute: **Fire  
**Level: **4  
**ATK: **1,500  
**DEF: **1,300

**Card Description: **The older brother of Fire Princess, this heir to the throne of the Land of Fire protects his sister from harm. As long as this card remains face-up on the field, your opponent cannot select a face-up "Fire Princess" on your side of the field as a target of an attack.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**FIRE QUEEN (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Warrior/Effect  
**Attribute: **Fire  
**Level: **8  
**ATK: **2,500  
**DEF: **2,000

**Card Description: **This fiery monarch is the consort of the one who rules over the Land of Fire, and is never far from his side. Only one "Fire Queen" may be face-up on your side of the field at any time. Inflict any damage you receive from a battle involving this card to your opponent's Life Points instead of your own. When this card is Normal Summoned successfully, you can Special Summon one "Fire King" from your hand or deck to the field.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**FIRE KING (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Warrior/Effect  
**Attribute: **Fire  
**Level: **8  
**ATK: **3,000  
**DEF: **2,500

**Card Description: **The ruler of the Land of Fire, this sovereign controls one of the most deadly elements of nature. Only one "Fire King" may be face-up on your side of the field at any time. When this card is successfully Normal Summoned, Flip Summoned, or Special Summoned, add one "Volcano Palace" from your deck to your hand. If "Volcano Palace" is face-up on the field with this card, special summon one "Fire Servant Token" (Pyro/Fire/2 stars/ATK 500/DEF 500) in Attack Mode to your side of the field during each of your Standby Phases. As long as this card and "Volcano Palace" remain face-up on the field, "Fire Servant Tokens" are not destroyed as a result of battle, and any damage you would receive from a battle involving these Tokens is inflicted to your opponent's Life Points instead of your own.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**VOLCANO ASSASSIN (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Warrior/Fusion/Effect  
**Attribute: **Fire  
**Level: **10  
**ATK: **?  
**DEF: **?

**Card Description: **_Darkfire Soldier #1 + Darkfire Soldier #2 + Spirit of Flames_

This fiery assassin uses the raw power of a volcano to kill his targets. This Monster can only be Fusion Summoned, and only by the above Fusion-material Monsters. The ATK and DEF of this Monster are equal to the combined current ATK and DEF (respectively) of the Monsters used to Fusion Summon it. This card is unaffected by Trap Cards that directly target. During each of your Battle Phases, increase the ATK of this card by a cumulative 300 points (this ATK increase remains in effect as long as this card remains face-up on the field). If this card attacks a Defense Position monster on your opponent's side of the field with an ATK that is higher than the DEF of your opponent's monster, inflict the difference as Battle Damage to your opponent's Life Points.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**VOLANO PALACE (Magic Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Magic/Field  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description: **This citadel of obsidian is the capital of the Land of Fire, where all creatures of flame eventually go. Increase the ATK and DEF of all Fire monsters by 500 points. If a Fire monster is destroyed by the effect of a Magic Card, Trap Card, or Monster Effect, increase the Life Points of the owner by an amount equal to the destroyed Monster's original ATK.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**KOOPS THE BASHFUL (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Reptile/Effect  
**Attribute: **Water  
**Level: **4  
**ATK: **1,800  
**DEF: **500

**Card Description: **It was said that this shy Koopa aided the Three Heroes to impress a female Koopa, and soon became one of their strongest assets. This Monster can attack more than one opposing Monster on your opponent's side of the field. If this Monster attacks more than one Monster on your turn, it cannot attack on your next turn. This Monster cannot attack your opponent's Life Points directly after destroying any opposing Monsters.

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**Coming up next:**_

_**You're probably all wondering about the creepy girl in the cloak who just stole Jolene's watch. Well, why don't I tell you her name:**_

_**RAVEN!**_

**_Who is Raven? What is the story behind this sly pickpocket? Find out next chapter, when she challenges Stan in a chapter called "Honor Among Thieves", coming soon._**


	13. Honor Among Thieves

_**A wise man once said, crime doesn't pay.**_

_**He wasn't really a very wise man, when you look at the big picture. **_

_**Sure, police tend to catch criminals, but for each one they catch, many more slip through the cracks. Crime can indeed pay if you're good at it. Criminals in history have gotten wealth… power… in one case, even the Presidency. (He was eventually caught, but he never had to answer to his crimes.)**_

_**Stories tell of some criminals who justify their actions – Robin Hood for example. His victims were bigger crooks than he was, and his spoils went to charity. Many stories are told that romanticize the life of the bandit, highwayman, or pirate… (I sometimes like to watch an anime show about pirates called "One Piece"; it isn't the best anime, but it's decent.)**_

_**I'm not sure what to make of my current opponent. She's certainly a criminal, but is she selfish… or simply misunderstood?**_

_**One thing's for sure…**_

_**Her deck packs a wallop…**_

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER TWELVE**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Honor Among Thieves**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

The sun was going down, and the bright lights of Glitzville were lighting up the streets as the four teens walked out of the restaurant.

"So," muttered Francesca, "we've taken care of three of the Shadow Spawn…"

"Leaving three more…" added Andy.

"We can take them," said Stan, confidently. "I think we can do it so long as we stay together…"

He leafed through his deck and removed the three special Monster Cards he had.

"Maybe there's some truth in Merlee's story, you know," he said. "Maybe we are the descendents of some greater powers…"

He expected Andy and Francesca to object, but they didn't. The words from Flurrie and Koops still echoed in their minds.

Stan shuffled the cards back into his deck.

"So, who's up for some ice cream?" he asked.

"Good idea," said a voice. "A man always told me that the best dishes are served cold…"

They paused, and saw the creepy girl in the black cowled cloak in front of them. Her cape whipped in the wind, revealing a curved figure in a tight black leotard.

"Look," said Stan, narrowing his eyes, "I'm getting enough of this, spook-girl! Who are you, and what do you want?"

The girl chuckled.

"My real name is something that I keep secret," she said. "Aside from me, only my parents know it – that is, if they're still alive, which I doubt. You may call me Raven…"

Stan's eyes narrowed again.

"As for what I want," she continued, "I want what every contestant wants – to duel and gain another Crystal Card. I have three already…"

"Really?" said Andy, suspiciously. "No other strings attached?"

"I'm not a vampire!" she chuckled. "But it wouldn't be sporting to duel you or Francesca, Andy – I've seen what's in both of your decks…"

She pointed to Stan.

"So how about it Stan? Care to match wits with the Princess of Thieves?"

_Princess of the Thieves?_ thought Stan. _This is seriously weird._

"I'm not scared of you," muttered Stan. "I'll take you on…"

"Perfect," said Raven with a smile.

She took her deck and began to shuffle.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

A hundred yards away, Crump was watching.

_Interesting,_ he thought. _Stan looks like he's about to have the gauntlet thrown in his face._

_That's quite an odd opponent he's got. Maybe I should keep a close eye on this… It might be useful later…_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"I have to warn you," said Raven, with a smile, "my particular deck strategy is one that has rarely been perfected… however, my win-loss ratio is well over 90-10!"

"I like those odds," chuckled Stan.

"What kind of a deck do you think she has?" asked Andy. "Spellcasters?"

"Zombies?" pondered Yumi.

"My bet is some strange type of Fiends…" suggested Francesca. "Man, we've seen a lot of those…"

The holo-imagers shot out, and the Disks flipped into position.

The scores set to 8,000.

"It's time to duel!" laughed Raven, as she drew her first hand. "The first move is yours!"

"Awfully nice of you," said Stan, drawing his first card.

He looked at it.

"And I'll summon my Illusory Gentleman, in Attack Mode!"

He threw the card down, and the colorfully dressed Dark Spellcaster with his beady eye appeared, brandishing his staff. (1,500/1,600)

"Now it's your move, spook," he said.

"The name's Raven!" she snarled, drawing a card.

_Not bad,_ she thought.

She fit a card into a slot.

"I'll place one card facedown," she announced.

A card appeared in front of her.

"And then I'll uproot this," she said, placing another card down. "Mystic Tomato, in Defense Mode!"

A huge tomato-o-lantern with a lolling tongue appeared in front of her, and made a goofy face. (1,400/1,100)

"Your move…" she said with a smile.

Stan drew.

_I know that thing's effect,_ he thought. _If it's destroyed in battle, she gets to summon a Dark Monster with an Attack Score of 1,500 or less from her deck…_

He considered his options.

_I don't have any other way to get rid of it, and if I don't attack, she might sacrifice it for something powerful… Well, this guy should be able to handle whatever low-Attack Monster she summons…_

"I summon Skilled White Magician in Attack Mode!" he shouted.

He threw the card down, and the sorcerer of Light appeared, holding his gleaming staff. (1,700/1,900)

"Illusory Gentleman, squash her tomater with dark illusion!"

The Illusory Gentleman thrust forth his staff, and blasted a steam of colored lights, reducing Mystic Tomato to pulp!

"Heh, heh…" chuckled Raven. "Impressive…"

A card flew out of her deck. She placed it on her Disk.

"I summon Dark Scorpion Chick the Yellow in Attack Mode!"

A form materialized in front of her. It was a teenage boy wearing black leather – a black top and red pants, as well as a red headband. He had blonde, wavy hair, and carried a wooden mallet. (1,000/1,000)

Stan drew back.

"A Dark Scorpion?" he mused.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_Well, this is odd…_ thought Crump.

_I truly doubt that Chick the Yellow is the only Dark Scorpion in Raven's deck… but she'll have a hard time ahead of her…_

_After all, the strongest member of the Dark Scorpions has only 1,800 Attack Points, and Stan has Monsters far stronger than that…_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"I don't know what your game is, Raven…" said Stan.

"Maybe my strategy is too complex for your simple mind," commented Raven with a sneer.

"In case you didn't notice," explained Stan, "my Skilled White Magician has 700 more Attack Points than Chick there…"

Raven was silent, but Chick grinned at Skilled White Magician, daring him to attack…

_That facedown card worries me,_ thought Stan, _but I could get ahead if I took a risk…_

"Skilled White Magician," ordered Stan, "attack Chick the Yellow!"

Skilled White Magician aimed his staff.

"Not quite, Stan!" laughed Raven. "I activate my Trap!"

He card lifted.

"Great Escape!"

Chick the Yellow pulled a grappling hook and rope from his belt and threw it upward! He yanked himself out of the way of the Spellcaster's blast!

"Surprised?" asked Raven. "The Dark Scorpions are the best thieves in the world, Stan – they always have a few tricks to keep themselves away from the law. This Trap protects one of them from attacks for one round."

Chick leapt back onto the field.

"Ugh, I end my turn…" grunted Stan.

"Don't worry, Stan!" called Andy. "Both your Monsters are still stronger than that weakling!"

Raven drew.

"Chick may be too weak," she said, "but he's only the first of a team that will destroy you! I sacrifice Chick the Yellow for his powerful teammate, Dark Scorpion Gorg the Strong!"

Chick the Yellow vanished into the shadows, and a larger form emerged. The new Warrior was dressed in the same outfit, but was far more muscular, with a bald head. He carried a heavy mace in his hands. (1,800/1,500)

"Eek!" stammered Stan.

"Gorg, attack his Skilled White Magician with Scorpion Crush!"

Gorg hollered, and charged forward, clobbering Skilled White Magician with his mace – not to mention to pieces.

Stan's Life Points fell to 7,900.

"And that's not all!" exclaimed Raven. "Now I get to enact one of Gorg's two useful effects… and I'll enact the one which sends one of your cards from the field to the top of your deck!"

The Illusory Gentleman vanished, and his card flew off of Stan's Disk and onto the top of his deck.

"Now it's your move, flyboy…" she dared.

Stan drew, getting The Illusory Gentleman again.

_Not many options…_ he thought.

"I'll summon my Illusory Gentleman again, this time in Defense Mode," he said, "and that will end my turn."

He put the card down, and the Spellcaster appeared again.

"I see you're running out of moves, Stan," said Raven with a smile, "but a good thief always has plenty!"

She drew.

She put a card down on her Disk.

"You met the strength of the Dark Scorpions," she exclaimed, "now meet the heart! I summon Dark Scorpion Meanae the Thorn, in Attack Mode!"

Another Warrior arose. A lovely, leggy female appeared, dressed in the same leather outfit. She had long, black hair, had tattoos on her arms, and carried a bullwhip. (1,000/1,800)

"Gorg, wipe out his Illusory Gentleman!" shouted Raven.

Gorg charged forward, and made short work of The Illusory Gentleman.

"Meanae, attack him directly! Scorpion lash attack!"

Meanae yelped with glee and leapt into the air… she vanished in a blur…

"Huh?" said Stan, looking around.

"STAN! Behind you!" screamed Francesca.

Too late. Meanae appeared behind Stan and lashed him across the buttocks with her whip! Stan screamed!

His Life Points fell to 6,900.

Meanae gave a cruel laugh, and leapt back to Raven's side.

"Are all your Monsters so cruel, that they have to humiliate me?" growled Stan.

"Stan," scolded Raven, "the Dark Scorpions learned a long time ago that fate dealt them a bad hand – that's why they had to become thieves in the first place. Enemies aren't worthy of their respect – to them, respect has to be earned. It's a cruel, cruel world, and there are few people you can trust…

"But they watch out for each other. For instance, since Meanae damaged your Life Points, I get to add another Dark Scorpion to my hand from either my deck or Graveyard…"

A dark orb flew out of her discard slot and transformed into a card. She took it.

"I'll retrieve Chick and save him for later. Any questions?"

"Yeah, I have one," stated Stan. "Why exactly did you decide to base a deck on the Dark Scorpions, of all themes?"

"Well, not that it's any of your business," responded Raven, "but I grew up in Madripor."

Stan, his three friends, and everyone watching gasped.

"You can't be serious!" gulped Andy.

"That country has been on the U.S. embargo list for decades!" shouted Francesca.

"Yeah, due to human rights violations that the ruling class don't care about," sneered Raven. "In Madripor, there are two kinds of citizens – the very rich, and the very poor. The rich upper class are a group of spoiled rotten snobs who never earned a red cent of the wealth they have, and they only rule the county by default. They treat the poor like animals, hardly caring about their welfare. It's a common sight for one of the lower class to drop dead in the streets and a member of the upper class to walk right over him!

"I was born into that lower class… And when I was ten, my parents left me out on the streets, because they couldn't afford to feed me! I suppose I can't really blame them…

"I thought I was doomed… but after starving and shivering for two nights, I was saved by a ragtag man in with a quarterstaff who called himself Stick. He offered me a chance to survive – and also wreck revenge against the upper class that had put folks like me in my position. I eagerly accepted…

"You see, Stick was the leader of a gang of young thieves who struck back against the corrupt establishment of Madripor. He reasoned that most of the rich didn't deserve the wealth they had, so if you could take it from them, you should try. He trained me and a great deal of others in burglary, pilfering, pickpocketing, anything to filch wealth from anyone who had too much – and I soon became one of his best."

She chuckled.

"Stick loved calling me 'The Princess of Thieves'. I was pretty much his heir!"

She paused.

"You know the expression 'Honor Among Thieves', Stan?" she continued. "We lived by that term. We had to watch each other's backs. In Madripor, thieves were hanged, and trials were nonexistent. I was arrested nine times – once I came so close to execution that I saw the gallows that had been prepared for me. But each time my family got me out before it could be done. And I repaid the favor many times – I took part in rescue missions every week, it seemed.

"Eventually, my family raised enough money to bribe a merchant vessel to take us away from Madripor and take us to the States. It was there that I discovered Duel Monsters… and in doing so, I found the Dark Scorpions. They so much reminded me of my own family – the way they were a team that stood by each other… a group of thieves who dared to challenge the establishment.

"So now, stealing from spoiled snobs is just a secondary hobby… dueling is my life."

She paused again.

"And I believe it's your move."

Stan didn't know what to think. Raven was a criminal… but she made a good point. Who were worse criminals? Those who stole, or those who horded wealth like the world owed it to them and neglected those who truly needed it?

But he still had to try to win. He drew.

"Try to get past this," he dared. "I summon Mystical Elf in Defense Mode…"

He set a card down, and the peaceful, blue-skinned elf appeared, kneeling. (800/2,000)

"Humph," chuckled Raven. "She kind of looks like your friend there…"

Francesca gave her a dirty look. Stan ignored her.

Stick had taught her how to survive in a corrupt country, but he hadn't taught her many manners…

"I'll also place this card facedown," he said, placing a card into a slot. "Make your move."

Raven drew.

_Hmm,_ she thought. _I can't break that Elf's Defense yet, and he likely intends to sacrifice her for something stronger…_

_Fortunately, I can buy myself some time…_

She put a card down on her Disk.

"I'll summon back an old friend," she said. "You remember Chick the Yellow, don't you?"

Chick the Yellow reappeared, holding his hammer. (1,000/1,000)

"And now," she said, fitting a card into a slot, "I play Swords of Revealing Light!"

A rain of Swords crashed down upon Stan!

"Clever," grunted Stan. "But you activated my Trap…"

His card lifted. A card showing a Grecian emperor in a toga holding a scroll and holding his right arm in a commanding manner appeared.

"I activate An Eye For An Eye!" he exclaimed.

To Raven's surprise, a cage of Swords surrounded _her_!

"Surprise!" shouted Stan. "My Trap Card can be activated whenever a Normal Trap or Normal Magic Card is played that doesn't have a trigger. You may have kept me from attacking for three turns, but now you have to suffer the same restriction for three of _your_ turns!"

"Okay, one point for you," snarled Raven, "but the Swords around me will wear off before yours do, in case you didn't know. So make your move."

Stan drew.

_Now that's just what I need!_ he thought.

"I'm summoning this little spitfire in Defense Mode!" he exclaimed, putting a card down.

A shower of pixie dust fell upon his side, and a small form appeared in a burst of light. It was a little girl with blonde hair tied in long, pink braids. She wore a white robe with arcane symbols on the front, and carried a slender scepter topped with a shining orb. (1,200/0)

"Meet White Magician Pikeru!" chuckled Stan.

"How cute…" muttered Raven.

"I'm not done yet!" exclaimed Stan, choosing a card from his hand. "With Pikeru on the field, I can play a special Magic Card…

"You see, not many people know this, but Pikeru has a sister. Word hasn't gotten out, because she rarely talks about her. Pikeru practices magic of Light, but her sister practices magic of Darkness. The sisters despise each other, each thinking that the other chose to study the wrong craft…

"But they can't deny, in the end, that they are blood-related, and if the cause is great enough, one will come to the other's aid…

"So I play the Magic Card… Sibling Rivalry!"

He threw a card into a slot. A card flew out of his deck.

"Sibling Rivalry can be played when one of the sisters is on the field, and let's me Special Summon the other one… Thus, I summon Ebon Magician Curran in Defense Mode."

A dark shadow formed next to Pikeru, and another young girl stepped out. She had long, dirty-blonde hair, and wore a black, fancy dress and a hood with "bunny ears". She carried a leather switch in her hands. (1,200/0)

Pikeru and Curran gave each other dirty looks, and then turned to face Raven.

"Oh, they're both adorable!" cried Yumi.

"True…" pondered Andy. "But this is… odd. I know what Pikeru does, but what secrets does Curran have inside her?"

"Your move, Raven…" said Stan, with a snide look.

Raven drew. She looked at the card.

_Pikeru can increase his Life Points,_ she thought, _and the more Monsters both of us have on the field, the more he gets… And I don't even know what Curran does…_

_Playing this gal might be risky, but she may put me up for the perfect way to strike back once these Swords are gone…_

She put a card down.

"I summon…" she announced, "Dark Scorpion Shanna the Quick, in Attack Mode!"

A new Dark Warrior appeared. This one was a teenage girl, wearing the same outfit as the rest of the Scorpions. She had short, black hair, and carried two long daggers. (1,300/500)

"Huh?" said Stan, in astonishment. "I've… I've never heard of a member of the Scorpions called Shanna the Quick…"

"She was a later recruit," said Raven, with a smile. "And this is a rare card. Wait until you see her special talents!

"Your move…"

"Then I draw," said Stan, "and now the two sisters can get to work!"

White Magician Pikeru waved her scepter and chanted.

"First," said Stan, "Pikeru's white magic increases my Life Points by 400 for every Monster on the field, and there are seven of them!"

Stan's Life Points went up to 9,700!

Then, Ebon Magician Curran swung her switch over her head and chanted a different spell…

"Second," explained Stan, "Curran's black magic strikes you directly, blasting away 300 of your Life Points for each Monster on the field!"

Raven gasped! Curran swung her switch forward, and a beam of dark magic plowed into Raven, knocking her down!

Her Life Points fell to 5,900.

"And I think I'll just pass for this turn," he concluded.

"Whoa!" shouted Andy. "Talk about a combo!"

"Too bad those two hate each other," commented Francesca, "they make a great team."

Raven got up and drew.

"I'll play my Pot of Greed…" she stated, placing a card into a slot.

"But don't get the wrong idea," she warned, as the jar handed her two cards. "I was never greedy – the folks who we stole from were much more avaricious than any of us…"

She looked at the two cards.

"I'll pass as well," she said.

The Swords of Revealing Light around her vanished.

Stan drew.

"Pikeru, Curran…" he said, "GO!"

Pikeru chanted again, and Stan glowed. His Life Points shot up to 12,500!

Curran cast her dark spell… Raven braced herself as the energy slammed into her! Her Life Points fell to 3,800.

"And now," continued Stan, "I'll sacrifice Mystical Elf for Dark Magician Girl!"

He switched cards, and lovely music started playing. Mystical Elf vanished, and the lovely female wizard spun out of the ground, brandishing her scepter! (2,000/1,700)

"My turn is over, which means your Swords are gone," said Stan, as the Swords around him faded, "and Dark Magician Girl is stronger than any of your Dark Scorpions…"

"Not for long…" snickered Raven.

She drew.

"Let's narrow the gap," she said. "And this Magic Card should do the trick…"

She showed it to him.

"It's a powerful card called Seventh Inning."

"Seventh Inning?" quizzed Stan. "What kind of a card is that?"

Raven placed it into a slot, and the card appeared, showing a picture of an umpire behind a home plate. The umpire appeared on the field, and held out seven fingers.

"You know how in baseball games, when the seventh inning comes around, the teams are given a few minutes to rest and get their second wind? This card lets both duelists do just that.

"Seventh Inning can only be played when I'm behind in Life Points. It takes the difference in our Life Points, divides it in half, and adds that to both our scores. Do the math."

Stan did a quick calculation.

"That's nuts," he mocked. "You'll gain 4,350 Life Points, but so will I!"

"It doesn't work that way," said Raven, with a smile. "Simply resting can never make you stronger than your full strength. In game terms, this card can't increase your Life Points beyond the starting point – so as it stands, this Magic Card won't benefit you at all!"

Raven's Life Points went up to 8,000!

"Now that my Life Points are restored," continued Raven, "I'll start working on yours…"

She placed a Monster Card down on her last slot.

"I summon Dark Scorpion Tornas the Joker!" she announced.

Yet another Warrior appeared. He looked even younger than Chick the Yellow, and while he was dressed in the same outfit as his teammates, the outfit was torn and ragged. He had unkempt hair and a dirty face. (300/300)

"Ha, ha!" laughed Stan. "That's the weakest one I've ever… Wait… you summoned that guy in Attack Mode…"

"Uh huh…" stated Raven. "Tornas, attack Dark Magician Girl!"

Tornas stretched out his arms and made a flying leap at Dark Magician Girl! She gasped in surprise…

Then she lifted her staff and blew him to pieces.

"Are you nuts?" gasped Andy, who was wondering if Raven had lost her mind.

Raven smiled as her Life Points fell to 6,300.

"No," said Raven with a grin. "You see, when Tornas the Joker is destroyed in battle, all other Dark Scorpions on the field have their Attack Scores increased to 3,000 for the remainder of the turn!"

Gorg, Meanae, Chick, and Shanna glowed with a dark aura, as their Attack Scores skyrocketed!

"Chick!" shouted Raven, "wipe out Pikeru with Scorpion smash!"

Chick lifted his hammer and slammed it into White Magician Pikeru, blasting her into particles.

"Meanae, obliterate Curran with Scorpion lash!"

Meanae lashed her whip forward, and Ebon Magician Curran screamed. She was blown apart.

"Gorg, attack Dark Magician Girl with Scorpion crush!"

Gorg slammed his mace into Dark Magician Girl's gut, and she groaned. She fell to floor and shattered into pixels.

Stan's Life Points fell to 11,150.

"And by the way, Stan…" continued Raven.

Gorg snatched the card off the top of Stan's deck.

"HEY!" yelled Stan.

"I'm enacting Gorg's _other_ effect now," she said, "enabling me to make you discard the top card from your deck when he damages your Life Points."

She paused, and took a card from her hand (it was another Mystic Tomato).

"Now then," she said, "now that you have no Monsters to defend yourself, I can activate Shanna's special ability…"

She threw the card into her discard slot.

"By discarding one Monster Card, Shanna can attack _three_ times in one round!"

"NO!" screamed Stan.

"Oh… my… God…" gasped Francesca.

"Shanna, attack him directly!" shouted Raven.

Shanna leapt up and made a slash at Stan!

"Again!" shouted Raven.

Shanna laughed and made another slash!

"One more time!" yelled Raven.

Shanna made a quick stab, knocking Stan down!

Stan's Life Points sank like a stone, falling all the way to 2,500.

Stan took some deep breaths… he slowly pulled himself to his feet.

"Wow…" said Raven. "I've never done that before without reducing an opponent's Life Points to zero. You just took 9,000 Life Points worth of direct attacks in one blow… what are you made of?"

"I'm starting…" gasped Stan, "to wonder that… myself…"

"Then make your move…" dared Raven. "I could have finished you off, you know…"

"Say what?" croaked Stan.

"If I had attacked Dark Magician Girl with Gorg first, I'd have gotten rid of another one of your Monsters – but hitting you for 12,000 points of direct damage would have been… cruel, so I decided to wait before winning."

"How thoughtful…" groaned Stan.

The Dark Scorpions' Attack Scores returned to normal.

"Give me… a minute…" gasped Stan.

Slowly, he drew. He couldn't believe he was still standing – what _was_ he made of?

"I'll place… a card facedown…" he stuttered.

He fit the card into a slot, and it appeared.

"And then I'll play my own Swords of Revealing Light!"

He threw another card into a slot, and the cage of Swords crashed down on Raven again!

"Not again…" sighed Raven.

She frowned.

"Fine," she said. "I'll just draw, and pass this turn."

Stan made a draw.

"All right," he said. "I play Monster Reborn!"

He threw the card into a slot, and Dark Magician Girl reappeared.

"Guess who's back?" he sneered.

(2,000/1,700)

"Crud…" sighed Raven.

"Now," he said, "I reveal my Trap Card… a little thing called Gift of the Mystical Elf!"

The Trap lifted, and the huge image of Mystical Elf appeared behind him.

"This raises my Life Points by 300 for every Monster on the field – that's 1,500 extra Life Points!"

His Life Points went up to 4,000.

"Bet you're sorry you didn't finish me when you had the chance!" exclaimed Stan.

"That's what I get for being such a softy…" said Raven, sarcastically.

"Now, Dark Magician Girl, attack Shanna!" shouted Stan.

Dark Magician Girl aimed her scepter at Shanna and fired! Shanna the Quick screamed, and was blown to pieces.

"One down…" muttered Stan. "And it's your move…"

Raven's Life Points fell to 5,600.

Raven drew.

She turned the cards on her Disk.

"I'm moving all my Monsters to Defense Mode," she stated.

Chick, Gorg, and Meanae knelt.

"And that will be all," she said.

"Good," said Stan.

He drew.

_Now this is more like it!_ he thought.

"I summon my Gemini Elf!" he exclaimed.

He put a card down, and two twin elves in blue and purple with their arms around each other appeared. (1,900/900)

"Gemini Elf!" he ordered. "Wipe out Gorg the Strong with dual magic attack!"

The elves raised their free hands, and shot bolts of lightning at Gorg. He groaned, and burst into dark shards.

"Dark Magician Girl, attack Chick the Yellow!" he shouted.

Dark Magician Girl spun her staff, and blew Chick away.

"Your move…" said Stan, with a smile.

Raven drew.

_Terrific…_ she thought, looking at the card. _Where was this when I needed it?_

"I have to pass this turn…" she moaned.

The Swords vanished.

Stan drew.

"Now to seriously take you down!" he exclaimed. "I summon Pixie Knight in Attack Mode!"

He put the card down, and a pretty female pixie in a green and blue suit and a witch's hat with gossamer wings appeared. (1,300/200)

"Gemini Elf, take care of Meanae the Thorn!" ordered Stan.

The elves cast forth their lightning, and Meanae gasped. She fell and vanished.

"Now, Pixie Knight, attack Raven's Life Points directly with pixie dust!"

Pixie Knight giggled, and shot forth a stream of sparkling dust! Raven shielded herself against the wave of energy, and her Life Points fell to 4,300.

"Dark Magician Girl, attack her directly with dark magic blast!"

Dark Magician Girl cheered and leapt into the air! She cast her dark spell, striking Raven dead center! Raven screamed and fell over.

Her life Points fell to 2,300.

"Yes!" shouted Andy. "Now Stan is winning!"

"He's got this duel cold!" exclaimed Francesca.

"It's your move, Raven…" dared Stan.

"I'll draw one card…" said Raven, drawing.

She looked at the card, and smiled.

"Time to meet another member of the gang, Stan!" she exclaimed. "I summon Dark Scorpion Fandral the Dashing in Attack Mode!"

She put the card down, and a slim Warrior appeared. He wore the usual outfit, and had long, blonde hair tied in a ponytail, and wore a black domino mask. He carried a long rapier. He made a fancy thrust with the rapier. (1,500/800)

"And now," continued Raven, "I'll Equip him with a Dark Scorpion's _second_ favorite weapon – the Dark Scorpion Shiv!"

She fit a card into a slot, and a long knife appeared in Fandral's left hand.

"This Equip raises the Attack Score of any Dark Scorpion by 700 points, so now he's stronger than any of your fairies! Fandral, attack Dark Magician Girl with Scorpion's blade!"

Fandral leapt forward and thrust with his rapier, stabbing Dark Magician Girl in the belly! She gave a cry, and shattered.

Stan's Life Points fell to 3,800.

"And also," said Raven, "now Fandral's effect comes into… well, effect. When he destroys an enemy Monster, I gain Life Points equal to 300 times the fallen enemy's star level. Since Dark Magician Girl is a six-star Monster, that means I gain 1,800."

Her Life Points went up to 4,100.

"This is crazy!" shouted Andy. "They just keep bringing their Life Points up again and again!"

"Someone has to give soon…" muttered Francesca.

Stan drew. He looked at the card strangely.

"I'll place a card facedown, and that will end my turn," he sighed.

He fit a card into a slot, and it appeared behind his two Monsters.

"Stan!" screamed Yumi. "You forgot to move your Monsters into Defense Mode!"

"Heh, heh," chuckled Raven, "it's his own fault."

She put a card down.

"First I'll summon Cliff the Trap Remover in Attack Mode," she stated.

Another member of the Dark Scorpions appeared. The same outfit was present, and this one had slightly long, dirty blonde hair, and carried a dagger. (1,200/1,000)

"Fandral," shouted Raven, "attack his Gemini Elf!"

Fandral leapt up and closed in on Gemini Elf…

"Not so fast!" shouted Stan. "I activate Spellbinding Circle!"

His Trap lifted, and Fandral was caught in the magical pentagram! His Attack Score fell to 1,500.

"What?" shouted Raven. "You kept your two Monsters in Attack Mode on purpose, didn't you?"

"Uh huh," said Stan, nodding.

"I admit, I am impressed," said Raven. "It takes a lot to trick a trickster. But I'll just have to try harder. It's your move."

Stan drew.

_Double Spell,_ he thought._ I know I can use this against her somehow, but how? Trouble is, I don't have another Magic Card to activate it!_

"Gemini Elf, wipe out Fandral!" he shouted.

Gemini Elf blasted their lightning blots, and Fandral the Dashing was no more.

"Pixie Knight, attack Cliff the Trap Remover!"

Pixie Knight shot forth her sparkling dust. Cliff gasped, and vanished.

Raven's Life Points stood at 3,600.

"Your move again," chuckled Stan.

Raven drew.

"I'll play Card of Sanctity!" she announced.

She fit the card into a slot.

"Now we have to…" she started.

"I know what it does…" said Stan, "and you helped me a great deal."

They each drew until they had six cards. Stan grimaced. Double Spell was_ still_ the only Magic Card in his hand!

But he had drawn a powerful Monster…

"Time to, as we thieves say, 'take you to the cleaners', Stan!" laughed Raven.

"First I'll summon the fearless leader of the Dark Scorpion Gang…"

She put a card down.

"Meet Don Zaloog!"

One more Warrior materialized. The bandit in front of Stan was slightly muscular, and his uniform was covered with pouches and a bandolier. He wore a patch over his right eye, and his hair was platinum blonde. He held a rapier in one hand, and a long dagger in the other. (1,400/1,500)

"You'd think their leader would be a little stronger…" muttered Andy.

"Hey, don't knock it, pal!" shouted Raven. "To me, this Warrior represents my mentor Stick, a thief who's brave and daring, and not afraid to tear the establishment down.

"And I'm not done yet. I'm equipping Don Zaloog with a powerful card – also my rarest card. Scorpion's Sting!"

She placed a card into a slot. Don's weapons vanished, and two long blades appeared attached to his wrists.

"To play this card, I have to spend 2,000 Life Points…" chuckled Raven.

Her Life Points fell to 1,600.

"But it's worth the price, because it raises any member of the Dark Scorpion's Attack by his or her original Defense."

Don Zaloog's Attack rose to 2,900.

"Now, Don Zaloog, destroy his Pixie Knight!"

Don Zaloog leapt forward, and stabbed his blades into Pixie Knight! She screamed and burst!

Stan's Life Points fell to 2,200.

"And one more thing, Stan," she said.

Don Zaloog reached out and snatched a card from Stan's hand!

"HEY!" shouted Stan.

Don threw it into the discard pile.

"When Don damages your Life Points, I can make you discard one card from your hand," explained Raven.

"Clever," said Stan, with a smile, "but now that you've destroyed my Pixie Knight, you have to chose a Magic Card from my Graveyard for me to put at the top of my deck!"

Raven laughed out loud.

"Silly," she chuckled. "I knew all about Pixie Knight's effect. So I choose your Sibling Rivalry card!"

"Oh no!" gasped Francesca.

A glowing orb shot out of Stan's discard pile, and it transformed into a card, which was placed on the top of his deck.

"Both Pikeru and Curran are in your Graveyard," laughed Raven, "and I truly doubt you have more than one Pikeru and Curran in your deck! So by choosing that card, I'm more or less making you skip your draw phase, because what you're about to draw is useless!"

"Oh, is it now?" asked Stan, drawing.

He looked at the Sibling Rivalry card.

"Don't be so sure," he said, taking another card from his hand.

He fit it into his Disk.

"I play… Double Spell!" he exclaimed. "Now I just need to discard one other Magic Card…"

He discarded Sibling Rivalry.

"…and now I can duplicate the effects of any Magic Card in your Graveyard. I choose your Pot of Greed!"

The Pot of Greed appeared on his side of the field, and handed him two more cards.

_Sweet!_ he thought. _I couldn't have asked for better!_

"I play Premature Burial!" he exclaimed. "To bring back Pixie Knight!"

He fit the card into the slot. His Life Points fell to 1,400, and Pixie Knight reappeared.

"And now," said Stan, placing a card on his Disk, "I sacrifice both her and Gemini Elf to summon Dark Magician!"

His friends cheered, as the two Spellcasters vanished, and Dark Magician arose.

"Nice," said Raven with a smile. "But even he isn't strong enough."

"He will be once I use this Equip," exclaimed Stan, taking the other card he had drawn.

He fit it into a slot.

"Magic Formula! This raises his Attack Score by 500 points!"

And ancient book appeared in front of Dark Magician, and his Attack went up to 3,000.

"Now, Dark Magician," yelled Stan. "Dark magic attack!"

Dark Magician spun his staff, and blew Don Zaloog away.

Raven's Life Points fell to 1,500…

But she was smiling…

"Heh, heh…" she chuckled. "Sucker. You didn't know about the other effect of my incredibly powerful Equip Card…"

"Other effect?" gasped Stan.

"Yes," giggled Raven. "When a Monster Equipped with it is destroyed in battle, the attacker loses Attack Points equal to half of the Monster's original Attack Score. Since Don Zaloog's original Attack was 1,400, your Dark Magician loses 700 Attack Points!"

Dark Magician cringed, and his Attack fell to 2,300.

"Ugh, make your move," said Stan.

"I will," said Raven, drawing.

She grinned a wicked grin.

"Time to finish you off!" she laughed. She fit a card into her Disk.

"I'll play Monster Reborn!"

Gorg the Strong materialized on the ankh, holding his mace. (1,800/1,000)

"Look familiar?" mocked Raven. "And now I'll Equip him with my second Dark Scorpion Shiv!"

She fit another card into a slot, and Gorg's mace vanished, replaced by the long dagger. His Attack Score went up to 2,500.

"Now then," continued Raven. "I'll play the Magic Card… Spell Reproduction!"

She fit the card into the slot.

"I may have to discard two other Magic Cards to play this card, but since it lets me play Monster Reborn again, that's a small price to pay!"

She discarded the rest of her hand, and the ankh appeared again; Don Zaloog reappeared! (1,400/1,500)

Stan gulped…

"Gorg," laughed Raven, "attack Dark Magician!"

Gorg leapt forward and stabbed his dagger into the Spellcaster! Dark Magician groaned and shattered.

"Don Zaloog!" laughed Raven. "Attack Stan directly with Sting of the Scorpions!"

Don Zaloog leapt into the air and did a flip. He drove his dagger into Stan, and he fell.

Francesca, Andy, and Yumi gasped.

Stan had lost…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Two hundred feet away, Lord Crump was watching.

_So…_ he thought. _There is a weakness…_

He took out his cell phone…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Stan pulled himself to a sitting position, and saw Raven standing over him.

"Well," she said with a smirk, "the Dark Scorpions have won the day, and it's time to seize the spoils…"

Stan grimaced and removed one of his three Crystal Cards from his jacket.

There was nothing he could do… Raven had won fair and square…

"It's unprofessional to gloat, Raven…" he sneered.

Raven snatched it.

"Well," she said, "to each his own. I'd love to stay and chat, but I need my beauty sleep. Maybe we'll see each other again – I'd love to take any of you down."

She turned tail and vanished into the shadows.

Stan bowed his head.

"Hey, bro…" said Andy, coming up to him, "don't let her get you down… you'll get it back…"

"I hope so, Andy…" muttered Stan.

Inside, he was worried…

He was back to where he started, with two Crystal Cards…

And he wondered what would happen if he lost them all, especially after what Merlee had said.

Would the Queen be given some sort of special power if he could no longer compete?

He had to get back on the horse soon…

But for now, Raven wasn't the only one who needed sleep…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Deep within the Palace of Shadow, the Shadow Queen chuckled to herself.

"Interesting," she said. "Stan has taken the bitter taste of defeat. Perhaps I should focus on him next…

"And should my next child fail, this Raven is an interesting duelist. She might make a useful pawn… knowingly or not.

"I'll have to watch her progress very closely…"

**0**

**0**

**0**

**AN EYE FOR AN EYE (Trap Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Trap/Counter  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description: **Image of a Grecian emperor on a podium with his right hand outstretched and a scroll in his left hand. You can activate this Trap when your opponent activates a Normal Magic Card or Normal Trap Card that does not require a trigger or specific condition. Apply the effect of the card as if you had activated it as well.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**SIBLING RIVALRY (Magic Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Magic  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description: **Image of a shocked White Magician Pikeru looking into a mirror and seeing an angry Ebon Magician Curran in the image. You can activate this card when you have either "White Magician Pikeru" or "Ebon Magician Curran" (but not both) face up on your side of the field. If you have "White Magician Pikeru" on your side of the field, Special Summon one "Ebon Magician Curran" from your hand or deck. If you have "Ebon Magician Curran" on your side of the field, Special Summon one "White Magician Pikeru" from your hand or deck.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**SEVENTH INNING (Magic Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Magic  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description: **Image of a baseball umpire holding up seven fingers. You can activate this card when your Life Points are less than that of your opponent's. Take the difference in your two scores, divide the result by half, and add the total to both players' Life Points. Life Point scores cannot be raised more than the score either player started with at the beginning of the duel by using this card.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**GREAT ESCAPE (Trap Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Trap  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description: **Image of a laughing Meanae the Thorn escaping from angry guards with a grappling hook while carrying a sack of loot. You can activate this card when an opponent declares an attack on one of your Monsters that has the words "Dark Scorpion" in its name, or is named "Don Zaloog" or "Cliff the Trap Remover". The attack is negated, and the targeted Monster cannot be targeted by attacks for the rest of the round.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**DARK SCORPION SHIV (Magic Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Magic/Equip  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description: **Image of a long dagger held by a hand wearing a black glove. This card can be equipped to any Monster that has the words "Dark Scorpion" in its name, or is named "Don Zaloog" or "Cliff the Trap Remover". Increase the ATK of the Equipped Monster by 700.

_Note: "Great Escape" and "Dark Scorpion Shiv" first appeared in "City of Souls"_

**0**

**0**

**0**

**SCORPION'S STING (Magic Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Magic  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description: **Image of Don Zaloog with long blades attached to his wrists. Pay 2,000 Life Points to activate this card. This card can be Equipped to any Monster with "Dark Scorpion" in its name, or is named "Don Zaloog" or "Cliff the Trap Remover". Increase the Equipped Monster's ATK by its original DEF. Also, if the Equipped Monster is destroyed in battle, decrease the ATK of the Monster that destroyed it by half of the original ATK of the destroyed Monster.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**DARK SCORPION FANDRAL THE DASHING (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Warrior/Effect  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level: **4  
**ATK: **1,500  
**DEF: **800

**Card Description: **This swashbuckler extraordinaire joined the Dark Scorpions out of dreams of glory. When this Monster destroys an opposing Monster in battle and sends it to the Graveyard, multiply the star level of the destroyed Monster by 300 and add the result to your Life Points.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**DARK SCORPION SHANNA THE QUICK (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Warrior/Effect  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level: **4  
**ATK: **1,300  
**DEF: **500

**Card Description: **The younger sister of Meanae the Thorn, this young teenager joined the Dark Scorpions out of lust for wealth. If you discard one Monster Card from your hand, this Monster can attack three times in one Battle Phase.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**DARK SCORPION TORNAS THE JOKER (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Warrior/Effect  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level: **3  
**ATK: **300  
**DEF: **300

**Card Description: **An urchin whom the Dark Scorpions rescued, this youngster follows his heroes faithfully – some would say blindly. When this Monster is destroyed in battle, all Monsters on your side of the field with "Dark Scorpion" in their names, or who are named "Don Zaloog" or "Cliff the Trap Remover", have their ATK increased to 3,000 until the end phase of the current turn.

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**Coming up next:**_

_**The team leaves Glitzville, and find themselves exploring a locale that wasn't in the video game! (However, a place with the same name was in one relatively recent game in the Mario universe that didn't star Mario, and no, I'm not talking about "Luigi's Mansion".)**_

**_Francesca duels a new character, a fellow who uses Monsters whom Yugi loves to use! Don't miss a chapter that I call "Polar Opposites", coming soon._**


	14. Polar Opposites

_You guys are all wondering what the "relatively recently released" game was that I was talking about last chapter._

_Well, if you haven't figured it out by the end of this chapter, I'll tell you then._

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**Being Yugi Mouto's apprentice…**_

_**(Well, I like to call myself that, at least…)**_

…_**I've studied him in detail. I've watched footage of his duels, and I know his strategies… and his deck. And something strikes me as odd.**_

_**He has a favorite card – Dark Magician – and he has a couple of other Spellcasters and cards that support this powerful Monster. But in reality, his deck doesn't have much of a theme.**_

_**He has Warriors, Fiends, a few Beasts… a mishmash, basically. A lot of his Monsters are practical and have some kind of effect – others are just powerful. **_

_**Three of his Monsters bear especial remark. They aren't all too great by themselves, but put them together and add a special fourth one… And you've got what might be his most powerful Monster – aside from the Egyptian God Cards. **_

_**Now I'm watching Francesca face a guy who's built a whole deck around these guys… And he's sure done a clever job of it…**_

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER THIRTEEN**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Polar Opposites**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

Stan didn't usually mind losing a duel, but after all the strange things that had happened lately, the fact that he could lose had made him, nervous.

As he slept, he dreamed he was in a dark cave…

He heard clicking noises and looked down… A swarm of black scorpions were scurrying towards him!

He gasped and ran in the other direction, but a form blocked his path…

"Where do you think you're going?" said Raven with an evil smile.

"Raven, please…" he gasped.

Raven chuckled.

"This is our territory, Stan," she said, "and no-one passes through without paying the toll…"

She waved her hand, and the Monsters from her deck appeared, surrounding him: Don, Cliff, Meanae, Gorg, Chick, Shanna, Fandral, and even Tornas grinned at him, and raised their weapons…

"Raven, please!" begged Stan, sweating. "Call them off!"

"Sure!" chuckled Raven. "Just hand over your deck of cards, and we'll let you off with just a few bruises… Otherwise…"

The Dark Scorpions chuckled…

Stan looked down, but his deck wasn't there.

"I… don't have it…" he gasped.

"Well then," said Raven with a smile, "the gang and I are just going to have to have a little fun…"

Her eyes glowed red, as did those of the eight Warriors… They closed in on him…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Stan gasped as he woke up.

He sat up in bed and then flopped back down.

_Note to self…_ he thought. _Dueling weirdoes is dangerous…_

He looked at the two Crystal Cards on his bedside table.

_I only have two left…_ he thought. _If I lose them all, there's no telling what will happen… If the next opponent is as tough as she was… How will I recover?_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Francesca woke up the next morning, and to her great relief, her skin was back to its healthy pink color.

As she got dressed, she was a lot more determined than ever.

"All right!" she said, throwing her Duel Disk on. "Look out Shadow Queen, Francesca Benedict is willing to take on anything you throw at her!"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

In the Palace of Shadow, the Queen chuckled.

_Oh, Francesca,_ she thought, _don't you know the old saying? Be careful what you wish for, you just might get it!_

She changed the scene on her viewing globe.

_Best check up on the rest of the kids…_

She waved her hand.

"Leopold!" she shouted.

"Yes mother?" said a voice.

"Those three punks will be headed your way by this evening," said the Queen, "so you've got next dibs."

"Don't worry about it," chuckled Leopold. "I've made plans – I've double-checked my strategy. I calculate I have at least a 90 chance of defeating Stan!"

"Well plan harder!" scolded the Queen. "Because if you screw up like Melissa, Kurtis, and Tyson did, there's a definite 100 chance that you'll end up like them!"

"Well, maybe triple-checking wouldn't hurt…" gulped Leopold.

The Queen waved her hand.

"Maria, where are you?" she asked.

"I be in the grotto, mum," said a sinister female voice. "It would be might cozy here if the bloomin' ghost ye locked up in here didn't keep threatenin' me…"

"Never mind his threats," answered the Queen. "He knows what the consequences will be if he hurts you. I want you in Keelhaul Key when and if they get there."

"Aye," said Maria. "I've been assemblin' a group ta handle them, and… uh… can I borrow _The Sea Witch_?"

The Shadow Queen groaned…

"Oh, all right!" she shouted. "But I don't want to see so much as a scratch on it when you're done!"

She waved her hand again.

"Vladimir!" she called.

"I'm here mother," said a low voice.

"Good," said the Queen. "Listen closely, after your two siblings are done, I'm counting on you to swoop in and finish off whoever is left. You're the best, and I expect you to do me proud."

"Humph," said Vladimir. "I could take them all out now and save you the trouble."

"Wait a while," said the Queen. "If Leopold and/or Maria succeed, whoever is left will be incredibly demoralized… your job will be much easier. You need intimidation, confidence, and the skill to back them up on your side. If any is lacking, you will fail…"

She gave a stern look, and the globe went dark.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Stan was still a little morose as he, Francesca, and Andy waited in line to get on the blimp. Yumi was with them, but she would be staying in Glitzville.

"Are you sure you won't come, Yumi?" asked Fran.

"Positive," said Yumi. "I'd just get in the way – and who knows whether or not the Queen will try to hypnotize me again? And she might come after me too, and put you in danger. I'm safer if I just stay in Glitzville, far among the clouds, until you say it's safe."

Andy came up.

"Be careful, Yumi," he warned. "Don't accept any challenges for duels. You never know if the Queen will try to get revenge… And you know what she does to defeated enemies…"

He shivered.

"Don't worry, Andy," urged Yumi. "Even if they force me to, I can still duel pretty well… And if I am forced and defeated…"

She bowed her head.

"If that happens," promised Francesca, "we'll find a way to rescue you. The Graveyard can't be escape proof…"

"ALL ABOARD!" shouted the pilot.

"Bye!" shouted Yumi.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

As the three took their seats on the blimp, Stan sighed.

"Ready to get that card back?" asked Andy.

"Maybe I'll wait a while," sighed Stan. "I'm still a little sore from taking three 3,000-point direct attacks in a row!"

"Point taken…" muttered Andy.

"**Attention passengers,"** said the pilot. **"We will be reaching our destination, the Wonky Circus, in half an hour. Enjoy your flight."**

"The Wonky Circus?" asked Francesca. "What's that?"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

They realized what "that" was as soon as the blimp landed, because it landed right in the middle of it.

A huge carnival was around them, and it was a busy day. Children were running about, and the place was awash with performers – clowns, jugglers, stilt-walkers, and fire-eaters. A large roller coaster, Ferris wheel, and tilt-a-whirl were set up in front of them, and various games and vendors were set up.

"Looks like a fun place," said Francesca, with a smile.

"I hate carnivals…" muttered Andy. "I've always been afraid of clowns…"

"Afraid of clowns?" said Stan, strangely.

"I know it sounds dumb," muttered Andy. "A sixteen-year-old like me, afraid of clowns…"

"Don't sweat it," said Fran with a smile, putting her arm on his shoulder. "You can get over your fear of clowns – just like I got over my fear of Elvis impersonators."

They gave her a strange look.

"What?" she said.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Andy wasn't the only one here who had an aversion to clowns…

Lord Crump didn't like them much either. He wasn't exactly afraid of them… but he hated them with a passion.

As he followed the kids, he passed by a female clown who was handing out free samples of cookies.

"Hello!" she said, sweetly. "Care to try our triple fudge macadamia nut crunch?"

Crump seethed…

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small pistol…

"Huh?" she said.

**ZAAAP!**

The clown fell over with her costume scorched.

"You could have just said 'no'!" she cried.

_Heh, heh…_ chuckled Crump to himself as he walked away. _That's one clown who's frowning on the outside AND the inside…_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The three kids passed by a booth.

The podium sign said: **MARV THE MAD MAGICIAN**

On the podium was a clown (they assumed it was Marv), dressed in a purple tuxedo and top hat. He wore blue face paint, had blue clown hair, and a pencil-thin moustache and short goatee. He wore a domino mask over his eyes.

"Attention!" he shouted. "Guys and gals, gals and guys! Come right up and feast your eyes!"

He turned towards a small item covered by a handkerchief.

"I'm one for words, or so they say, so look what you could win today!"

He whipped the handkerchief off, and people watching took notice.

Two Monster Cards were there – they were called "Silent Magician Lv 4" and "Silent Magician Lv 8".

"I found these cards in old Japan… and you can win them if you can!"

"I dunno…" said a girl up front. "They look… weird…"

"You may have heard the saying, lass, that looks can be deceiving!" he replied. "Try these Monsters in your deck, and then you'll be believing!"

He called out.

"I'll offer them, I'll say out loud, but first we need a larger crowd!"

Stan looked at the cards.

He scratched his chin… They did seem quite useful… if the effect could be pulled off…

After about fifteen minutes, a sizeable crowd had indeed appeared.

Marv slipped a Dueling Disk onto his arm. It flicked into place.

"Here's the rules, ladies and gentlemen!" he announced. "The first person to answer the question I'll ask correctly will be the winner! But first, we need to show it to you!"

He placed a Monster Card on his Disk.

"I'll summon… Berserk Gorilla!"

A furious gorilla with flame pouring out of its nostrils came into view. (2,000/1,000)

"And now, stage two!" he continued.

He drew a second card.

"I'll sacrifice Berserk Gorilla for a Fiend called Great Maju Garzett!"

He switched cards, and the Gorilla shattered; a hairy, horned demon in violet armor arose! (0/0)

"Due to Great Maju Garzett's effect," he continued, "its Attack Score is _twice_ the original Attack Score of the Monster I sacrificed to summon it!"

(4,000/0)

He drew a third card.

"And now, I add this…" he exclaimed, placing a card into a slot. "Axe of Despair!"

A huge, ugly axe appeared in Great Maju Garzett's hand.

(5,000/0)

"Five-thousand Attack?" gasped a boy. "I don't want to duel this guy!"

"Now," said Marv, drawing, "answer my question and to my prize be lead, if it isn't already in over your head!"

He held up the card he had just drawn.

"This is _another_ Great Maju Garzett card!" he exclaimed. "If I were to sacrifice my first Maju for the second, what, what pray tell, would its Attack Score be?"

A lot of folks raised their hands.

"Okay," said Marv. "You, you, you, and then you…"

Stan cringed… He was third…

"Easy…" said the boy who was first. "He would have 10,000."

"Ooh, sorry…" said Marv. "It isn't that simple…"

The girl who was second paused. Apparently that had been her answer…

"I know!" she said. "The Equip Card doesn't count… So it's 8,000!"

"Sorry, that's not it either…" said Marv, shaking his head.

He paused.

"It's not as easy as it appears; think, you'll find the answer nears…"

"I _know_ the answer…" said Stan.

"Yes?" said Marv. "You were next…"

"Great Maju Garzett's Attack Score is twice the _original_ Attack Score of the sacrificed Monster," explained Stan. "It's original Attack is zero, and two times zero is zero…

"So the answer is… zero."

Marv smiled.

"Well, let's see if you were right…" he said.

He switched cards on his Disk. The first Great Maju Garzett shattered, and was replaced by another…

(0/0)

"We have a winner!" shouted Marv.

"All right Stan!" cheered Andy.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Stan looked closely at the two cards he had won. They looked like sorcerers in space age clothing. The Lv. 4 one was a child, while the Lv. 8 one was an adult.

These Monsters would be hard to pull off, but if he managed it…

"Okay, I got cotton candy!" laughed Andy. "Fran, you want pink, blue, or green?"

"Either one except the blue," sighed Francesca.

As they started walking through the midway, Francesca spoke up.

"Carnivals are nice," she said, "but I'm ready to start dueling again…"

"Make me an offer…" said a voice to their left.

They turned…

They saw a boy about their age, standing about six feet tall. He was odd, both in clothing and appearance. He wore jeans and a blue t-shirt, but his most distinguishing feature were his tinted green glasses that seemed to take up most of his face. He had long shaggy hair that seemed to droop over them. He also wore large headphones – apparently they weren't on – and metallic boots that had small wheels printed on them.

His Disk indicated that he was a duelist.

"My Monsters and I are always looking for a challenge, if it's valid," he said.

Francesca giggled.

"I hope your dueling is better than your fashion sense…" she chuckled.

"You don't like my clothes?" he asked. "They're camp!"

"Camp?" asked Stan.

"You know, the tragically ludicrous, the ludicrously tragic?" he said.

He reached into his pocket.

"But the guys in my deck aren't exactly camp – they tend to leave others in tears! And I've got four Crystal Cards to prove it!"

He showed them.

Fran took out hers.

"Join the club!" she said with a grin.

"Great!" he said. "I'll take ya on. The name's Jeff… Jeff Azure…"

He pulled a deck out and began to shuffle.

"Now lets…" he started.

His hand slipped, and he spilled the cards on the ground!

"Oops…" he mumbled. "Folks, it's gonna be a minute…"

"No problems here…" muttered Andy. "Fran could whip this wimp in her sleep."

"Don't be so sure," answered Stan. "He has four, meaning he's won at least twice already… Don't forget, Andy, some people are completely different when a duel starts – you of all people should know that…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The word of a duel challenge spread within seconds, and before the two contenders knew it, children and adolescents swarmed into a crowd around them, many of them with parents. They had almost forgotten how amazed the natives of Monster Island were at actual dueling.

As usual, Lord Crump watched from a distance.

_Humph, one of the twerps got into a challenge,_ he thought. _Well, let's see where this leads. Maybe if I'm lucky I can see _her_ fall flat on her face!_

Francesca raised her arm, and the holo-imagers shot out of her Disk. Jeff did the same with his. They snapped into place.

"DUEL!" they both shouted.

They drew their first five cards.

_Ergh…_ thought Francesca. _Off to a slow start again…_

"Why don't you go first, Jeff?" she suggested.

"Gee, thanks…" he said, making his first draw.

He looked at the card…

Then he flicked his Field slot open and slid a card into it.

"I play my Wasteland card!" he exclaimed.

The slot slapped shut.

"Now watch," he continued, "as this carnival ground becomes a barren desert!"

The field around them became cracked, parched, and sandy. Haze filled the air.

"Uh oh…" whispered Andy to Stan. "I think I know what kind of deck Jeff has…"

"Yeah…" muttered Stan. "Zombies. They gain power in a Wasteland… but why that card and not Mystic Plasma Zone? Most Zombies are Dark…"

Andy shrugged.

"I'll also place one card facedown," continued Jeff, fitting a card into a slot, "and that will end my turn…"

"Huh?" quipped Francesca. "No Monster? What's your game?"

"You think I'm going to tell you my strategy?" asked Jeff.

Francesca drew.

_I can't risk attacking,_ she thought, _but I'd better summon something of my own… hope that card isn't a Torrential Tribute…_

Jeff smirked slightly.

_Go on, Fran…_ he thought.

Francesca put a card down.

"I summon Amazon Archer in Attack Mode!" she exclaimed.

The short-haired Amazon wearing a halter, jacket, and miniskirt, armed with a bow and arrow appeared. (1,400/1,000)

_Aw, nuts!_ thought Jeff. _I can't spring my Trap on HER!_

"And that's all for my turn," said Francesca.

_Phew,_ thought Jeff, drawing.

He looked at the card.

"I'll place a Monster facedown in Defense, and end my turn," he said.

He placed a card down, and a hidden Monster appeared.

Fran drew.

Andy screamed inside his head.

_Fran, don't!_ he thought. _Don't attack! That Monster is a Pyramid Turtle!_

Fran slipped a card into a slot.

"I play Scapegoat!" she exclaimed.

Four fluffy sheep appeared on her side on the field.

"Now to activate my Archer's special ability!" she laughed. "By sacrificing two Monsters, she can hit you directly for 1,200 points of damage! And I've got enough ammo for two shots!"

"WHAT?" shouted Jeff.

"Fire one!" shouted Francesca.

Two Scapegoats vanished, and Amazon Archer loaded an arrow into her bow. She fired, hitting Jeff in the chest!

His Life Points fell to 6,800.

"Fire two!" yelled Fran.

The other two Scapegoats vanished, and Amazon Archer fired again! Jeff fell over.

His Life Points were at 5,600.

The crowd clapped.

"And she's not done with you yet Jeff!" exclaimed Francesca. "Archer, attack his facedown mystery Monster!"

_NOOO!_ screamed Andy in his head.

Amazon Archer fired…

And a spherical critter with three eyes, three claws, and a toothy mouth appeared on the card. The arrow struck it, and it burst.

"Huh, Sangan?" asked Fran.

"Yes!" said Jeff with a smile. "And you know what that means…"

A card slipped out of his deck, and he caught it.

"This isn't good, Stan," whispered Andy. "Jeff obviously used Sangan to search for a Pyramid Turtle… and if Fran destroys that, Jeff could summon Zombies like Ryu Kokki, Patrician of Darkness, or even Vampire Lord. I should know… I almost lost to a Zombie duelist right before I came here…"

Jeff drew.

"I'll summon this in Attack Mode…" he said.

He put a card down.

"Here it comes…" muttered Andy.

A blocky humanoid form appeared. It looked like a shiny, silver robot, carrying a sword and a shield, with a crested helmet that had the image of a magnet on it.

"Meet Alpha the Magnet Warrior!" exclaimed Jeff. "And thanks to my Wasteland Field, he gets a little bonus!"

(1,400/1,700) –) (1,600/1,900)

"Hold the phone…" said Andy, startled. "Jeff isn't using Zombies! He's using Rocks! They gain a bonus from Wasteland too!"

"But why use Wasteland and not Gaia Power?" asked Stan.

"Because Earth is one of the most common Attributes on Duel Monsters," replied Andy. "If he used that, he'd help a lot of his opponents…"

"Alpha!" exclaimed Jeff. "Attack her Archer with magnetic sword!"

Alpha closed in on Amazon Archer… She tried to shield herself with her bow, but he shattered it, and then ran her through. She groaned and vanished.

Fran's Life Points fell to 7,800.

"Cool," said Jeff. "Alpha is truly grade-A!"

"Yeah?" snarled Francesca, "well even with that bonus, he's still pretty weak, and I can take him down…"

She drew and added the card to her hand.

_Amazoness Paladin will take care of that oversized refrigerator ornament,_ she thought.

She put a card down.

"I summon Amazoness Paladin in Attack Mode!" she announced.

Amazoness Paladin appeared, holding her sword aloft! (1,700/300) –) (1,800/300)

"Did you forget about my Trap Card?" asked Jeff, smiling.

His card lifted.

"I activate Bottomless Trap Hole!"

A pit appeared underneath Amazoness Paladin's feet… She screamed as she was sucked into it!

"Wh-what happened?" stuttered Francesca.

"Bottomless Trap Hole can only be activated when a Monster with 1,500 Attack Points or more is summoned," explained Jeff, "so I couldn't use it on your Archer. But your Paladin… Well, I don't envy her, because the pit delivered her to the realm of nightmares called the Different Dimension – I hope she doesn't get scared easily, because she won't come back until your next duel…"

"Funny…" snarled Francesca.

She looked at her cards.

"I can't do anything else, make your move!"

"Nuts!" cried Stan. "She's wide open for an attack!"

Jeff drew.

"Time to go up the alphabet," he quipped. "I summon Beta the Magnet Warrior in Attack Mode!"

He put a card down, and a new Magnet Warrior appeared. This one was a cute, yellow robot with magnets for hands and huge horns shaped like a magnet on his head. (1,700/1,600) –) (1,900/1,800)

"It's not just Rocks…" muttered Andy. "Jeff's strategy seems to rely completely on the Magnet Warriors!"

"Alpha," shouted Jeff, "attack Francesca directly with magnetic blade!"

Alpha closed in on Fran. She shrieked as his sword hit her!

Her Life Points fell to 6,200.

"Your turn, Beta!" yelled Jeff. "Attack with magnetic pulse!"

Beta raised his arms and fired a blast of electromagnetic energy! Francesca gasped and fell over.

Her Life Points sank to 4,300.

"I'm in the lead, princess," chuckled Jeff.

"We'll see about that," groaned Francesca.

_I'm in trouble,_ she thought. _Most of my Monsters depend on help from others for strength, and most will be wiped out by his Warriors before I can get more than one on the field!_

She drew.

_Hey… Amazoness Archers!_

_If I set this Trap and he attacks while I have an Amazon on the field, all of his Monsters will lose 500 Attack Points and will be forced to attack! The perfect way to clear his field!_

"I'll set a card facedown," she announced, fitting it into a slot.

It appeared in front of her.

"And now, Amazoness Fighter in Attack Mode!"

She placed a card down, and the bulky female Warrior with her huge muscles appeared. (1,500/1,300)

"That will end my turn," she announced.

_Heh, heh,_ chuckled Jeff. _I'm not that gullible Fran. I dueled someone who had an Amazon deck once before… And she beat me._

_I have a good idea what that Trap is, and I don't make the same mistake twice…_

He drew. He smirked.

"I summon this guy in Defense Mode," he said. "Avatar of the Pot!"

He put a card down, and green smoke issued forth from his Disk. A muscular, green genie wearing a kilt appeared. His head looked similar to the Pot of Greed. (1,200/1,300) –) (1,400/1,500)

"Huh?" asked Francesca. "Who's _that_?"

"See this?" said Jeff, showing her another card.

It was Pot of Greed.

"Not many people know that this incredibly common Magic Card is also a Monster – and he's this guy. And by summoning the Monster, I can discard the Magic Card…"

He slid Pot of Greed into his discard slot.

"…and then draw three cards, rather than two."

Avatar of the Pot gave a throaty chuckle and cast a spell. Dust churned, and three cards flew out of Jeff's deck. He caught them.

He looked at them.

"Now I'll place one card facedown, and that will end my turn," he said, fitting a card into a slot.

A card appeared behind his three Monsters.

"You aren't going to attack?" asked Francesca.

"Nope," said Jeff, with a shrug.

_Darn,_ thought Francesca, drawing, _he didn't fall for it…_

"I'll play Graceful Charity!" she said, placing the card into a slot.

The angel flew from her Disk, and handed her three cards.

_Ooh, yeah…_ thought Fran.

She handed her a Dramatic Rescue and her Recruitment Drive card, and the Angel flew into her discard slot.

Francesca took one of the cards.

"Jeff," she stated, "you ever hear the stories about the Twelve Labors of Hercules?"

"Um…" muttered Jeff. "I used to watch that show with Kevin Sorbo on it when I was a kid…"

"Then let me explain, because that show had nothing to do with actual myth," said Francesca, with a smile. "Early in his career, Hercules was driven mad by his enemy Hera, and in his rage, he killed his first wife and children. Although this crime was not truly his fault, he was made to atone for it, by serving his nephew Eurystheus, a cowardly monarch who hated Hercules, mainly because he was jealous of him. Eurystheus forced the hero to perform Twelve Labors, tasks so difficult that most would think they were impossible…

"It's the Ninth Labor that interests me the most – for that Labor, Hercules had to retrieve a magical girdle worn by Hippolyta… the Queen of the Amazons!"

"Right," said Jeff. "Interesting. Does this story have any relevance to our duel?"

Francesca fit a Magic Card into a slot.

"I'm Equipping my Amazoness Fighter with this," she laughed, "The Girdle of Hippolyta!"

Amazoness Fighter glowed, and a large belt made of gold appeared around her waist!

"This Equip Card raises the Attack of any Amazon by 800 points!" exclaimed Fran.

Amazoness Fighter's Attack rose to 2,300!

"And that's not all!" laughed Fran. "I'm also summoning… Command Knight!"

She threw a card down, and the beautiful female Warrior appeared in a burst of fire! (1,200/1,900)

Her own attack rose to 1,600, and the Fighter's rose to 2,700!

"YES!" shouted Stan. "She's turning this fight around!"

"Now, Amazoness Fighter," yelled Francesca, "smash Beta the Magnet Warrior!"

Amazoness Fighter flew forward.

"Close, but no banana, Fran!" shouted Jeff.

He hit his Disk and his facedown card lifted.

"Activate Shadow Spell!"

"AWK!" yelled Francesca. She watched in horror as six chains burst out of the ground and seized Amazoness Fighter's wrists, ankles, and waist.

She struggled to get free, but she was held fast. Her Attack Score fell to 2,000.

Fran sneered.

"Command Knight!" she screamed. "Destroy his Avatar!"

Command Knight's blade burned with fire, and she flew forth, striking Avatar of the Pot! He groaned and was reduced to dust.

"Feel better?" asked Jeff.

"A little…" grumbled Francesca.

_He still can't destroy my Fighter,_ she thought. _If I can stall long enough to destroy his Shadow Spell…_

"My move…" said Jeff.

He drew. He chuckled.

"Time to bring out the star of my deck!" he exclaimed. "First, I'll summon Gamma the Magnet Warrior!"

He put a card down, and a third Magnet Warrior appeared. This one was pink, blockier, had large fists, feet, and wings, and a big "S" on its chest. (1,500/1,800) –) (1,700/2,000)

"And now," said Jeff, with a sparkle in his eyes, "I activate their special ability!"

He placed a card down.

The three Magnet Warriors lifted off the air, and all of them separated into pieces…

"I simply sacrifice all three of them…" he said.

The pieces started to fit together…

"…and I can summon one of the greatest Monsters the dueling world has ever seen!"

A huge form crashed down, a giant Magnet Warrior that seemed to be made of parts of all three of the lesser ones. Some of the smaller kids screamed, while others cheered.

"Meet **VALKYRION THE MAGNA WARRIOR**!" shouted Jeff.

(3,500/3,850) –) (3,700/4,050)

"Impressive, ain't it?" asked Jeff.

"Depends on your point of view…" gulped Fran.

"Well," sighed Jeff, "sorry about this, Amazoness Fighter…"

Amazoness Fighter shook in fear…

"…it isn't nice to strike a lady who's chained up, but… Valkyrion, attack with magnetic pulse blade!"

The Magna Warrior flew forward, and obliterated Amazoness Fighter.

"Good thing for you," said Jeff, "her effect prevents you from taking damage…"

"My draw now…" stuttered Francesca.

_What am I going to do?_ she thought, adding the card to her hand. _I don't have my Amazoness Spellcaster, and the only Monsters I have in my hand are nowhere CLOSE to being able to beat that thing!_

"I'll place a card facedown on the field," she said, placing the card she had just drawn.

The card materialized.

"Then I'll summon Amazoness Chain Master in Defense Mode," she continued, placing a card down sideways.

The Chain Master appeared, and knelt in defense. (1,500/1,300) –) (1,900/1,300)

"And now I'll move Command Knight to Defense Mode as well," she said, turning the card.

Command Knight knelt.

"And that's my move."

Jeff drew.

"I play Card of Sanctity!" he shouted, placing a card into a slot.

A blue flash lit up the sky!

He drew three cards, and Francesca drew four.

"Heh, heh…" chuckled Jeff. "It's time to finish you with my ultimate combo!"

He slid a card into a slot.

"But first I'll clear away your Monsters…"

He discarded one of his cards…

"…with Lightning Vortex!"

"NO!" screamed Andy, as the Magic Card revealed. Lightning started to flash in the sky…

"Not so fast, Jeff!" shouted Fran.

She discarded one of her own cards.

"I'll quell your storm with Magic Jammer!"

Her Trap Card lifted, and the lightning subsided.

"Ah well," sighed Jeff. "Your Monsters are safe for the moment… I can still play my ultimate combo!"

He reached for a card.

"One question before you play your 'ultimate combo' Jeff," asked Francesca. "I'm curious… Magnet Warriors, Valkyrion, Avatar of the Pot, Lightning Vortex… your deck is packed with rare cards! How did you build such a deck?"

"It wasn't easy, I'll tell you that!" answered Jeff. "I'll say that every card I owned was earned through hard work!"

He paused.

"I grew up landlocked in a very small town – telling you the name would be pointless, because the chances that you've heard of it are infinitesimally small. My family lived thirty miles from the nearest shopping mall – and the town had no pizza delivery places, or McED's.

"I learned about Duel Monsters over the internet, and even though I had few means to get cards, I resigned to build a deck, no matter how long it took. So whenever my town got visitors, I asked them if they were acquainted with the game, and if they were, I bargained and traded for cards, making a collection bit by bit… It took two years to get a good theme.

"And when I got it, I left to find challenges. And I found them…

"And once I get to the Thousand Year Door, the biggest challenge of all will start!"

He paused.

"It's still my turn, and you're gonna see my ultimate combo now!"

He tapped his Disk.

"First, I activate Valkyrion's special ability! By sacrificing him, I can bring the three Magnet Warriors back from the Graveyard!"

Valkyrion vanished, and the three Magnet Warriors reappeared.

"Next," continued Jeff, placing a card into a slot, "I play Monster Reborn, to bring back the Valkyrion that I just sacrificed!"

The holy ankh appeared, and Valkyrion materialized next to the three lesser Warriors. Francesca gulped.

Jeff placed a card down on his Disk.

"Finally," stated Jeff, "I'll sacrifice the three Magnet Warriors _again_… to summon a second Valkyrion!"

The three Warriors flew to pieces again, and formed into another giant Magna Warrior! (3,500/3,850) –) (3,700/4,050)

"TWO Valkyrions?" exclaimed Stan. "Oh, man, Fran is doomed."

"Valkyrion #1!" shouted Jeff, "attack her Chain Master!"

The first Valkyrion flew forward, striking Chain Master with his sword and cutting her in half!

"Valkyrion #2, attack Command Knight!"

The second Magna Warrior flew forward, and struck Command Knight. She burst into flames.

"Your move, Fran," said Jeff with a smile. "But next round, I'll be able to attack you directly… and it won't be pleasant…"

Francesca's hand shivered as she drew…

She looked at the card.

"I play my own Pot of Greed!" she announced, playing the card.

The Pot appeared, and handed her two cards.

_Hmm,_ she thought, looking at them. _This might work… if I'm lucky…_

"Okay Jeff," she said, sounding more confident. "I'll summon my second Amazoness Paladin in Defense Mode."

She placed a card down, and another Paladin appeared, kneeling in Defense. (1,700/300) – (1,800/300)

"Then I'll place two cards facedown, and that will end my turn."

She threw the cards into slots, and they appeared behind Amazoness Paladin.

"Heh, heh," chuckled Jeff. "I'm not stupid, Fran. "I'm not about to risk both my Magna Warriors, and I don't have to."

He drew.

"On the off chance that one of those cards is a Mirror Force, I'll move one of my Valkyrions to Defense Mode…"

He turned a card, and one of his Magna Warriors knelt.

"Now, my other Valkyrion, ATTACK!"

Valkyrion flew forward.

"That's just what I wanted you to do," chuckled Fran. "By attacking, you activated _both_ of my Traps!"

Her cards lifted.

"First, Waboku, stopping your Valkyrion dead in his tracks!"

The three robed priestesses appeared, halting Valkyrion's advance.

"Second," continued Francesca, "you activated a little number called A Hero Emerges!"

The card lifted, showing an image of Zombyra the Dark flying out of a portal.

Fran's four cards floated out of her hands, and lined up in front of her face.

"Let me explain how this works, Jeff," she said. "You have to choose one card from my hand. If it's a Monster Card, I get to summon it right now. If it's a Magic or Trap Card, I have to discard it."

"All right…" muttered Jeff. "Uhm…"

He looked at the cards.

"The one on the far right," he said.

"Really?" said Francesca, with a smile.

The card flipped around.

It was Penumbral Soldier Lady.

"Too bad," she chuckled.

The card placed itself on her Disk, and Penumbral Soldier Lady appeared, holding her sword aloft! (2,100/1,400)

"So how it that going to help you?" asked Jeff. "She can't beat my Magna Warriors…"

"Well it's my turn now," said Fran, drawing.

She looked at the card.

"First I'll summon my second Amazoness Fighter in Attack Mode!" she exclaimed.

She put a card down, and another Amazoness Fighter appeared. (1,500/1,300)

Amazoness Paladin's Attack went up to 1,900.

"Now I'll shift my Paladin into Attack Mode…" she continued.

She turned the card, and Paladin got up, ready to attack.

"And now…" said Francesca, grinning.

She took a card from her hand. She fit it into a slot…

"…I'll Equip my Paladin with Burning Soul Sword!"

Amazoness Paladin's normal sword vanished, and was replaced by a much larger blade, made of red metal and shaped in a way that resembled fire. She held it menacingly…

"Burning Soul Sword?" asked Jeff. "What the heck is that?"

"Allow me to explain," said Francesca with a smile. "To Equip a Warrior with Burning Soul Sword, I have to sacrifice another Monster – and then, the Warrior holding the Sword has its Attack Score increased by the Attack Score of the sacrificed Monster!

"So, I'm sacrificing my Penumbral Soldier Lady!"

Penumbral Soldier Lady vanished into flames, and the flames flowed into the Burning Soul Sword! Amazoness Paladin's skin and clothing turned metallic and golden, and her Attack Score rose to 4,000!

"Amazoness Paladin," shouted Francesca, "attack his Valkyrion with flaming soul!"

Amazoness Paladin let out an ear-splitting war-cry, and charged at Valkyrion! She sliced the Magna Warrior in twain, and he shattered!

Jeff's Life Points fell to 5,300.

Everyone in the crowd applauded!

"YES!" shouted Andy.

"GO! GO!" cheered Stan.

For the first time all duel, Jeff looked worried. He drew.

"I'll summon a second Gamma the Magnet Warrior in Defense Mode," he said, placing a card down.

Another Gamma appeared, and knelt. (1,500/1,800) –) (1,700/2,000)

"You might be able to destroy him," he dared, "but your Paladin is still 51 points too weak to crack my other Valkyrion's Defense Score."

Francesca drew.

"Is he now?" she said, snidely.

She put a card down.

"I summon Amazoness Priestess in Attack Mode!"

The beautiful female Spellcaster wearing her long skirt and leather bikini top, carrying her staff topped with a crystal appeared. (1,500/1,500)

"Because I have three Amazons in my Graveyard," said Francesca, "her Attack rises to 1,800 – and since she's now on the field, my Paladin gains another 100 Attack Points!"

Jeff gasped!

"Paladin, take out the other one!" shouted Francesca.

Amazoness Paladin charged forth, and struck down the second Valkyrion.

_I've got to stall until I get the right card…_ thought Jeff.

He drew.

_This isn't it!_

"I'll summon a second Beta in Defense Mode!" he muttered, putting a card down.

Another Beta appeared, kneeling in Defense. (1,700/1,600) –) (1,900/1,800)

Fran drew.

"Paladin, destroy Gamma!" she exclaimed.

The super-Paladin leapt forth and smashed Gamma to bits.

"This is getting boring…" muttered Fran.

Jeff drew again.

"Boring?" he said with a smile. "Well, it's about to get hotter. You may not know this, but Valkyrion isn't the only secret that the three Magnet Warriors hold inside them…

"I'll shift Beta into Attack Mode…" he said, turning the card.

Beta moved into Attack position.

"Then I'll summon my second Alpha in Attack Mode!"

He put a card down, and another Alpha the Magnet Warrior appeared. (1,400/1,700) –) (1,600/1,900)

"Then," he said, placing a card into a slot, "I'll play Premature Burial, bringing back one of my Valkyrions!"

His Life Points fell to 4,500, and Valkyrion rose out of the ground. (3,500/3,850) –) (3,700/4,050)

"And now I'll activate his special ability, reviving three more Magnet Warriors!"

Valkyrion and the Premature Burial vanished, and another Alpha, Beta, and Gamma appeared. Now, five Magnet Warriors faced Francesca.

Jeff slid a card into a slot.

"Now I'll combine them again in a different way…" he said. "I play… Polymerization!"

The card appeared on the field, and a vortex opened. Alpha, Beta, and Gamma were sucked into the portal!

"What the…" gasped Stan. "They have a Fusion too?"

A large shape stepped out of the portal. It looked like a muscular, metal, bald creature with seamless, golden skin.

"Presenting," exclaimed Jeff, "**MAGNET WARRIOR OMEGA**!"

(2,200/2,800) –) (2,400/3,000)

"That's weak for a Fusion of three Monsters!" commented Francesca.

"True," agreed Jeff. "But he has a powerful effect – just by being summoned, he destroys the most powerful opposing Monster on the field!"

Amazoness Paladin screamed, and burst into pixels!

"Now, Beta," ordered Jeff, "attack her Amazoness Fighter!"

Beta shot forth his magnetic pulse, and Amazoness Fighter was blown to shards.

Amazoness Priestess's Attack Score rose to 2,000, but she looked frightened…

"I may not be able to attack with Omega this round," chuckled Jeff, but next round, you are toast!"

"Make your move…"

Fran paused for a minute…

Then she suddenly remembered something…

She drew. She looked at the very beautiful Monster on the card she had drawn.

_I'll save this,_ she thought.

"I pass," she said, "there's nothing I can do…"

"Then I draw…" said Jeff.

He drew and looked at the card.

"I'll summon my third and final Gamma in Attack Mode!" he exclaimed.

He put the card down, and yet another Gamma appeared. (1,500/1,800) –) (1,700/2,000)

_NO!_ thought Francesca. _If he summons a third Valkyrion, I'm finished!_

"Now," said Jeff with a grin, "Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Omega are all ready to finish you off! Magnet Warrior Omega, attack her Priestess with polar wave blast!"

Omega's hands crackled with electricity…

"Hold it, pal!" shouted Francesca. "You forgot all about the Trap Card I set after I summoned my first Amazoness Fighter!"

The card that had been lying on the field unused during the whole duel started to lift…

"Activate Amazoness Archers!"

A squad of female archers appeared and fired a blizzard of arrows at the five Magnet Warriors!

"Heh, heh," laughed Francesca, "now, their Attack Scores will all be reduced by 500…"

Omega dropped to 1,900 Attack, Alpha dropped to 1,100, Beta to 1,400, and Gamma to 1,200.

"AND…" continued Francesca, "the poison will infuriate them and force them to attack!"

The five Monsters flew at Amazoness Priestess! She fired five blasts from her staff, and blew them all to dust!

Jeff gasped, as his Life Points fell to 2,100.

The crowd let out a rousing cheer!

Jeff sighed.

"Fine," he said. "Then just finish it and be done with it…"

Francesca drew.

"You don't get off that easy Jeff!" she said with a smile. "You tried to finish me with mega-powerful Monsters… So I'm going to finish _you_ with one!"

"Huh?" stammered Jeff.

Fran fit a card into her slot.

"I'll play Monster Reborn, to bring back Amazoness Fighter!" she exclaimed.

The card revealed itself, and Amazoness Fighter appeared on the ankh.

"Now," said Francesca, with a great look of triumph, "I'll sacrifice her and Amazoness Priestess…"

Light struck her two Amazons, and they were consumed…

"To summon the mightiest creature in my deck!"

Lights fell down from the heavens, and beautiful music started playing…

"What on earth has she summoned?" gasped Andy.

"I don't think 'on Earth' is the correct term…" whispered Stan.

A huge, female form floated down. The gorgeous female was dressed in a silvery gown, had golden feathered wings, and an aura of light surrounded her that shone with holy power…

"Let's have a warm Monster Island welcome," exclaimed Francesca, "for **_Guardian Angel Joan_**!"

(2,800/2,000)

"No way…" said an onlooker.

"She has a…" gasped another.

Jeff gaped.

"Joan is one of the most powerful female Monsters in existence!" proclaimed Francesca. "The Amazon tribe worships her as their goddess!"

"Fancy that…" gulped Jeff.

"Go, Joan!" shouted Francesca. "Finish him off with searing light of Heaven attack!"

Guardian Angel Joan formed a ball of pure light in her hands, and hurled it at Jeff! He screamed, and fell over.

The duel was over.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_Wow, Guardian Angel Joan!_ thought Crump, getting excited.

_Well, I've got plenty of information on Francesca… these notes should be more than enough to…_

"That's him!" shouted a female voice behind him. "He's the one!"

Before Crump could turn around, a strong arm grabbed him!

He was staring in the face of a six-foot-five man who looked like he was all muscle. Tattoos covered his powerful biceps – and he was furious.

Behind him was the clown-girl who he had shot.

"He's the one who zapped me!" she cried.

"Uh…" stuttered Crump.

The muscleman lifted him off the ground to eye-level.

"Why did youse hurt my wife?" he snarled.

"Your wife?" squeaked Crump, in panic. "Well I uh… um… buh…"

He paused.

"I uh… temporary insanity?"

The angry husband carried him towards the back of a tent…

"Look…" stuttered Crump, "can't we just discuss this like mature adults?"

Angry sounds of punches being landed and cries of pain came from behind the tent, terminating in a loud crash.

The muscleman came out and went up to his wife.

"He won't bother you no more," he assured her.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Well, you won," said Jeff, resigned. "So you deserve this…"

He handed over one of his Crystal Cards.

"But I'm not going to give up!" he exclaimed. "I'm going to keep going – and I'm going to reach the Thousand Year Door yet!"

"That's the spirit!" said Francesca, giving a thumbs up. "Hope to see you again!"

_So now I have five,_ she thought, adding the card to her other four. _I'm getting there…_

The crowd had wandered away, and the carnival had gotten back to the usual business.

"So Fran," chuckled Andy, "tell me… were you really once afraid of Elvis impersonators?"

"Just the ones who imitated the 'older Elvis'," she responded. "They creeped me out. So, maybe we should think about leaving this dumb place…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Unbeknownst to any of them, Crump (who was right now lying unconscious in a garbage can) wasn't the only one who had been watching them.

The performer who had called himself Marv the Mad Magician had also taken an interest in Francesca.

_That girl…_ he thought. _Can she be…_

He walked into a tent. Inside was a painting on the wall…

It showed a female warrior bravely fending off a horde of shadowy demons – the heroine in the painting seemed to be a light in a sea of darkness…

And she looked just like Francesca.

_Yes…_ thought Marv. _She is the one… The prophesies were true!_

He pulled out a deck, and took out a card.

_This Francesca…_ he thought. _She must be the one whom I'm supposed to give this to. Well, not _give_ it to. My father told me that this thing can't be given as a gift… it can only be won._

_Well then… It's time for Marv the Mad Magician to put on a show…_

**0**

**0**

**0**

**THE GIRDLE OF HIPPOLYTA (Magic Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Magic/Equip  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description: **Image of a golden belt etched with runes. This card can be Equipped to any Monster with the word "Amazoness" in its name, or who is named "Amazon Archer". Increase the ATK of the Equipped Monster by 800.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**BURNING SOUL SWORD (Magic Card)**

**Type: **Magic/Equip  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description: **Image of a fancy sword in a bonfire. You can equip this card to any WARRIOR-Type Monster. Offer one face-up Monster on your side of the field (other than the equipped Monster) as a Tribute, and increase the ATK of the Equipped Monster by the original ATK of the Monster used as Tribute.

_Note: "Burning Soul Sword" was first used by Joey in the anime episode "Courtroom Chaos (Part Two)". All creative credit goes to the creators of that episode._

**0**

**0**

**0**

**MAGNET WARRIOR OMEGA (Monster Card)**

**Type: **Rock/Fusion/Effect  
**Attribute: **Earth  
**Level: **8  
**ATK: **2,200  
**DEF: **2,800

**Card Description:** _Alpha the Magnet Warrior + Beta the Magnet Warrior + Gamma the Magnet Warrior_

This Monster can only be summoned via Fusion Summon by using the above named Fusion Material Monsters. When this Monster is successfully summoned, destroy the opposing face-up Monster with the highest ATK.

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**Before you ask, "Silent Magician Lv. 4" and "Silent Magician Lv. 8" are real cards which will be included with the upcoming Yu-Gi-Oh! video game "Nightmare Troubadour". If the game isn't out by the time Stan actually uses them, you'll see what they do when he does.**_

_**Coming up next…**_

_**Francesca barely has time to relax after her duel with Jeff, when she is challenged by Marv the Mad Magician! And his strategy may be something she'll have trouble with! And what secrets is he hiding? **_

_**Also, if you think Amazoness Priestess was cool, Francesca has another never-before-seen Amazon in her deck who's even cooler! Who is she, you may ask?**_

**_Find out both answers, in "Battle in the Big Top", coming soon…_**


	15. Battle in the Big Top

_I know that it's a bit early for the next chapter, butI would like to voice some concerns._

_First, the Wonky Circus was from the video game "Wario World"._

_Second, one reviewer thought that "Paper Mario" contained eight partners. That isn't true. There were only seven, Ms. Mowz included._

_Third, a reviewer thought I made a mistake, saying that Pikeru's effect only affects allied Monsters, and Curran only effects enemy Monsters. This is not true. Both Spellcasters affect all Monsters on the field (check the rulings)._

_With that out of the way..._

_On to the next chapter!_

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**When you start a duel, you have to analyze your enemy… Duelists usually have themes, and by learning them, you can attempt to think up strategies to counter them.**_

_**The only problem comes when you encounter strange themes that you've never seen before. "Strange" doesn't mean "ineffective". In fact, the more unusual something is, the more deadly it likely is. **_

_**It's human nature to fear the unusual.**_

_**The guy I'm facing right now – he has a theme that is used by a famous duelist. But it isn't a very popular theme. So basically, I'm a Stranger in a Strange Land…**_

_**Or should I say a Strange World?**_

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER FOURTEEN**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Battle in the Big Top**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

It was eleven AM, still early.

In the middle of the Wonky Circus, the three teenagers were sitting on a bench, looking at a map.

"So where to now?" asked Francesca.

"Well, I guess the closest place to go to now is… Twilight Town…" muttered Stan.

"Well, I'm not scared just because it has a creepy name," stated Andy. "And we promise, Stan, the next duelist we meet is yours."

"Well, we'll just have to…" started Stan.

Then a cloud of purple smoke started to appear in front of them.

"Wha…?" said Stan, startled.

A coughing was heard, and Marv the Mad Magician appeared from out of the cloud.

"Oof!" he choked. "I wish they'd invent smokeless magic! Hello folks!"

"Uh, hi…" said Stan. "Thanks for the cards by the way."

"You earned them, sport!" laughed Marv. "But now I have an offer for Francesca!"

"ME?" asked Francesca, surprised.

"Yessir!" exclaimed Marv. "I'm putting on an exhibition duel in the big top in fifteen minutes, but my assistant quit. The ingrate… I want you to take his place…"

He paused.

"Win, and you'll win a card even rarer and more powerful than those cards that Stan won!"

"Uh…" muttered Fran. "Why me?"

"I saw you duel that guy with the Magnet Warriors," he replied. "I think it would make a good show…"

She looked at him strangely.

"Give me a minute…" she said.

She, Stan, and Andy went into a huddle.

"This might be risky, Fran," warned Andy. "This guy might be working for the Shadow Queen for all we know…"

"And he's pretty weird…" muttered Stan. "And don't forget, we saw him summon a Monster with 5,000 Attack…"

"Yeah, but he drew those cards on purpose," reminded Francesca. "A rare and powerful card… it's tempting…"

She turned to Marv.

"Two questions," she stated.

"Shoot," answered Marv.

"First, what is this card?"

"Can't tell you that," answered Marv. "But trust me, it's something that would add firepower to practically ANY deck."

Francesca rubbed her chin.

"Second," she asked, "what happens if I lose?"

"Then you'll only get a smaller consolation prize for your efforts," answered Marv. "And that one I _can_ show you…"

He pulled a card out of his coat…

It was a Monster Card called Sacred Phoenix of Nephthys.

Fran was shocked. She had heard of Sacred Phoenix of Nephthys; it didn't exactly fit her deck, and she wasn't exactly sure of what it did, but she Idid/I know that it was incredibly rare.

If this was the consolation prize, what on earth would she get if she won?

"Okay, Marv, you're on!" she said with a grin.

"Great!" he exclaimed. "We're on in ten minutes… its showtime!"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Meanwhile, the Shadow Queen was beside herself with anger. Her crystal ball had gone on the blink again shortly after Francesca's duel with Jeff.

"OOH!" she cursed as she pounded on it.

She sighed.

"Is there some higher force at work?"

She picked up her cell phone and dialed Crump's number.

A message was the response: **"The extension you have dialed is no longer in service. Please make sure you have dialed correctly."**

"What the…?" she said in surprise.

She dialed another number.

"Yes my liege?" said a voice.

"Sir Grodus," said the Queen. "I need you to find Crump – I have the feeling he's gotten into trouble again. Those kids might have even discovered him. He was last at the Wonky Circus."

"Right away, my liege," answered Grodus. "What should I do with him when I find him?"

"Find out what the problem is, report to me, and THEN I'll decide what to do with him!" she replied.

"If those kids have forced anything out of that coward, he's going to be sorry he was ever born!"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_Wow,_ thought Stan, as he sat back in a seat, _déjà vu…_

The main circus tent of the Wonky Circus was loaded with kids, most of them with their parents. It was a much different arena than the Glitz Pit – jugglers and clowns were providing the entertainment at the moment, as was the case in any circus.

"So," mentioned Andy. "What sort of deck does a clown use?"

Stan thought for a minute.

"I have absolutely no idea, Andy," he replied. "There are a lot of Monsters with a comical theme, but you really can't expect to put them all together in a deck and have success with it…"

A ringmaster mounted a podium with a bullhorn.

"Ladies and gentlemen!" he shouted. "Children of all ages! We now present a special treat, courtesy of the tournament going on amidst Monster Island!

"Presenting, the baron of buffoonery, Marv the Mad Magician!"

Marv appeared, and the crown cheered.

"And his opponent for this special exhibition duel, a contestant who already has five Crystal Cards to her name, Francesca Benedict!"

Francesca walked up to the podium, as did Marv, and the crowd cheered again. The ringmaster hopped down.

Marv produced a deck, and placed it on the podium.

"Well Fran," he stated, "let's shuffle and cut!"

He started to shuffle his deck like a blackjack dealer.

"Marv, you could damage your cards that way…" warned Fran.

"Hee, hee," chuckled Marv. "Don't worry… I'm used to shuffling like this."

He loaded the deck into his Disk.

"Let the show begin!" he announced.

The podium sank into the floor, and the two backed up…

The holo-imagers shot out, and the Disks snapped into position.

"It's time to duel, as everyone is so fond of saying!" laughed Marv. "The first move goes to our guest…"

Fran drew her six cards.

_Amazing!_ she thought. _This is the best opening draw I've had in weeks!_

She put a card down.

"I'll summon Amazoness Paladin in Attack Mode!" she shouted.

The general of the Amazons appeared, brandishing her sword. (1,700/300) – (1,800/300)

"And now I'll place this facedown," she continued.

She slid a card into a slot, and a facedown card appeared.

_As soon as he attacks, my Amazoness Archers Trap will clear the field of whatever he summons…_ she thought.

Marv drew.

"Well, well…" he chuckled. "Prepare Francesca…"

He held his hands up high.

"Prepare to enter a whole new world of dueling… a world of chaos… a world of mystical, magical mayhem!"

He threw a Magic Card into a slot…

BOING! WHIZ! POW!

"**_A world of Toons!"_** he shouted.

A large green book appeared above the field, and opened, like a spooky children's popup book. Magical energy coursed from it…

"Toon World?" gasped Francesca. "What the heck is _that_?"

"An important card in my deck," chuckled Marv. "I've always admired Maximillion Pegasus… the creator of this game. So I decided to create a deck just like his!

"Playing this card costs me 1,000 Life Points…"

His Life Points fell to 7,000.

"…but it's worth it, because now the creatures in my deck can achieve their full power!"

"This… doesn't look good…" muttered Andy.

Marv placed a card down.

"Now I summon… Toon Gemini Elf in Attack Mode!"

Toon World slammed shut, and eldritch energy flowed from its covers! It opened again, and two sinister looking elves that seemed to be made of watercolor paint leapt out. (1,900/900)

"What on earth?" exclaimed Andy.

"They look kind of like my own Gemini Elf…" muttered Stan. "But creepier!"

Fran didn't like the look of this creature… It had been a long time since she had seen _Who Framed Roger Rabbit, _but these elves reminded her of Jessica Rabbit – and they looked just as much bad news.

"So," she said nervously. "Are you going to attack, or what?"

"Can't," said Marv, with a shrug.

"What do you mean, 'can't'?" asked Francesca in surprise.

"Most Toon Monsters can't attack on the same round in which they're summoned," explained Marv. "They're rather powerful, so it's a trade-off…"

He grinned.

"So make your move…"

Francesca's hand shook as she drew. She_ really_ didn't like the look of those elves…

She looked at the card. She added it to her hand.

"I'll summon Amazoness Swords Woman in Attack Mode," she said, placing another card down.

The scantly-clad Warrior-woman holding her huge sword appeared. A lot of catcalls came from the audience. (1,500/1,600)

Amazoness Paladin's Attack went up to 1,900.

"That's my turn," she said.

_My Amazoness Archers Trap is still on the field,_ she thought. _It should be enough…_

Marv drew.

"Get ready," he said with a grin, "because here comes another resident of Toon World!"

He put a card down, and Toon World closed again. A flurry of ribbons and flowers spewed out…

"I summon Toon Masked Sorcerer in Attack Mode!" he exclaimed.

A twisted parody of Masked Sorcerer leapt out of the book. He had a big grin, and flowers in his clownish hair. (900/1,400)

"He may not look like much," chuckled Marv, "but he's a fun guy once you get to know him."

"Now, Toon Gemini Elf… ATTACK!" he shouted.

The two elves locked elbows and leapt into the air…

"I activate… Amazoness Archers!" shouted Fran.

Her Trap lifted, and a squad of female fighters armed with bows appeared, peppering the two Toons with arrows!

"Now both of your Toons will lose 500 Attack Points," she smiled, "and both will be forced to attack!"

"As you wish…" said Marv with a grin. "But with Toons, I don't have to target your two Amazons…"

The Toon elves spun around in midair, and then kicked Francesca in the chest! She gasped and fell back.

The elves cackled as her Life Points fell to 6,600.

"How'd you do THAT?" exclaimed Fran. "I had Monsters on the field!"

"Toons don't care about that!" laughed Marv. "They love twisting the rules! And my elves have an additional effect!"

Toon Gemini Elf laughed, and then snatched a card out Francesca's hand! They stuffed it into her discard slot.

"And now…" continued Marv, "thanks to your Trap Card…"

Toon Masked Sorcerer chuckled a throaty laugh and cast forth a multicolored beam of energy, bypassing the two Amazons and striking Fran in the chest! Her Life Points fell further, to 6,200.

"And when he damages your Life Points, I get to draw one card…" said Marv, drawing.

The crowd cheered.

"Heh, heh, cartoons are so _violent_these days…" he chuckled.

"All right!" said one boy.

"Those Toons rock!" said another.

"I was right…" groaned Andy. "This _isn't_ good…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Grodus appeared in a beam of light in the middle of the Wonky Circus.

"All right Crump," he muttered. "Where the heck are you… I know you're around here somewhere…"

He heard a groan coming from behind a tent.

"That's him," sighed Grodus. "He sounds like that every time the Queen punishes him – and she's going to do it again if he doesn't have a damn good reason for this…"

He walked to the back of the tent and saw the henchman stuffed inside a garbage can, beaten to a pulp.

"CRUMP!" he shouted. "You mind telling me what happened here?"

Crump slowly started to come to…

"Ah heh, heh…" he muttered. "Um, this will make you laugh…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"My move now…" grunted Francesca.

She looked at her card.

"I summon my Amazoness Chain Master in Attack Mode!" she shouted.

She threw a card down, and the wild, white-haired Amazon with her bladed chain appeared. (1,500/1,300)

Amazoness Paladin's Attack Score went up to 2,000.

"Time to send your cartoons back to the sketchpad!" she shouted. "Amazoness Paladin, attack Toon Gemini Elf!"

Amazoness Paladin raised her sword. The two elves screamed and tried to run, but she was too fast. With one swipe of her sword, they burst into a splatter of paint.

Marv grimaced. His Life Points fell to 6,900.

"Amazoness Swords Woman, take down his other Toon!" yelled Francesca.

Swords Woman raised her blade, and lashed out at Toon Masked Sorcerer! He burst into pieces… His guttural laugh echoed over the field before they disintegrated.

Marv's Life Points fell to 6,300. He stepped back nervously…

"Amazoness Chain Master, attack his Life Points directly!"

Chain Master swung her chain, and hurled it forward, striking the Mad Magician! He gasped, and staggered back, his Life Points falling to 4,800.

The crowd cheered again.

"Hmm," said Marv, picking up his hat. "Not bad. But this duel is far from over…"

"It's your move, Toon-head," muttered Fran.

Marv drew.

"I'll play an old standard…" he chuckled, "Pot of Greed!"

He played the card, and the jar handed him two more cards.

"Well, this will work," he said with a grin. "I'll first play two cards facedown…"

He threw two cards into slots. Two cards appeared in front of him.

"…and now," he continued, "I'll summon Toon Goblin Attack Force, in Attack Mode!"

He threw the card down, and more magical energy flew from Toon World. A green mist floated down, and small troop of goofy looking goblins holding big clubs appeared. They giggled wickedly. (2,300/0)

"And that will end my turn," he said with a grin.

Francesca gulped…

_If those Toon Goblins are anything like the other Toons, they're gonna hit me for 2,300 points of damage on his next turn!_ she thought. _I'd best draw something good…_

She drew.

_Well, talk about luck…_ she thought.

"Okay Marv…" she announced.

"Hold up, Fran!" he announced. "I'm activating _both_ my facedown cards! First, Scapegoat!"

His first card lifted, and four fluffy, multicolored sheep appeared in front of him.

"Next," he continued, "Gift of the Mystical Elf!"

His Trap Card lifted, and energy flowed from the four sheep, the Goblins and the three Amazons. His Life Points rose to 6,800.

"Oo-kay…" muttered Fran.

She placed a card into a slot.

"I'm Equipping my Paladin with The Girdle of Hippolyta!"

The golden belt appeared around Amazoness Paladin's waist, and her Attack Score rose to 2,800.

Marv gasped.

"Paladin, take out his Goblins!" shouted Francesca.

Amazoness Paladin leapt into the air and Toon Goblin Attack Force screamed! She landed, and they blew to pieces!

Marv's Life Points fell to 6,300.

"Swords Woman, Chain Master, take out two of his sheep!"

The two Amazons raised their weapons, and slashed at the little sheep. Two of them were vaporized.

The crowd cheered yet again!

"All right!" yelled a girl in back of Stan. "Her Amazons are kicking A!"

"Don't you know it…" said Stan, with a smile.

Marv made a draw.

"Okay, girl…" he said. "First I'll place this card facedown…"

He placed a card in a slot, and it appeared behind the goats.

"And you know there's a funny thing about Toons – most of them aren't Normal Summoned. They're Special Summoned…"

"Your point being?" asked Francesca.

"The point is, since they're Special Summoned, I can use Scapegoats as sacrifices to summon them!"

Fran gasped.

_These Toons are full of surprises…_ she thought.

"So, I'll sacrifice one Scapegoat," he continued.

He put a card down and a sheep flew into Toon World; it slammed shut again.

"And I'll summon one of my rarest Toons…"

Toon World started to glow with dark energy, and a girlish giggle was heard. The book opened, and a form was spat out. It looked like a little girl dressed in a Halloween costume… Depicting Dark Magician Girl! (2,000/1,700)

_No!_ thought Stan. _A Toon Dark Magician Girl? How could they?_

"And guess what, Fran?" chuckled Marv. "This Toon _doesn't_ have to wait a turn before she can attack! But rather than have her attack you… Toon Dark Magician Girl, attack her Chain Master!"

Toon Dark Magician Girl waved her staff and fired and blast of what appeared to be streamers and confetti! Amazoness Chain Master gasped, and was consumed by it!

The Toon giggled madly. Francesca's Life Points fell to 5,700. Also, Amazoness Paladin's Attack went down to 2,700.

Francesca gave him a look.

"Sorry, Marv, but I'm on to you," she said. "You wanted me to waste 1,500 Life Points to use her ability to take a Monster from your hand, right? Well I'm not going to do that – your Monsters are Toons, and I'm not even certain how to use them…"

"Well then," said Marv with a shrug, "your loss."

Secretly, however, Francesca had hit the nail on the head. Toons couldn't attack an opponent directly if the opponent had Toons of his own on the field. And right now, the only Toon he had in his hand was pretty weak…

_This girl is pretty smart,_ he thought. _I can only hope she wins. I'm not allowed to throw this fight – the prize has to be earned. But if she is worthy, it will bring us one step closer…_

…_to ending the nightmare._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"So," said Grodus, angrily, "you zapped someone because you thought she was 'annoying', and then her husband found you and beat you up? Crump, what am I going to do with you?"

"How was I supposed to know she had a husband who weighed two-hundred pounds?" pleaded Crump.

"I wouldn't want to be in your shoes when the Queen hears about this…" muttered Grodus.

"Wait!" begged Crump. "I've got good information…"

He fished his notebook out of the garbage can. It was somewhat dirty, but still in good shape.

"Here!" he exclaimed. "All the information you could need about Francesca! She's got a lot of powerful cards!"

Grodus took it and looked through it.

"A Hero Emerges…" he read, "Burning Soul Sword… The Girdle of Hippolyta… Guardian Angel Joan?"

He drew back in surprise.

"This IS pretty useful!" he exclaimed.

He looked at Crump.

"Well…" he said. "This is worth something I guess… If you promise not to do anything else Istupid/I, I'll just tell the Queen that your cell phone got broken or something…"

"Uh, what's the catch?" asked Crump.

"The catch is you have to take a shower, pal!" demanded Grodus.

"Right…" muttered Crump. "I'm on it."

"And once you're done with that, start following those brats again," ordered Grodus. "They're still in this circus, but they might leave soon.

"DON'T mess up again!"

He vanished.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"It's my draw, Marv!" exclaimed Fran.

She drew.

"Activate… Dust Tornado!" shouted the Mad Magician.

His Trap Card lifted, and a gust blew over the field. The Girdle on Amazoness Paladin's waist crumbled.

Her Attack went back down to 1,900.

Francesca grimaced… but then she saw the card she had just drawn.

"I sacrifice my Swords Woman to summon Penumbral Soldier Lady!" she exclaimed.

She switched cards on her Disk, and Swords Woman shattered. Penumbral Soldier Lady arose. (2,100/1,400)

"Go!" yelled Francesca. "Take out that goofy Magician Girl!"

Penumbral Soldier Lady charged and struck Toon Dark Magician Girl! The Toon gasped and shattered into pixels.

Marv's Life Points fell to 6,200.

"Paladin, destroy his last Scapegoat!" ordered Francesca.

Amazoness Paladin charged forward and cleaved the last sheep in half!

"Your move," she said. "So what will you pull out of your bag of tricks now?"

Marv drew.

"What now, you ask?" he chuckled. "I'll play this Magic Card! A little thing called Toon Table of Contents!"

He threw the card into a slot.

"What is _that_?" asked Francesca in surprise.

Toon World spun around and its pages flew. It stopped – naturally – on the table of contents. A card spat out, and Marv caught it.

"A useful card that lets me search my deck for _any_ card I please that has the word 'Toon' in the name!" replied Marv.

"And now," he said, fitting another card into a slot, "I'll play Monster Reborn! To bring back my Toon Masked Sorcerer!"

The goofy Spellcaster reappeared. (900/1,400)

"And then," said Marv, with a wicked grin, "I'll sacrifice him to bring out my strongest Toon…"

He switched cards on his Disk…

Toon World opened again, and Toon Masked Sorcerer flew inside. The book slammed shut, and bolts of lightning flew from it…

Two claws appeared from inside the book, and it slowly opened. A huge form arose… the most frightening Toon yet. It seemed to be a bony demon of some sort, with horns and a skull-like face twisted in a hideous smile!

It looked at Francesca and made a hideously goofy face!

"Meet my **_Toon Summoned Skull_**!" laughed Marv.

(2,500/1,200)

Stan gazed in amazement.

"That is the most hideous thing I have ever seen," he said. "And coming from a duelist, that is saying a lot…"

"Good grief…" muttered Andy. "How is Fran gonna beat that thing?"

"Make your move, sunshine," chuckled Marv.

Toon Summoned Skull grinned an evil grin.

Francesca's hand shook as she drew.

She looked at Penumbral Soldier Lady…

_Darn,_ she thought. _You know, I really should look into getting one of those Scroll of Bewitchment cards that Stan has… if I could turn an opposing Monster into a Light Monster, she could take down almost anything…_

"Uh…" she muttered, "I pass this turn…"

"FRANCESCA!" yelled Stan as the crowd gasped.

"As you wish, said Marv, drawing. "You know, this big guy comes with a handicap – I have to pay 500 Life Points for him to attack – but it's a price I'm more than willing to pay! Toon Summoned Skull, attack Francesca directly, would you?"

His Life Points slipped to 5,700, and Toon Summoned Skull powered up. It shot forth a blast of powerful lightning bolts! Francesca screamed as they hit her!

As her Life Points fell to 3,200, she took gasping deep breaths…

"Are you done?" she sneered.

"Uh huh," he said. "Your move…"

Fran reached for her deck.

_This had better be something good, or he'll just do that again!_ she thought.

She drew.

Her eyes narrowed.

"I'll place a card facedown," she said, "and end my turn…"

She fit a card into a slot, and it appeared behind her.

Marv drew.

_Excellent,_ he thought. _I have the three cards now that I can use later – if I need to… But for now…_

"Toon Skull…" he ordered, "attack again!"

The Toon powered up its lightning…

"Not so fast!" responded Francesca. "I activate Waboku!"

Her Trap Card lifted, and the three priestesses appeared. The lightning bolts fizzled.

Marv frowned as his Life Points sank to 5,200.

"Well then," he said, "I guess it's your move…"

Fran drew.

"All right!" she shouted.

She placed a card on her Disk.

"I sacrifice my Amazoness Paladin…"

Paladin vanished.

"AND my Penumbral Soldier Lady…"

The Warrior of shadows vanished.

"To summon the almighty… Guardian Angel Joan!"

Beams of light cascaded down into the tent, and heavenly music started playing. The immense, lovely form of Joan descended on her golden wings! (2,800/2,000)

Toon Summoned Skull cringed in fear, but the audience in the tent was excited. They let out a cheer!

"Joan!" shouted Francesca. "Destroy that abomination with searing light of Heaven attack!"

A globe of light appeared in Joan's hands, and she blasted it forward, vaporizing the demented Toon!

Marv's Life Points fell to 4,900.

"And I've done more than just destroy your Monster," said Fran with a grin. "When Guardian Angel Joan destroys an enemy Monster, I gain Life Points equal to the original Attack Score of the destroyed Monster… So I just gained 2,500 Life Points!"

Her Life Points rose to 5,700.

"Make your move," she dared.

Marv drew…

"Take THIS," he exclaimed. "Swords of Revealing Light!"

He threw a card into a slot, and the glowing Swords rained down on Francesca!

"Super…" she said.

"And now," said Marv, taking another card, "I'm going to play a Magic Card – in fact, it's the very card that you're trying to win, Francesca…"

"Huh?" stated Francesca. "What is it?"

On one side, she was excited that she was going to see it – but on the other side, she was worried – it was likely powerful…

"I play a card called… Art Attack!" shouted Marv.

He fit the card into a slot, and the card appeared. It was a strange image, resembling a painting with Dark Magician Girl sitting as the _Mona Lisa_would.

"What does it do?" asked Francesca.

"I won't say yet," explained Marv. "In order for it to work, it has to remain on the field for three of your turns.

"Anyway, I end my turn."

Fran drew.

_Can't attack with these Swords in the way,_ she thought, _but I can still summon…_

"I'll summon my second Amazoness Swords Woman in Attack Mode!" she announced.

She put the card down, and another Swords Woman appeared.

"Make your move," she said, nervously.

Marv drew.

"First," he said, "I'll play Dian Keto the Cure Master," he stated.

He fit a card into a slot, and the god of healing appeared over him. His Life Points went up to 5,900.

"Now," he continued, "I'll summon Toon Mermaid in Attack Mode!"

He put a card down, and Toon World glowed again. A large clamshell with eyes on it emerged, and it slowly opened. A comical mermaid with a green hair and a sweet smile holding a bow and arrow appeared from inside it. (1,400/1,500)

_Crud, another Toon…_ thought Fran.

She drew.

"I'll have to pass this turn," she sighed.

Marv drew.

"Okay, sunshine," he said, "I'll first place two cards facedown…"

He threw two cards into slots, and they materialized next to the Art Attack card.

"And now," he said, "I'll summon another Toon Gemini Elf in Attack Mode!"

He put his last card down, and the sinister Toon elves leapt out of Toon World! (1,900/900)

"And I'm not done yet!" he laughed. "Toon Mermaid, attack her Life Points directly!"

Marv's Life Points fell to 4,400 as Toon Mermaid drew back her bow. She giggled, as she fired, striking Fran in the chest. She gasped and fell backwards.

Her life Points fell to 4,300.

She grunted as she struggled to stand.

"My move now…" she sneered.

_Man, I'm taking a beating…_ she thought. _Why did I agree to this?_

She drew.

"I play Pot of Greed!" she announced.

She played the card, and the jar handed her two cards.

Mystical Space Typhoon and Mirror Force.

She looked at the field.

_I could destroy that Art Attack card…_ she thought. _Whatever it's supposed to do, it's going to do after I end my turn…_

_But wait… his facedown cards… What if one of them is something that can stop me from attacking? What if he can destroy my Mirror Force? Ooh, I don't want those Toons to attack me again!_

She looked up at Toon World.

_This will be a risk,_ she thought. _But I'm going to bring the curtain down on this blasted cartoon!_

She threw the card into a slot.

"I play Mystical Space Typhoon!" she shouted. "Say goodbye to your Toon World!"

The cyclone whipped over the field, and Toon World was blasted into pieces! Toon Mermaid and Toon Gemini Elf screamed, and they shattered into pixels!

"Now, just in case," muttered Fran.

She fit her Mirror Force card into a slot.

"I'll place this card facedown, and that will end my turn."

The Swords vanished.

"Hee, hee," chuckled Marv, drawing. "The time has arrived…"

The Art Attack card began to glow.

"My Art Attack card can be unleashed!" exclaimed Marv. "Certainly, you'd agree that Duel Monster cards are works of art…

"And when the power of Art Attack is unleashed, I can Special Summon _four_ Monsters from my deck with an Attack Score of 2,000 or less!"

Four cards flew out of his deck and he caught them.

"And by the way, these guys _aren't_ Toons," he added. "I put them in my deck to form a lethal combination with Art Attack!"

He put a card down.

"First, Water Omotics!"

A flash of light erupted and revealed a pretty water fairy with flowing purple hair wearing a scaly blue swimsuit. She carried a earthen jug. (1,400/1,200)

"Next, Fireyarou!"

Marv threw down another card next to Water Omotics's and a flash of light revealed a flaming teenager wearing shorts with bronze skin. (1,300/1,000)

"Harpie's Brother!"

Marv slapped down another card and a flash revealed a tall, gangly, man with wild hair, a scarf over his face, and large wings. He wore a brown shirt and pants. (1,800/600)

"And finally, Celtic Guardian!"

Marv threw down his final Monster and an armored elf in a cape holding a longsword sprang up. (1,400/1,200)

"Oh, come ON," muttered Francesca. "Guardian Angel Joan will take them down one by one…"

"Not while I have my two Trap Cards!" exclaimed Marv.

One of his cards lifted.

"I activate… Fuh-Rin-Ka-Zan!

The image of a grim, kneeing Samurai appeared on the field.

"Let me explain how this powerful, complex, harder-to-pull-off than-a-childproof-cap-on-a-medicine-bottle Trap works," explained Marv. "To activate it need a Monster of Water, Fire, Wind, and Earth on the field – and now, the conditions are perfect! Water Omotics is Water, Fireyarou is Fire, Harpie's Brother is Wind, and Celtic Guardian is Earth!"

"So what does it do?" asked Fran, nervously.

"I can activate one of four effects," answered Marv. "I can draw two cards, make you discard two cards, destroy all your Monsters, or destroy all your Magic and Trap Cards!"

Francesca gulped.

"And I think I'll use the effect that lets me draw two cards!" he exclaimed.

The Samurai vanished, and two cards flew out of his deck.

"Fool," sneered Francesca. "You could have destroyed Joan!"

"I will!" laughed Marv. "Thanks to my other Trap! I activate Elemental Burst!"

His other Trap Card lifted.

"This Trap _also_ works when I have Monsters of those four Attributes on the field!" he exclaimed. "And now, I can sacrifice all four of them to wipe out every Monster, Magic Card and Trap Card you have on the field!"

The four Monsters screamed a battle cry and leapt up to attack! They formed into orbs of multicolored energy!

A huge explosion blasted on Francesca's side, knocking her backwards!

When she looked up, Marv's four Monsters were gone, but so was Joan, Amazoness Swords Woman, and her facedown Trap Card.

The crowd cheered again. It was hard to see who was on who's side.

"And it's still my turn," laughed Marv. "I'll set a Monster facedown, and that will be all."

He placed a Monster Card on his Disk, and the facedown card appeared.

Francesca was burning with fury. She drew…

"I'll summon Amazoness Fighter in Attack Mode!" she shouted.

She threw the card down, and the muscular Warrior-woman appeared. (1,500/1,300)

"Attack his facedown Monster!" she commanded.

The Fighter charged…

A figure appeared on the card… It was a female Spellcaster with a ponytail in a fancy dress carrying a staff with a crescent moon on the end…

"EEK!" gasped Francesca, as the Magician of Faith was blasted apart.

"You know what this means," chuckled Marv.

"You get to retrieve a Magic Card from your Graveyard…" mumbled Fran.

An orb of light shot out of Marv's discard slot, and it formed into a card.

"I'll give ya one clue as to what it is!" he laughed, showing her the Toon World card.

"Fine, make your move," snarled Fran.

Marv made a draw.

"Perfect!" he said. "First, I'll play my old reliable Toon World again!"

He threw the card into a slot, and BOING! WHIZ! POW! Toon World appeared over the field again.

His Life Point were deducted to 3,900.

"Now I'll summon my _third_ Toon Gemini Elf!" he exclaimed.

Toon World glowed with energy, and the sinister elves leapt out. (1,900/900)

"And finally, one card facedown."

He fit his last card into a slot, and it appeared behind the elves.

"That's my turn," he sniggered.

_Nuts,_ thought Francesca.

She drew.

"I play Card Destruction!" she exclaimed, throwing a card into a slot.

Marv shrugged. Fran discarded her hand and drew and equal number.

Francesca looked strangely at one of the Monster Cards in her hand.

_Hey…_ she thought, _I'd almost forgotten that this gal was in my deck… Maybe I can use her for this…_

She put a card down.

"I summon this Warrior in Attack Mode… Amazoness Snake Charmer!"

A new Amazoness appeared. She had long green hair held by a headband, wore a bikini and boots made of snakeskin, and wore jewelry made from fangs. Most remarkable, a huge python curled around her legs and waist, its head supported by her right hand. (1,300/1,000)

A lot of the folks in the audience gasped in fright. Marv was among them – he never liked snakes…

"Uh…" he said. "I've never seen THAT one before…"

He regained his composure.

"But she's too weak to take down my elves!"

"That's what you think!" said Francesca with a grin. Amazoness Snake Charmer has a very potent ability!

"But before I get to that, I'll play a Magic Card…"

She placed a card into a slot.

"Rallying Cry!"

"Rallying Cry?" asked Marv. "What does that do?"

"To play Rallying Cry, I have to have two Amazons on the field, and pay 500 of my Life Points…"

Her Life Points fell to 3,800.

"And in return, I can Special Summon any one Amazon from my hand! So I'll summon my second Amazoness Paladin!"

She threw a card down, and another Amazoness Paladin appeared! She nodded to her two comrades and turned to face their enemy. (1,700/300) – (2,000/300)

"Now we get to Amazoness Snake Charmer's special effect!" she announced. "See, by spending my Life Points, I can raise her Attack Score by the same amount for one turn!

"So, I'll spend 700 of my Life Points…"

Her Life Points fell to 3,100, and Snake Charmer's Attack rose to 2,000.

"Snake Charmer," she ordered, "attack her elves with constrictor crush!"

Amazoness Snake Charmer pointed, and her python slithered forward… Toon Gemini Elf screamed, but the snake grabbed them, and wrapped itself around them! They groaned as it squeezed…

Finally, they burst into pixels. Marv's Life Points fell to 3,800.

"Now, Paladin, Fighter, attack his Life Points directly!

Marv gasped and cowered. Paladin slashed at him with his sword, and Fighter delivered a great kick!

His Life Points plummeted all the way to 300.

The crowd cheered wildly!

"I don't get it," muttered Stan. "If Francesca had spent 300 more Life Points, she would have won…"

"She must have been worried about the facedown card," noted Andy. "If it was something deadly, like a Mirror Force, she might have been worse off."

Marv grunted and drew.

"Hee, hee," he snickered.

"I play… Card of Sanctity!" he shouted.

He plugged the card into a slot, and the blue flash lit up the big top.

"He actually drew Card of Sanctity?" exclaimed Andy. "How lucky can you get?"

Stan pondered this.

"The Heart is strong with this one…" he muttered.

They each drew until they had six cards.

"First," stated Marv, "I'll activate my facedown card… Call of the Haunted!"

The Trap Card lifted, and electricity coursed from Toon World again!

The hideous Toon Summoned Skull arose from the pages once more. (2,500/1,200)

"Interesting," muttered Francesca. "Did you forget that you have to pay 500 Life Points to make that thing attack? You don't have enough left!"

"Good point," shrugged Marv. "I'll also place this card facedown. "It's your move."

He slid a card into a slot, and it appeared in front of him.

_I already have a strategy in mind,_ he thought, looking at his cards. _She'll obviously try to use her Snake Charmer's ability to bring down the Toon Skull… but to do so, she'll have to bring her Life Points down to 1,800._

_And when she tries to attack, my Negate Attack will block the attack!_

_Then, my second Dian Keto will raise my Life Points to 1,300… and ZAP! One attack and this duel is over._

_A pity – I guess I had the wrong person._

Francesca drew.

"I summon Command Knight!" she shouted, placing a card down.

The beautiful Warrior in ceremonial armor appeared with her blazing sword. (1,200/1,900)

Paladin's Attack went up to 2,400, Fighter's went up to 1,900, Snake Charmer's went up to 1,700, and Command Knight's herself went up to 1,600.

"And now," said Francesca. "I play the Magic Card… Recruitment Drive!"

She placed the card into a slot, and it appeared.

"This card gives Command Knight the status of an Amazon, meaning that my Paladin's Attack Points go up to 2,500!

"I hate to send one of my Monsters on a kamikaze strike, but I will win this duel! Amazoness Paladin, attack the Skull!"

Amazoness Paladin leapt at Toon Summoned Skull…

"NO!" shouted Marv. "Activate Negate Attack!"

The Trap Card lifted, and Paladin's attack was blocked.

"Fine," said Francesca. "I end my turn."

"Well this duel isn't over yet!" yelled Marv.

He drew.

"I play my second Dian Keto the Cure Master!" he exclaimed, throwing a card into a slot.

The deity appeared behind him, and his Life Points went up to 1,300.

"Now I'll summon another Toon Mermaid in Defense Mode!" he shouted.

He threw a card down, and the cartoonish mermaid appeared, shyly hiding in her shell. (1,400/1,500)

"Now, Toon Summoned Skull, destroy her Snake Charmer with lightning strike!"

His Life Points fell to 800. The Toon Skull blasted forth his thunderbolts, and Snake Charmer screamed. She and her snake blasted into pixels.

Francesca's Life Points fell to 2,300. Paladin's Attack Score dropped to 2,400.

"Are you quite done?" asked Francesca.

Marv searched his hand.

"Erg, yes…" he said.

"All right!" exclaimed Francesca, drawing. "I'll summon Amazoness Blowpiper in Attack Mode!"

She threw a card down, and the teenage savage armed with a blowgun appeared. (800/1,500)

Amazoness Paladin's Attack Score went back up to 2,500.

"I must admit Marv, it was close…" said Francesca. "If I didn't have Blowpiper in my hand, you'd have won…

"So let's try this again! Amazoness Paladin, attack his Toon Summoned Skull!"

Amazoness Paladin leapt at Toon Summoned Skull, who gasped. It formed a ball of lightning around its fist, and threw a punch to meet her sword… There was a huge explosion…

When the smoke died down, both of them had been wiped out…

"Command Knight!" shouted Francesca, "attack his Mermaid!"

Command Knight's sword blazed with fire, and she charged Toon Mermaid! The Toon screamed as she was struck, and vanished in a burst of steam.

"Now, Amazoness Blowpiper, finish him off!"

Amazoness Blowpiper leapt into the air and delivered a kick to the Mad Magician's chest! He fell over, and his Life Points fell to zero.

The crowd gave a standing ovation.

"Yeah, Fran!" shouted Andy. "You rock!"

Marv got up…

"Well…" he said, catching his breath. "I must say Francesca… that was one of the best duels I ever had…"

He took the Art Attack card out of his discard pile. It seemed to glow as he held it.

"This card is special, Francesca," he stated. "Use it wisely…"

His voice sank to a whisper.

"Because I know now, you were destined to use it…"

Francesca stared at the new card in her hand.

It was another Enchanted Card… she was sure of it…

All this must have been a test… and she passed.

So now what?

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Fifteen minutes later, the three teens were leaving the carnival grounds.

"So, Twilight Town next?" asked Andy.

"Yep," said Francesca. "And like we promised, Stan, the next duelist is yours…"

"Yeah…" muttered Stan. "Peachy…"

_I just hope he isn't as tough as Raven,_ he thought. _I'm still sore from yesterday…_

The started down the road, towards Twilight Town…

Unseen, Lord Crump followed behind…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

About a half mile away from them, a duel was in process…

One of the duelists – her name was Sally – had one of the deadliest Monsters of all in front of her – Black Luster Soldier, Envoy of the Beginning!

"Go!" she shouted. "Obliterate his facedown Monster with chaos blade!"

The Soldier slammed his sword down, and her opponent's Monster was vaporized.

"Why don't you just give up?" she mocked. "No matter what you summon, my Soldier can _erase_ it!"

"Not if what I summon has more Attack Points…" warned her opponent.

"Yeah, right," she said, rolling her eyes. "Like I'm really going to let you keep something on the field long enough to make enough sacrifices…"

Her opponent drew.

"Who ever said I needed a sacrifice?" he said.

He placed a card down on his Disk…

A frightening Monster arose…

"What?" gasped Sally. "No! HOW?"

"ATTACK!" shouted her opponent.

A wave of energy shot forward, and Black Luster Soldier was reduced to ashes!

Sally watched in horror as her Life Points plummeted to zero…

"I win…" said her opponent. "But good game."

**0**

**0**

**0**

**AMAZONESS SNAKE CHARMER (Monster Card)**

**Type: **Warrior/Effect  
**Attribute: **Earth  
**Level: **4  
**ATK: **1,300  
**DEF: **1,000

**Card Description: **This young woman has learned the secrets of commanding reptiles. During your Battle Phase, you may spend up to 2,000 of your Life Points to raise the ATK of this Monster by the same amount. This effect lasts until the End Phase of your turn.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**RALLYING CRY (Magic Card)**

**Type: **Magic/Quickplay  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description: **Image of Amazoness Paladin blowing a large horn. You can activate this card when you have at least two Monsters on your side of the field that have the word "Amazoness" in their name, or who are named "Amazon Archer". Pay 500 Life Points. Special Summon one Monster from your hand that has the word "Amazoness" in its name, or who is named "Amazon Archer".

**0**

**0**

**0**

**ART ATTACK (Magic Card)**

**Type: **Magic/Continuous  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description: **Image of a painting of Dark Magician Girl, sitting in the pose of the _Mona Lisa _against a similar background. On your third standby phase after this card has been activated, Special Summon up to four Monsters, each with an ATK of 2,000 or less, from your hand or deck. Then destroy this card and remove it from play.

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**What sort of Monster can be summoned with no sacrifice that could destroy Black Luster Soldier, Envoy of the Beginning AND devastate and your opponent's Life Points in one shot? I'll tell you right now – it is NOT a made-up card!**_

**_Stan comes face to face with this complex Monster's master in the next chapter. See the premier of his other Enchanted Card, and also one of his other Companions!_**

**_I'm not going to reveal the name of this chapter, because it might give away the surprise. But be here for it… very soon…_**


	16. Chaos Reigns!

_Before I start, I have an apology to make._

_I was wrong about White Magician Pikeru and Ebon Magician Curran's effects. I apologize for what may have come across as a personal attack on a reviewer._

_Second, one reviewer asked if Mario himself would appear as a Monster in this fic. I'll tell you flat out, NO. I considered that for a while, but I decided not to have Mario appear._

_So, what Monster can be summoned with no sacrifice, take down the Black Luster Soldier, and do a great deal of damage to an opponent? Prepare to find out…_

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**I don't exactly envy Monsters (mine and my opponents') who are destroyed or otherwise discarded. But at least I can take comfort in knowing that the Graveyard where they spend the rest of the duel is a pretty peaceful place.**_

_**At least, that's usually the case…**_

_**Something different happens to Monsters who are removed from play – Chaos, that's what it's called. According to Duel Monsters lore, they wind up in a place called the Different Dimension. Not much is known about this strange place – I suppose some creatures like D.D. Warrior Lady are happy there, but to most… Well, most duelists assume it's a hideous realm of absolute chaos where prisoners are slowly consumed by their worst nightmares. Recovering Monsters from the place isn't easy, and the ways of doing so are costly. **_

_**And the funny part is, not all cards that involve Chaos involve banishing your opponents' Monsters to the Different Dimension. In fact, that's the less likely scenario. To obtain a lot of powerful effects and summon some powerful Monsters, you have to send some of your own Monsters there…**_

_**You know, I always wondered who the ruler of the Different Dimension was…**_

_**From the look of things, I just might find out…**_

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER FIFTEEN**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Chaos Reigns!**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

"Sheesh, what time is it?" asked Andy.

"One PM…" pondered Francesca, looking at her watch.

"Then why is it already dark out?" exclaimed Andy.

The path they were on was a wide dirt road, and it was indeed dark – and by dark, they didn't mean overcast. Shortly after they had left the Wonky Circus, it was as if the land had been plunged into an eternal twilight. Stars twinkled overhead, and wispy clouds passed by them. The sun was still in the sky, but it was dark, and gave off no more light than a dim moon. The three of them often looked at it, and it didn't hurt their eyes at all.

Even worse, the landscape was spooky. They were traveling through a sparse forest full of dead trees that seemed to reach down on them with menacing branches.

"Next stop," muttered Stan, "the Wicked Witch of the West's castle…"

"That might not be too far off," sighed Andy. "Maybe the Shadow Queen's power is stronger here… this area might be some sort of focal point for her magic…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The Shadow Queen was watching them of course, and that remark made her smile.

"Foolish Andy," she laughed. "This whole island is a focal point of my power! You want to see another demonstration?"

She picked up a deck, and withdrew a card.

"This one will do nicely…" she chuckled.

She walked over to the fireplace and hurled it into the flames.

As the flames turned violet, a cackling laughter was heard.

"Go!" she shouted. "Give them the scare of their lives!"

A dark form flew out of the mountain.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

As the three teens walked on, it suddenly got misty and darker…

Suddenly a cackling laugh was heard, and a huge, sinister shadow with glowing red eyes and wicked claws arose in front of them! (2,800/3,000)

"That's Despair From The Dark!" screamed Francesca.

"Hey, no fair!" shouted Andy. "How are we going to take out Ithat/I?"

Stan backed up… He flicked his Disk into position.

"Okay, Queen…" he growled, "if you're gonna fight dirty, then so am I!"

He took a card from his deck, and placed a card down on it…

A facedown Monster appeared between them and the Zombie.

"Whatever you do guys…" he whispered, "stay behind my facedown Monster. If my hunch is right, it will have to destroy it before it can attack us…"

"But then what?" gasped Andy.

Despair From The Dark cackled. It raised his claws, and shot forth a beam of pure blackness…

An old, grizzled mage in colorful clothing appeared on the card. He thrust his staff forward and cast forth a dark spell.

Despair From The Dark screamed! Both it and the Spellcaster burst into pixels.

Stan chuckled.

"Old Vindictive Magician," he said, shuffling the card back into his deck. "The Spellcaster version of Man-Eater Bug."

"And you were upset because you lost one duel," sighed Francesca. "Stan, if you can take down the baddest Zombie in the game, you can beat anyone."

"Well," sighed Stan. "These goons the Queen is throwing at us is one thing, but…"

"Excuse me folks," said a voice from up ahead. "Did I hear screaming?"

They looked, and a boy who looked about a year older than they were walked up from ahead of them. He had long blonde hair and piercing blue eyes. He wore an AC/DC t-shirt, and a plain pair of jeans – as well as a Duel Disk.

"Screaming?" answered Francesca. "Well… uhm… You likely wouldn't believe us if we told you."

"Try me," he chuckled. "I've seen a lot in my time."

His accent was unmistakably Germanic.

"Well," muttered Andy. "Would you believe a living Despair From The Dark ambushed us and attacked us?"

The duelist paused.

"Well," he mused. "Given these surroundings, that might not be surprising. This Monster Island is a strange place from what I've seen…"

He reached into his pocket.

"But I've coped fast… I already have five Crystal Cards."

"You must be good," responded Stan.

"I don't like to brag," he answered. "The name is Drake, by the way…"

He paused.

"It's a bit of a way to Twilight Town," he muttered. "Care to talk?"

"Sure," said Francesca, sitting down. "So what do your parents do for a living?"

"Uh…" said Drake, sadly. "They're dead…"

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" gasped Francesca, realizing she'd put her foot in her mouth again.

"Quite all right," sighed Drake. "I never knew them, and in a way, having to go without them made me a great duelist…

"See, up until I was ten, I was sort of a nerd, and bullies used to pick on me mercilessly… But then I turned eleven, and one day something snapped in me. I started to fight back, and I didn't do half bad.

"They never bothered me again, and I got respect from then on…"

He reached into a pouch on his side.

"And one day, someone gave me this card…"

He showed them a Duel Monsters card – it was Axe Raider.

"He told me I was just as brave as Axe Raider for standing up to people like those bullies. I looked into Duel Monsters, and I put together a truly… unique deck. It made me the regional champion of Benelux.

"Benelux?" asked Francesca.

"It's a term that means Belgium, Holland, and Luxemburg combined," answered Stan.

"So," said Drake with a smile, "anybody care to spar? I'm in the mood for another challenge, so long as it's a worthy one."

"We told you the next one was yours, Stan," urged Andy.

"Yeah Stan, go for it!" exclaimed Francesca.

Stan bowed his head for a second.

_The champion of Benelux…_ he thought. _I dunno… This guy might be tougher than Raven was…_

"_Go for it Stan!"_ cried a voice in his head.

He looked up in surprise.

It sounded like a young, female voice, one which he had never heard before.

"_Who are you?"_ he responded.

"_You'll meet me soon,"_ was the reply_. "Now don't wimp out like I always did… you have to get your third card back! I believe in you!"_

Stan got up and shuffled his deck.

"Okay Drake," he said, "it's go time!"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

As usual, Crump was watching their every move. This time he was lying down on top of a large rock.

_Hee, hee,_ he thought. _Wow, Stan is dueling again…_

He spoke aloud.

"Betcha five bucks he falls flat on his face again!" he dared.

Then he noticed that he had made that challenge to an owl perched on a nearby tree.

"Whoo?" hooted the owl.

"Uh, never mind…" he mumbled.

_Wish it was a raven,_ he thought. _If it was, it might have something valuable that I could bet for… oh well…_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

There were no ravens where Crump was perched, but the two duelists – and Fran and Andy – soon saw that the trees around them had become full of them, and owls, and crows, and bats.

"We seem to have drawn a bit of a crowd…" muttered Drake.

"Yeah…" mumbled Stan. "Well, let's not let them distract us…"

The Disks flipped into position, and the scores set to 8,000 apiece.

"DUEL!" they both said.

_Come on, Stan!_ thought Andy. _You've got to win this one!_

They each drew five cards.

"You make the first move, Stan," said Drake with a smile.

"Certainly," said Stan, making his first draw.

He looked at his card.

"I summon White Magician Pikeru, in Attack Mode!" he exclaimed.

He set a card down, and the cute child Spellcaster in her white dress carrying her scepter appeared. (1,200/0)

Pikeru looked around at her surroundings. She shuddered in fright…

"Look at that poor thing!" exclaimed Francesca. "She's scared to death!"

"All right," muttered Stan, "I'll play one card facedown, and that will end my turn."

He threw a card into a slot, and it materialized behind Pikeru.

_Magic Cylinder will protect her for at least one round,_ he thought.

Drake drew one card.

"I'll play this Magic Card," he stated. "Gather Your Mind!"

He threw the card into a slot.

"Huh?" asked Stan. "What's that?"

"Gather Your Mind let's me add another Gather Your Mind card to my hand," explained Drake. "And it let's me shuffle my deck."

He shuffled his deck, and replaced it.

"Uh, I don't get it…" mused Stan.

"You'll see soon," said Drake. "Now I'll place a Monster facedown in Defense Mode, and that will be all."

He set a Monster Card down, and a hidden Monster appeared.

Stan drew.

_Sweet!_ he thought.

"First," he said, "due to Pikeru, I gain 400 Life Points for each Monster on my side of the field."

Pikeru raised her glowing staff, and Stan's Life Points rose to 8,400.

"Now," he continued. "I play Nobleman of Crossout!"

He threw a card into a slot, and a knight with a sword appeared over the facedown card! He stabbed into it!

A shadowy, cloaked assassin holding a dagger appeared… He gasped and shattered.

"Heh," chuckled Stan. "A Night Assailant, huh?"

Two cards slipped out of Drake's deck.

"And it looks like you had three of them!" he laughed.

"Uh huh…" muttered Drake, slipping them into the special slot in his Disk for the Removed From Play pile.

But inside, he was smiling…

"Pikeru," shouted Stan, "attack directly with sparkle blast!"

Pikeru waved her scepter and fired a blast of shining stars! Drake grunted as they hit him, and his Life Points fell to 6,800.

"Okay," he gasped, "you win round one… My move now…"

"Yes!" cheered Andy. "Stan is winning already!"

"Go Stan!" yelled Francesca.

Drake looked at his card.

"I summon Peten the Dark Clown in Defense Mode," he said, placing a card on his Disk.

A goofy, foppish harlequin appeared, wearing a cavalier hat with a plume. His makeup was white with black streaks on each side, and his costume was green, blue, and yellow. He knelt in defense. (500/1,200)

"Ugh…" moaned Andy. "More clowns… I _hate_ clowns…"

"And I'll also play the second Gather Your Mind card," he said, placing it into a slot.

He retrieved a third Gather Your Mind from his deck, and shuffled again.

"That's my turn," said Drake. "And your little pixie's Attack is too weak to break through my clown's Defense!"

Stan drew.

"She'll be strong enough in a minute," he said with a smile. "But first I'll take a boost from Pikeru…"

Pikeru held her staff aloft and it glowed again. Stan's Life Points went up to 8,800.

"Now, I'll summon Neo the Magic Swordsman in Attack Mode!"

He put a card down, and a young, blonde-haired man wearing a fancy tunic and carrying a glowing sword. (1,700/1,000)

"Keanu Reeves this ain't!" exclaimed Stan. "And now I'll give Pikeru a boost…"

He fit a card into a slot.

"I play Magic Formula!"

An ancient tome appeared in front of White Magician Pikeru. She quizzically looked at it, and her Attack went up to 1,700.

"Pikeru!" shouted Stan, "attack the Dark Clown!"

Pikeru shot forth her sparkling stars, and Peten was blown away.

"Nice try, Stan…" said Drake with a grin.

A card flew out of his deck.

"But when Peten the Dark Clown is destroyed, I can remove it from play, and then summon another one!"

He placed the card down on his Disk, and a second Peten appeared.

Stan grimaced.

"Neo!" he shouted. "Attack the second one with sword of light!"

Neo ran his hand over his blade, and mystic runes appeared over it. The sword shone with light, and he charged, striking the second Peten down.

Another card flew out of Drake's deck.

"Again, nice try," he said. "But I have a third one."

He put another card down, and yet another Peten appeared. He made a raspberry at Stan.

"All right…" sighed Stan. "I end my turn…"

Drake drew.

"I'll summon this in Defense Mode…" he stated.

He placed a card down.

A weird portal opened, and a weirder Machine flew out. It looked like a metal sphere with a strange, red eye on its front and two spindly mechanical arms on its sides. (800/1,200)

"Meet D.D. Scout Plane!" exclaimed Drake.

"That's enough for my turn," commented Drake.

_D.D. Scout Plane?_ thought Stan. _Ooh, Monsters with the letters D.D. in front of their names are never good news! If I attack that thing, it might remove one of my Monsters from play!_

He drew.

Pikeru raised her staff again, and his Life Points went up to 9,600.

_Still,_ he thought, _I could damage his Life Points good if I took a risk…_

He put a card down.

"I summon Blast Magician in Attack Mode!" he shouted.

The fiery mage with his sickle-bladed staff and red robes appeared. (1,400/1,700).

_Here goes…_ he thought.

"Neo! Attack his D.D. Scout Plane!"

Neo's sword glowed and he leapt up, bringing his blade down on the strange machine. It exploded into bits!

Stan waited for a few seconds.

_Everyone's still here?_ he thought. _Odd… what kind of effect did it have?_

He shrugged.

"Blast Magician, destroy the last Peten with blast attack!"

Flames erupted on Blast Magician's staff, and he swung them forward, burning the third Peten up!

"Pikeru, attack directly!"

"Not again!" shouted Drake as Pikeru's stars slammed into him.

He gasped, as his Life Points fell down to 5,100.

"Yes!" shouted Andy. "I knew Stan would get his groove back!"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Crump frowned.

"This guy was the champion of Benelux?" he mumbled. "Do all the duelist there stink?"

"Whoo," hooted the owl.

"Quiet," said Crump. "This guy isn't even putting up a fight – he hasn't even summoned anything in Attack Mode yet…"

"Whoo?" said the owl.

"Quiet," repeated Crump.

He thought for a minute.

"Unless…" he muttered.

"Maybe Drake's strategy is something other than a simple frontal assault…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Drake drew.

"Stan, you are a worthy opponent…" he said with a smirk.

"But now I get deadly serious…"

He fit a card into a slot.

"I'm going to blow away your facedown card with Mystical Space Typhoon!"

The wind whipped across the field, and the Magic Cylinder card shattered!

"Eek…" muttered Stan.

Drake put a card down.

"Now meet one of my stronger Monsters," said Drake with a smile. "I summon the powerful Chaosrider Gustaph!"

A sound like a noisy motorcycle erupted above the forest, and a portal opened. A biker dressed in green and brown punk-like attire and a horned helmet driving a shiny red and silver motorcycle sped out, and skidded to a halt. (1,400/1,500)

"Heh," chuckled Stan. "That guy may look intimidating, but he's weak!"

"Not for long!" said Drake with a smirk.

Two cards flew out of his discard slot.

"I can remove up to two Magic Cards from play, and increase Gustaph's Attack Score by 300 for each! So I'll remove my two Gather Your Mind cards…"

He slid the two cards into his removal slot, and Gustaph's Attack went up to 2,000!

"Now, Gustaph, attack Pikeru with smoke exhaust attack!"

Gustaph revved up his cycle and blasted a cloud of exhaust at Pikeru! She screamed and was consumed by it!

Stan's Life Points slipped to 9,300.

"Oh, and that bonus to his Attack won't wear off until the End Phase of your next turn," added Drake. "So I end my turn…"

Stan grumbled. He drew.

"Then I'll pass this turn," he said.

Gustaph's Attack fell back to 1,400.

Drake drew.

"I'll play Graceful Charity!" he announced.

He fit the card into a slot, and the beautiful angel flew out of his deck. She handed him three cards.

He quickly handed her two of them (one was his last Gather Your Mind).

He took a card from his hand.

"Now I'll play this Magic Card," he exclaimed, fitting it into a slot, "The Cheerful Coffin!"

A tall undertaker in a stovepipe hat appeared in front of him, and hefted a large coffin in his hands.

"This lets me discard three Monster Cards to my Graveyard," explained Drake. "So…"

He took three more cards from his hand, and tossed them into the air. The undertaker opened the coffin and caught them in it. Then the coffin shrank down to miniscule size, and he tossed it into Drake's discard slot.

"Now then," continued Drake, "I'll summon Bazoo the Soul Eater!"

He placed a card down, and a large form appeared. It looked like a hulking mandrill ape with purple fur and powerful arms. It clutched a large fruit in its hands. (1,600/900)

_Aw no,_ thought Stan._ I know what that thing can do…_

"And now," exclaimed Drake, "I can remove three Monsters from my Graveyard from play to bring his Attack Score up by 300 for each! So I'll remove the third Peten, the D.D. Scout Plane, and a second D.D. Scout Plane that I just discarded!"

Three cards flew out of his discard slot, and he moved them to his removal slot. Bazoo's Attack went up to 2,500!

"And I'm not done!" he laughed. "I'll also remove The Cheerful Coffin and Graceful Charity from play to power up Gustaph again!"

Two more cards flew out of his discard slot, and he discarded them into his removal slot. Gustaph went back up to 2,000 Attack.

"Now, Bazoo, attack his Blast Magician with breath of souls!"

Bazoo opened his jaws and blasted forth a beam of energy, blowing Blast Magician into gibbets!

"Ugh…" groaned Stan, holding his nose. "Banana breath!"

"Gustaph!" yelled Drake. "Attack Neo!"

Gustaph shot forth his exhaust, and Neo was obliterated.

Stan's Life Points fell to 8,100.

"But wait!" exclaimed Drake. "There's more!"

"More?" moaned Stan.

Two cards flew out of Drake's removal slot, and placed themselves down on his Disk.

"Whenever a D.D. Scout Plane is removed from play for _any_reason," explained Drake, "it's Special Summoned to the field during the End Phase in Attack Mode!"

Another portal opened, and two of the weird Machines flew out. (800/1,200)

"Well, I think that's enough for my turn…" he concluded.

"Don't worry, Stan!" shouted Francesca. "You're still way ahead of him."

She turned to Andy.

"Drake sure seems to have a weird deck…" she mentioned.

"Yeah…" muttered Andy. "Chaos…"

"Chaos?" asked Fran.

"Call me crazy," said Andy, "but a lot of Drake's strategy seems to revolve around removing his own cards from play…

"There might be a nasty surprise in store for Stan… but I can't quite put my finger on it…"

"One of the Envoys, maybe?" asked Fran.

"He'd need a Light Monster for that, and he hasn't summoned one yet…" muttered Andy. "At least, I don't Ithink/I any of his Monsters are Light…"

"My turn…" said Stan.

_Well,_ he thought. _Time to go for broke…_

"I'll place one card facedown…" he stated.

He placed a card into a slot, and it appeared.

"Then," he said, "I'll summon Skilled Dark Magician in Attack Mode!"

He threw the card down, and the dark-robed sorcerer appeared out of the shadows. (1,900/1,700)

"Now I'll play… Pot of Greed!" he announced.

He fit the card into the slot, and the smiling jar handed him two cards.

Skilled Dark Magician raised his staff, and energy flowed into it… The steel of his staff changed color to copper.

"Now, Skilled Dark Magician, attack one of those Machines with black magic blast!"

Skilled Dark Magician cast a dark spell, and one of the two D.D. Scout Planes exploded!

Drake's Life Points fell to 4,000.

"And that's my move…" said Stan, with a grin.

Drake considered as he drew.

_Hmph!_ he thought. _I have enough Monsters to remove from play to power Bazoo enough up enough to take out that Magician… And then my other Scout Plane and Gustaph could put some hurt on his Life Points…_

_But Stan is no idiot… He wouldn't have done that unless that facedown card was something nasty… And my Life Points are way behind his…_

He looked at his card.

_Well, this will help…_

He turned the cards on his Disk.

"I'm shifting all three of my Monsters to Defense Mode," he said.

D. D. Scout Plane backed up, Bazoo shielded itself, and Gustaph turned his motorcycle sideways…

"HA!" laughed Stan. "I was hoping you'd do that! I was bluffing!"

He hit his Disk, and his Trap Card lifted.

"I activate my Pitch Black Power Stone!"

A black sphere with three glowing lights in a triangular pattern rose above his head.

"What does THAT do?" asked Drake.

"It's a storage container that holds three spell counters," explained Stan. "During each of my turns, I can transfer one of its spell counters to any of my Monsters that uses spell counters! Monsters like… Skilled Dark Magician!"

Drake frowned.

"I play this Magic Card," he stated, placing it into a slot. "Soul Absorption!"

A frightening card appeared on his side of the field. It looked like a body having blue energy sucked out of it by demonic skulls.

Skilled Dark Magician absorbed more energy, and his staff glowed silver.

"Soul Absorption?" asked Stan. "What's that?"

"You'll find out soon," said Drake. "For now, I summon D.D. Trainer in Defense Mode.

He put the card down, and yet another portal opened. A hideous creature emerged, looking like a cross between a slug, centipede, and beaver, with slimy orange and yellow skin. A bald, sinister-looking goblin was riding the thing. (100/2,000)

"Man, is that thing _ugly_!" remarked Andy.

"Mmm," agreed Francesca. "Clearly, all of Drake's Monsters are out of the ordinary…"

Stan drew.

"I'll transfer one charge from my Pitch Black Power Stone to my Skilled Dark Magician…" he stated.

One of the bright orbs from the Stone flowed into the Magician, and his staff glowed golden.

A card flew out of Stan's deck.

"Now, I can sacrifice him to Special Summon… Dark Magician!"

Skilled Dark Magician vanished, and the genuine article appeared! (2,500/2,100)

"And that's not all…" continued Stan. "I'll also summon my Skilled WHITE Magician!"

He placed another card down, and the Light counterpart to Skilled Dark Magician appeared! (1,700/1,900)

"All right!" shouted Stan. "Skilled White Magician, attack Bazoo the Soul Eater!"

Skilled White Magician thrust his staff forward and cast a spell of burning light! Bazoo howled and burst into pixels!

"Dark Magician, attack Chaosrider Gustaph!"

Dark Magician made a dramatic swing with his staff and fired! Gustaph screamed, and then he and his motorcycle were blown apart.

"That's all for my turn…" said Stan with a smile.

_I've got this cold!_ he thought._ I can't lose!_

He paused.

_Wait… I can't think like that… That got me in trouble last time…_

"It's your move Drake," he said.

Drake drew a card.

"I'll play my Pot of Greed…" he stated, fitting a card into a slot.

The pot handed him two more cards.

Skilled White Magician absorbed the energy… His staff glowed copper.

"Ah, perfect!" he exclaimed. "I summon Banisher of the Light in Defense Mode!"

He put a card down. A tall priest in a blue and mustard-yellow robe appeared, holding a hand out. (100/2,000)

"And that will end my move," he stated.

_Err, I don't like that…_ thought Stan, drawing. _But I don't like his D.D. Trainer even more…_

He looked at his card.

"I'll transfer a charge from my Stone to my Skilled White Magician!" he stated.

Another orb from the Pitch Black Power Stone shot forward and flew into Skilled White Magician. His staff glowed silver.

"Dark Magician, attack his D.D. Trainer!"

Dark Magician aimed his staff, and fired, blowing the goblin and his hideous mount to pieces!

"Skilled White Magician, attack his Scout Plane!"

Skilled White Magician fired his bright magic from his staff, and the Machine exploded.

"Heh, heh," chuckled Drake. "Thank you. You see Stan, thanks to my Banisher of the Light, all cards that are destroyed or discarded while he's on the field are removed from play…

"And that means my Soul Absorption can now get to work! It heals me of 500 points of damage whenever one of our cards is removed from play!"

His Life Points went up to 5,000.

"What's more," he said, "since D.D. Scout Plane was removed from play…"

"You get to Special Summon it back during the End Phase…" growled Stan.

"Exactly!" stated Drake.

"Fine," said Stan. "I end my turn."

A portal opened, and the D.D. Scout Plane flew out.

Drake drew.

"I'll shift my Scout Plane into Defense Mode," he stated, turning the card, "and also summon a Monster facedown in Defense Mode."

He threw a card down, and a hidden Monster appeared.

"It's your move…"

Stan drew.

"I'll transfer the last charge of my Stone to my Skilled White Magician!" he exclaimed."

The final charge flew out of the Stone, and the Stone crumbled. Skilled White Magician's staff glowed golden.

"Heh, heh," laughed Drake. "You just discarded your Trap Card, meaning my Banisher of the Light removed it from play, meaning I gain another 500 Life Points!"

His Life Points went up to 5,500.

A card flew out of Stan's deck.

"Your Banisher won't be staying for long," he said. "I can now sacrifice Skilled White Magician to summon Buster Blader!"

He switched cards on his Disk, and Skilled White Magician vanished; a huge figure in blue armor holding a giant sword appeared! (2,600/2,300)

"Buster Blader?" said Francesca in surprise. "That's not a Spellcaster…"

"Yeah, but…" pondered Andy.

He paused. He knew why Stan had that card in his deck – it made a nasty combo with Dark Magician. He respected Stan, but he had to admit, _hated_ Buster Blader, and the combo it made with Dark Magician – once one of his opponents got one or the other on the field, he'd be hard pressed to win…

Buster Blader and Dark Magician looked at each other and nodded.

"I also summon my Gemini Elf in Attack Mode!" shouted Stan.

He put another card down, and the two twin elves appeared.

"Buster Blader!" he shouted, "attack his Banisher of the Light with blade buster attack!"

Buster Blader leapt forward and struck, blasting Banisher of the Light into bright pixels!

"Now, Gemini Elf, attack his facedown Monster!"

The two elves raised their arms, and shot forth two bolts of lightning… A figure appeared on the card…

It was a female Warrior dressed in white armor, wearing a white domino mask, carrying a huge weapon that looked like a cross between a sword and a cleaver.

"WHAT?" shouted Stan, as the Warrior was blown apart.

"Your elves just destroyed my D.D. Assailant!" laughed Drake. "And when she's destroyed, both her and the Monster who destroyed her are removed from play!"

A dark hole opened above the field… Gemini Elf screamed, and they were sucked into it!

"And that means I gain 1,000 more Life Points!" he chuckled.

His Life Points went up to 6,500.

Stan growled.

"Dark Magician, destroy his D.D. Scout Plane!" he shouted.

Dark Magician aimed his staff, and he blew the Machine away _again._

"Make your move…" he growled.

Drake drew.

"I'll summon D.D. Warrior Lady in Attack Mode!" he shouted.

He threw a card down, and a beautiful woman dressed in armor, a glowing sword appeared. (1,500/1,600)

_Aw, crud!_ exclaimed Stan.

"D.D. Warrior Lady," yelled Drake, "attack his Dark Magician!"

D.D. Warrior Lady lifted her sword and charged…

Dark Magician gasped and blasted with his staff, blowing her into pixels…

And then a portal opened up again… Dark Magician was sucked through it.

"Heh, heh," said Drake with a smile. "When D. D. Warrior Lady battles a Monster, I can remove both from play, and while I lost 1,000 Life Points from that kamikaze strike…"

His Life Points fell to 5,500.

"…thanks to my Soul Absorption, I gain it right back!"

His Life Points went up to 6,500.

"Now I'll place this card facedown, and end my turn," he said, placing his last card into the slot.

The card appeared in front of him.

Stan drew.

_That facedown card worries me,_ he thought, _but I could get a big lead if I took a risk…_

"I summon Mystical Elf in Defense Mode," he said, placing a card down.

The holy elf appeared, kneeling and chanting her mantra. (800/2,000)

"Now, Buster Blader, attack!"

"I activate Magic Cylinder!" shouted Drake.

The two Cylinders appeared in mid air. Stan gasped as energy flowed from his Buster Blader into one of them and shot out the other, striking him and knocking him over.

His Life Points fell to 5,500.

"Okay," he said, "I end my turn. But you have no cards in your hand, and nothing on your side of the field except your Soul Absorption card. I doubt you can summon anything that can defeat Buster Blader."

"I draw one card…" said Drake, drawing.

"Heh, heh," he chuckled. "HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA!"

"What's so funny?" asked Stan.

"Ever wonder who the ruler of the Different Dimension is Stan?" he asked. "I hold that creature in my hand… And it's plenty strong enough to defeat your Blader!"

"Yeah?" asked Stan. "How are you going to summon it without a sacrifice?"

"It isn't a Monster you _need_ a sacrifice to summon!" chuckled Drake. "In fact, this Monster has only _three_ stars! But I assure, when used the right way, it's strong enough to defeat almost anything!"

He chuckled.

"I could even defeat the famed Egyptian God Cards if I was lucky…

"In fact, the creature I hold is the centerpiece of my deck, the reason I hold the title of Champion of Benelux…"

"Show me…" demanded Stan. "What the heck sort of mega-powerful three-star Monster are you going to summon?"

"I'll show you…" said Drake.

He put a card down…

A portal of flames opened, and a hideous creature emerged. It was hard to describe. It's demonic features suggested that it was a Fiend, but it wasn't humanoid – more bestial in shape. It had a typical fiendish face, a red exoskeleton, two huge claws, and huge, dragon-like wings.

The abomination roared!

"Meet the star of my deck…" shouted Drake. "**GREN MAJU DA EIZA!**"

"What the heck is that?" muttered Francesca.

"It… can't be good…" gasped Andy.

"Allow me to explain how this lovable beast works," explained Drake. "It's Attack and Defense Score is 400 for every one of my cards that has been removed from play. And in case you lost count, there have been thirteen!

"Do the math…"

Francesca did a quick calculation.

"Oh… my… God…" she gasped. "It has an Attack Score of 5,200!"

"Of course…" gulped Andy. "That's why his whole deck revolved around sending cards out of play… It's all done to power up a Monster whose scores depend on cards being removed from play!"

"Exactly!" yelled Drake. "Gren Maju, attack his Buster Blader with chaos flames!"

Gren Maju Da Eiza blasted forth a stream of fire, incinerating Buster Blader!

Stan's Life Points fell to 2,900.

"Your move…" chuckled Drake, crossing his arms.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Gren Maju Dai Eiza?" muttered Crump. "What the sam hill is that?"

"Whoo?" hooted the owl.

"Who is right," muttered Crump. "I've never seen it either. But whatever it is, it sure is powerful.

"Heh, heh, Stan is going to be fricasseed by that thing, and he'll sink deeper into the hole! Won't the Queen be pleased…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Stan gulped, and drew a card.

His eyes popped out as he looked at it.

_It's one of the cards Merlee gave us!_ he thought. _And this one might be even better than Goombella!_

"Here's my move, Drake," he said. "I'll summon this gal in Attack Mode…"

He set a card down…

"Say hello… to VIVIAN THE SHADOW SIREN!"

A man-sized form appeared out of the shadows. It was cute, ghost-like creature with purple skin and no legs, her lower body tapering off into a ghostly tendril. Her eyes were hidden by a swirl of pink hair, and more of her pink hair was worn long down her back. She wore a red and white striped witch's hat and white gloves, and had a big smile. (1,800/1,000)

Again, the feeling came over Stan, Andy, and Francesca… The feeling of love from this creature, as if they had known her before and were seeing her for the first time in a long time…

"That's really cute, Stan," chuckled Drake. "But your 'Shadow Siren' can't hold a candle to my Chaos Fiend!"

"We'll see," said Stan with a smile. "I end my turn."

Drake drew, and thought carefully.

_He summoned that creature in Attack Mode…_ he thought. _But why? Could she have some special power that could block my Maju's attack?_

_Well, I'll best find out…_

"Maju, attack that… What did he call it? Shadow Siren!"

Flames appeared in Maju's jaws…

"I don't think so, Drake," said Stan.

He discarded a card from his hand.

Vivian vanished into the shadows, and the blast hit bare ground!

"Where'd she go?" stammered Drake.

Vivian reappeared out of the shadows.

"It's called Vivian's Veil, Drake," said Stan, with a smile. "So long as Vivian is on the field and I'm willing and able to discard a card, my Monsters are attack-proof! By discarding a card, she can protect one Monster from an attack, including herself!"

"Fine," scowled Drake. "But you can't discard forever. Make your move."

Stan drew.

"I'll place one card facedown, and that will be all for me…" he said.

He fit two cards into slots, and it appeared in front of him.

Drake drew.

_Hmm…_ he thought. _Maybe Stan won't be so anxious to protect his Mystical Elf, seeing as she's in Defense Mode…_

"Gren Maju, attack his Mystical Elf!" he commanded.

Maju shot forth his flames.

"I activate Spellbinding Circle!" shouted Stan.

His Trap Card lifted, and Gren Maju Dai Eiza was trapped in the pentagram! Its Attack fell down to 4,500.

"Big deal," growled Drake. "You'll still never destroy it. Make your move."

Stan drew.

"I'll place another card facedown," he stated, fitting it into a slot.

A third facedown card appeared behind his Monsters.

"Make your move."

Drake drew.

_Well, this will be useful…_ he thought.

"I activate Dust Tornado!" shouted Stan.

His Trap Card lifted, and the Soul Absorption card was blown apart!

_Damn!_ thought Drake. _Best make the most of it…_

"I play this Magic Card…" he said.

He showed it to Stan…

"Soul Release?" gasped Stan, sweating.

"Yes," said Drake, offhand, placing it into his Disk. "I'll use it on my own Graveyard, removing my Mystical Space Typhoon, Pot of Greed, Chaosrider Gustaph, Bazoo the Soul Eater, and Banisher of the Light. This brings the total scores of Gren Maju Dai Eiza all the way up to 7,200!

Stan gulped, as Maju's Attack and Defense went up.

"But since I can't destroy your Spellbinding Circle now, I'll end my turn," he continued.

Stan shakily drew. He knew that he had to draw something good. Vivian could protect his Monsters, but not forever…

_Darn…_ he thought.

"I'll pass for this move…" he said.

Drake drew.

"Heh, heh," he said, looking at the card. "I play Heavy Storm!"

He threw the card into a slot, and a fierce wind whipped about the field, shattering the Spellbinding Circle! Gren Maju Dai Eiza reared up and roared…

"Maju!" shouted Drake, "attack Vivian!"

The Fiend blew his blast of flame at Curran…

Stan discarded another card.

"Vivian, use your Veil!" he shouted.

Vivian retreated into the shadows. The blast harmlessly dissipated.

"Fine," said Drake. "I end my turn. But soon you'll have little left to discard…"

Stan drew.

_Huh?_ he thought. _Using this might be risky… but it might buy me some time…_

He slid a card into a slot.

"Okay, Drake," he said, "I'm playing Clock Out!"

A sound like a chime rang out, and a large grandfather clock appeared on the field. It's face had one hand, and the numbers one through six on it.

"Clock Out?" muttered Drake. "I've never heard of that…"

"Clock Out is a risky card," responded Stan. "First I have to pay 1,000 Life Points…"

His Life Points fell to 1,900.

The hand on the clock started to spin.

"Then, whatever number the hand on this clock lands on, you can't make an attack for that many of your turns!"

Drake gasped!

The hand slowed…

And landed on the three!

"Yes!" exclaimed Andy. "Now Drake's Fiend can't attack for three of his turns!"

_Darn,_ thought Stan._ I'd have been better off with Swords of Revealing Light!_

"Now, I'll place another card facedown and end my turn," concluded Stan.

A facedown card appeared.

"Now let's see what you've got."

Drake drew.

"What have I got?" he asked. "I'll show you. One Gren Maju Dai Eiza was good, but two are even better!"

He threw a card down, and a second Gren Maju Dai Eiza appeared in a burst of flame! (7,200/7,200)

"And just so you know," he said, "I have a third one waiting in my deck…"

He chuckled.

"I end my turn. Two turns to go…"

The clock ticked down to the two.

Stan sweated as he drew.

_Yes!_ he thought.

"I play… Snatch Steal!" he shouted.

He played the card, and the shifty bandit leapt out.

The bandit leapt onto the back of one the Gren Maju Dai Eiza, and the creature flew over to Stan's side.

"Heh, heh, heh…" chuckled Drake. "I suppose you're planning to send that Maju in a suicide strike against the first one to destroy them both…"

"You got it!" said Stan with a smile.

"Well take a closer look…" chuckled Drake.

Stan looked down…

The Attack and Defense Scores of the Monster he had stolen were only 1,200!

"You obviously didn't know the ruling on Gren Maju Dai Eiza," said Drake with a grin. "It's Attack and Defense is 400 times the number of cards that the _controller_ has had removed from play. Since you've only had three removed from play, it's much weaker while on your side!"

Stan stood dumbfounded.

"So now," chuckled Drake, "you'll just have to keep it until your Clock Out wears off, and I'll gain 1,000 Life Points per turn!"

Stan noticed a card in his hand.

"No I won't," he said, placing a card on his Disk. "I'll sacrifice it to summon Dark Magician Girl!"

Gren Maju Dai Eiza vanished, and the gorgeous female sorceress spun out of the ground brandishing her staff. (2,000/1,700)

"All right!" exclaimed Francesca. "One down!"

"That ends my turn," said Stan, "make your move."

Drake drew.

"Sorry, Stan," he said, "but Vivian has to go…"

He threw a Magic Card into a slot and discarded another card.

"So I'm playing Dark Core!"

A black hole appeared above the field… Vivian gasped in fright…

"Not so fast!" shouted Stan. "I activate Spell Shield Type-8!"

His Trap Card lifted, and a weird-looking machine with the number 8 on it appeared between Vivian and the vortex.

"It negates any Magic Card that targets a Monster!" exclaimed Stan.

Drake growled as the black hole vanished.

"Then make your move," he said. "I'll draw my third Gren Maju Dai Eiza soon enough, I'm certain of it…"

The clock clicked down to the one.

Stan drew.

_Negate Attack…_ he thought. _This can help, but not forever… And I can't use Vivian's power forever either…_

He shivered at the sight of the fiend in front of him…

He closed his eyes…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

When he opened them, he found himself in a spooky place. It was dark – mysterious. A place where his nightmares seemed to come from.

"No…" he gasped. "Help…"

"Stan!" cried a voice. "Snap out of it!"

Stan knew that voice. It was the same voice in his head that had urged him to accept Drake's challenge.

A form appeared from out of the shadows.

"Vivian?" he said, surprised. "What's going on?"

"I had to talk to you Stan," she said. "You looked like you were about to give up…"

"I might as well," muttered Stan. "His Monster is too powerful…"

Vivian sighed.

"Stan, you want me to tell you a secret?" she asked. "Don't tell anybody…"

She paused.

"Before I joined up with your ancestor, I worked with my two sisters, and we worked for the Shadow Queen. We even fought the Three Heroes early on…

"They walloped us good that time…"

She sighed.

"Thing was, my sisters were big bullies – I was the youngest. They always tortured me – and when they made a mistake, they blamed me for it. But I didn't dare stand up for myself… because I thought they were too powerful!

"But eventually, that all changed. You ancestor… he took pity on me. He did something nice for me, and I decided to tag along. Working for him was much better than working for the Queen…

"And eventually, I helped him face my sisters again… and I helped him beat them! It was the most gratifying experience of my life!

"He helped me gain the courage to stand up to them, and I found out that they weren't as powerful as I had feared…"

She paused again.

"That was long ago," she continued, "but the Queen is a threat again. You must defeat her, and you must win this duel to get to the Thousand Year Door. Now do it like you mean it. Gren Maju Dai Eiza may be tough, but you know the old saying…

"The bigger they are, the harder they fall…

"We're all counting on you…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Stan came back to awareness.

"Okay, Drake," he said, "I'm placing this card facedown, and ending my turn!"

He threw the card into the slot, and the card appeared before him.

Drake drew.

"I'll pass and let your Clock Out expire," he said.

The hand clicked to the twelve o'clock position and vanished.

Stan drew.

He looked at the card strangely.

"I'll place a Monster facedown in Defense, and end my turn," he stated.

He placed a card on his disk, and a hidden Monster appeared.

Drake drew a card.

"HA!" he shouted. "I summon my third Gren Maju Dai Eiza!"

He threw a card down, and another of the Chaos Fiends appeared. (7,200/7,200)

"You have only two cards in your hand now," laughed Drake, "and you'll need to discard both of them to save your Shadow Siren now! Maju #1, attack Vivian with chaos flames!"

The first Gren Maju Dai Eiza shot forth his fiery breath.

"I activate Negate Attack!" yelled Stan.

His Trap Card lifted, and the flames were swallowed by a vortex.

"Humph, fine," grunted Drake. "I end my turn. But this is almost over."

Stan drew.

_All right!_ he thought.

"I'm afraid it is over!" he exclaimed. "First I'll shift my Mystical Elf into Attack Mode…"

Mystical Elf got up and unfolded her hands.

"Now I'll summon Ebon Magician Curran, in Attack Mode!" he shouted.

He placed a card down, and the young girl in black appeared. (1,200/0)

"Huh?" asked Drake.

"Now I'll shift my facedown Monster into Attack Mode!" he continued.

The card spun around, and a grizzled old witch doctor in colorful clothes carrying a large staff appeared. (450/600)

Old Vindictive Magician?" gasped Drake.

"That's right!" exclaimed Stan.

Old Vindictive Magician waved his staff, and vaporized one of the Chaos Fiends!

"It isn't over!" cursed Drake.

"Afraid it is," said Stan with a smile. "Because now I play the card I just drew… Double Spell!"

He fit it into a slot.

"What good will that do you?" asked Drake. "I removed all my Magic Cards in my Graveyard from play."

"Not all of them!" remarked Stan, discarding his Sage's Stone. "I'm using this card to duplicate your Dark Core!"

He placed the card into a slot, and discarded his last card, and the black hole opened above the field again, sucking the last Gren Maju Dai Eiza into it with a roar!

"Aw… shoot my monkey…" gasped Drake.

"Mystical Elf!" shouted Stan. "Attack with mystical magic!"

Mystical Elf held her palms forward and shot forth a blast of light. Drake staggered back, and his Life Points fell to 4,700.

"Curran, attack with black magic drain!"

Curran leapt into the air and shot forth a dark stream! Drake staggered back, and his Life Points fell to 3,500.

"Dark Magician Girl, dark magic blast!"

Dark Magician Girl cheered and leapt up into the air, blasting Drake with her dark magic. Drake screamed as it tore through him. His Life Points fell to 1,500.

"Now, Vivian!" yelled Andy. "Finish him off with your Fiery Jinx!"

Vivian raised her hands, and shot waves of flame from them! Drake screamed as he was hit and his Life Points fell to zero.

"Yes!" shouted Andy, hi-fiving Fran. "He won!"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Unfortunate," muttered Crump. "It seems Stan got lucky…"

"Whoo…" hooted the owl.

"Hmm, that Vivian creature he has is pretty powerful," he remarked, looking at his notes. "So is that Clock Out card. These three kids are packing pretty strange cards…"

He paused.

"Maybe I should get to Twilight Town and look up these cards in their internet café – I'm sure the Queen wouldn't mind me doing a bit of research…"

He hopped off the rock and headed in the direction that the teens had been headed.

"Whoo?" said the owl.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Well, you won," sighed Drake. "So I owe you this…"

He handed over one of his Crystal Cards.

"You deserve it – I've _never_ had a duel like that!"

"Thank you," said Stan.

"So," said Drake, "you headed towards Twilight Town? If you are, I'll walk with you…"

"Sure," said Stan with a shrug. "From the look of things, there's strength in numbers around here…"

They walked off into the everlasting Twilight…

Half a mile ahead, the dark burg of Twilight Town awaited…

**0**

**0**

**0**

**CLOCK OUT (Magic Card)**

**Type: **Magic  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description: **Image of a large clock tower being blasted apart by lightning. Pay 1,000 Life Points to activate this card. Roll one dice. For a number of your opponent's turns equal to the number on the dice, your opponent cannot declare an attack.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**VIVIAN THE SHADOW SIREN (Monster Card)**

**Type: **Spellcaster/Effect  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level: **4  
**ATK: **1,800  
**DEF: **1,000

**Card Description: **It is said that this shy creature once opposed the Three Heroes as a servant of the Shadow Queen, but joined their cause after they showed an act of kindness. When this Monster is face-up on the field, you can discard one card from your hand to negate an attack on one of your face-up Monsters.

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**Coming up next…**_

**_Another duelist rears his head, and he packs a deck that mirrors a popular anime character! What horrors are in store for Andy in the creepy burg of Twilight Town? Find out in a chapter that I call "Dweller in Darkness", coming soon._**


	17. Dweller in Darkness

_**I watched the Battle City duels on tapes a while back. I watch everything that has to do with Yugi Mouto. It was an exciting contest, but…**_

_**Unfortunately, a dark force tried to ruin it. Villains led by a demon infiltrated the competition in an attempt at world domination.**_

_**Each of these scoundrels had a separate theme, like most duelists do. And some of them stood out more than others.**_

**_I doubt that the guy whose dueling Andy right now has any sinister motives, but…_**

…_**well, I can't quite put my finger on it…**_

…_**but his strategy seems awfully familiar. **_

_**Not to mention scary…**_

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER SIXTEEN**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Dweller in Darkness**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

As the three friends and their new companion approached the buildings of the dark town, the first thing they noticed surrounding it were orchards full of trees, which were loaded with scrumptious-looking peaches!

It was amazing that peach trees could flourish in an area with so little light.

They were hungry, and it was tempting to pick some of the luscious fruits – but they stopped, thinking the trees likely belonged to someone.

They entered the town, which was full of wooden buildings with a surreal theme. The townsfolk all turned to acknowledge their arrival. They all looked odd, wrapped in patchwork clothing and shawls, their skin somewhat pale. Obviously, this was due to the fact that they didn't get any sun.

Stan looked at his watch – two PM.

At the same time, from somewhere in the distance, a loud spooky chime rang out… and then a second one. They seemed to echo over the town…

"What was THAT?" exclaimed Francesca.

A townsfolk walked up to them.

"That was the Creepy Steeple," he muttered. "It lies deep in the woods beyond the town, and ever hour on the hour, it rings out the time in its haunting tone. People say it's haunted, and an evil creature lives up there…"

He shrugged.

"No one is brave enough to go there, so we just learn to live with it."

Drake shrugged.

"Is there anywhere we can get a bite to eat here?" he asked.

The man pointed.

"The Twilight Tavern," he said. "Try the cold peach soup. Our town is famous for its twilight peaches."

They walked into the inn, which wasn't very crowded. At a table, they saw a teenager, about seventeen years old, slowly sipping a glass of soda. He looked somewhat lonely in his dark corner of the tavern. A Duel Disk was on the table in front of him.

The four teenagers went up to him.

"Mind if we join you?" asked Stan. "You looked pretty lonely…"

He sighed.

"Sure, you can join me," he said, glumly. "But usually, I just prefer to be alone. I'm not exactly a 'people person'…"

They got a good look at him. He was about six-foot-one, and had a slightly muscular build. His skin was deep tan, and he had black, spiky hair and hazel eyes. He had a light/medium mustache-goatee combination growing. He wore a silver hoop earring on his left and ear black fingerless gloves on both hands. His dress consisted of a black tank top with a gray button-up collared shirt, but left unbuttoned, with faded baggy black jeans and black sneakers.

"You can call me Sean," he sighed. "Sean Kishore."

"You know," said Andy, "you kind of have to be a 'people person' if you want to get anywhere on the dueling circuit."

"I can duel with the best of them…" said Sean.

He smiled a slight smile, as if it hurt his face to smile.

"I'll even prove it…" he said.

"Sure!" exclaimed Andy. "I'll take you on…"

He reached into his pocket.

"I have four Crystal Cards…"

Sean again made that painful smile. He took out a set of Crystal Cards from his own pocket.

"Five?" said Andy in surprise.

"I must warn you," said Sean, putting them back, "most people who face my Occult Deck are often so frightened afterwards that they have nightmares for days!"

Andy paused.

"Occult Deck?" he asked.

A waitress came up.

"What can I get you all?" she asked.

"Let's eat first," muttered Andy, "we'll duel after lunch…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Two buildings over was an internet café, and sitting at one of the computers was Lord Crump.

If there was one thing he WAS good at, it was computers, and he could surf the net with relative ease.

_Okay,_ he thought. _The website is easy enough to get to…_

He typed in the URL for Industrial Illusions, and the website for the company that owned the copyright for Duel Monsters came up.

_There,_ he thought. _Now, all I need to do is search their database for these weird cards that I've seen those kids use, and I should get some answers…_

He slowly sipped his cappuccino.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Andy and Sean stood twenty feet apart in the middle of town square. As usual, the townsfolk gathered to watch.

"Francesca," whispered Stan, "what the heck is an Occult Deck?"

"I have no idea, Stan!" she answered. "I'd assume Zombies or Fiends, but it has to have some sort of extra kick to it if he calls it an… 'Occult Deck'…"

"Ready Sean?" asked Andy.

"Ready," answered the youth. "Prepare to be assaulted by my spiritual forces!"

The change came over Andy.

"You'll have to get past my Dragons first!" he exclaimed. "Activate!"

The holo-imagers shot out of his Disk, and the Disk snapped into position.

Sean did the same with his. They drew their first hands, and the Life Point counters set to 8,000 apiece.

"LET'S DUEL!" they both shouted.

Andy looked at his hand.

_Not too shabby…_ he thought.

Sean looked at his.

_Hmm…_ he thought. _Already what I need to bring out my strategy… but first I need to set it up…_

"You may make the first move," he told Andy.

"Thanks," said Andy, drawing. "And I'll summon Cave Dragon in Attack Mode!"

He put the card down, and the fat, sluggish dragon appeared on the field in front of him. (2,000/100)

"Eek!" squeaked Sean.

"That will end my turn," said Andy.

Sean drew, and considered his options.

"All right," he said. "I summon Archfiend Soldier in Defense Mode…"

He placed a card down, and the infernal soldier appeared, and knelt in Defense. (1,900/1,500)

"That's all for my turn…" he said with a grimace.

Francesca frowned. "More Fiends," she sighed. "Can't Andy ever catch a break?"

Andy drew and smiled.

"I summon Luster Dragon #1 in Attack Mode!" he exclaimed.

He put the card down, and a huge sapphire appeared over the field. It burst, and the beautiful dragon with blue gemstone skin appeared. (1,900/1,600)

"Luster Dragon," he commanded, "attack his Archfiend with sapphire flash blast!"

Luster Dragon shot forth a beam of bright blue energy and it vaporized Archfiend Soldier!

"Cave Dragon, attack him directly!"

Cave Dragon belched forth a cloud of gas! Sean screamed as he staggered back.

His Life Points fell to 6,000.

"Wow," muttered Drake. "And only on his second turn!"

"My turn now…" muttered Sean, drawing.

He placed a card down.

"I'll summon The Gross Ghost of Fled Dreams in Defense Mode."

A bed with a sleeper on it appeared, and then a hideous, skeletal phantom carrying a sword and shield floated out of the sleeper's body. It covered itself with the shield. (1,300/1,800)

"What the?" asked Andy. "THAT was the best you could come up with?"

"Pretty much…" sighed Sean.

Andy drew.

"Luster Dragon, attack his Ghost!" shouted Andy.

Luster Dragon shot forth his breath weapon and The Gross Ghost of Fled Dreams was annihilated.

"Cave Dragon, attack directly again!" shouted Andy.

Cave Dragon belched forth his gaseous breath, and Sean screamed.

His Life Points fell to 4,000.

"Make your move," said Andy with a grin.

"Shesh, this is too easy!" remarked Drake as Sean drew.

"That's what I'm worried about," muttered Fran. "When something seems too good to be true, it usually is…"

Sean placed a card down.

"I summon Earthbound Spirit in Defense Mode!" he exclaimed.

A rumbling was heard, and a figure made of dirt and mud pulled itself partially out of the ground. (500/2,000)

"As you can see," stated Sean, "its Defense is too high for either of your Dragons. I end my turn."

Andy drew.

"Not for long…" he said with a smile. "I sacrifice my Luster Dragon #1 to summon Luster Dragon #2!"

His first Luster Dragon faded away, and a huge emerald appeared. It shattered, and the huge dragon with green gem-colored skin emerged! (2,400/1,400)

"Crud…" muttered Sean.

"Luster Dragon, attack his Spirit with emerald flash blast!" shouted Andy.

The new Luster Dragon shot forth a beam of green energy, and Earthbound Spirit was blasted into an explosion of soil.

"Now, Cave Dragon, let's do this _again!_"

Cave Dragon shot forth his lethal breath, blasting Sean's Life Points down to 2,000.

Sean gasped to catch his breath… And then he chuckled…

"Are you done?" he asked.

"Yes," said Andy. "So make your last move."

"It will be far from my last!" exclaimed Sean.

He drew… And then he placed a card on his Disk.

"I'll remove Archfiend Soldier, The Gross Ghost of Fled Dreams, and Earthbound Spirit from play…" he said.

An eerie glow pervaded his disk, and a green light flowed out of it.

"Uh… oh…" muttered Francesca.

"…and I summon… DARK NECROFEAR!" he shouted.

Just like in Andy's duel with Poison, the bald, female Fiend wearing a skirt, an iron brassier, and leather knee-high boots appeared, shrouded in an aura of black flames. Her eyes glowed with hellish energy. (2,200/2,800)

"Ugh…" moaned Andy. "Not _again_…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_This is nuts…_ thought Crump, finishing his third cappuccino.

_There's not even a reference to Monster Cards called "Madame Flurrie of the Fog", "Koops the Bashful", and "Vivian the Shadow Siren"! And this "Clock Out" card is totally unknown too!_

_Could they be fake cards? No, that's impossible – the Queen's magic prevents counterfeit cards from working in this tournament…_

_Unless…_

He shuddered…

_Unless these cards were created by someone with magic even greater than the Shadow Queen!_

A chill came over him.

"Another cappuccino," he asked the bartender.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Andy sighed.

"Dark Necrofear…" he muttered. "Don't people these days know anything _original_?"

Sean scowled.

"DON'T insult my Monster!" he demanded. "She saved me from living a life of misery!"

"Huh?" asked Andy. "How did that Fiend save you?"

Sean clenched his fist.

"I never knew my mom," he said, glumly. "She died giving birth to me. After her death, my dad was never the same, and he drank too much. He didn't abuse me or my brother, but we were more or less ignored. My brother V.J. tried his best to raise me, but a brother is a poor substitute for true parents.

"The drinking eventually became too much for my dad… He died two years ago… V.J. started to support both of us after earning his Master's Degree.

"But it still didn't change the fact that if it weren't for me, both of my parents would still be alive…"

"Oh, please, Sean!" protested Andy. "You can't blame yourself for your mother dying in childbirth and your father's depression."

Sean paused and continued.

"Maybe…" he said. "Maybe not. But one day in school, I found a bag full of valuable things that a kid had deserted. I turned it into the office – there was no identification, and no one claimed it after thirty days, so they gave it to me. Among the stuff was a single Duel Monsters card – Dark Necrofear. Thus, she was the first card I ever owned. I decided to build a deck and duel in my parents' memory, hoping to make them proud…"

He paused again.

"And it's still my turn, by the way! Dark Necrofear…"

He pointed.

"Attack his Luster Dragon!"

Everyone gasped, as Dark Necrofear opened her evil eyes and shot forth a beam of blackness! Luster Dragon shot forth a counter-attack, and the Fiend was incinerated.

Sean's Life Points fell to 1,800.

"Fine," growled Andy. "Happy?"

Sean smiled, and crossed his arms…

A few tense seconds passed.

To Andy's surprise, there was no sign that Dark Necrofear had possessed one of his Monsters! Both of his Dragons had not moved.

"What's going on?" asked Andy. "Dark Necrofear's effect isn't optional, and even if it was…"

"You're wrong," said Sean, with a grin. "You see, I know a lot about Dark Necrofear, and I know that her normal effect isn't the _only_ secret that she holds inside her…"

He chose a card from his hand and flicked open his Field Slot.

"You see, by forfeiting Dark Necrofear's normal effect, I can play this…"

He slid a card into a slot, and it closed.

Suddenly, a shadowy cloud of darkness covered the field! And it didn't stop there… sinister eyes, fanged mouths, and even worse, fanged mouths with sinister eyes inside them, appeared in the sky! Finally, an evil-looking palace appeared behind Sean.

Some of the onlookers screamed…

"Behold the malevolent force of…**_ Dark Sanctuary_**!" exclaimed Sean.

"Uh, Stan…" muttered Francesca, sweating. "You ever hear of this?"

"Um…" said Stan with a shudder. "It looks kind of familiar… but I can't remember from where…"

"Where are we Sean?" demanded Andy. "Is this… is this where Dark Necrofear is from?"

"Maybe…" said Sean with a shrug.

"Just what does this Dark Sanctuary of yours do?" he asked.

"That's for me to know, and you to find out," responded Sean. "But I'm afraid it's still my turn…"

He placed a Magic Card into a slot.

"I play The Dark Door!" he exclaimed as the card appeared.

"The Dark Door?" said Drake in surprise. "What the heck is that?"

"So long as that Continuous Magic Card is in place," answered Stan, "both of them are limited to only one attack per round."

"Now, one card facedown, and that will end my turn," said Sean.

He placed another card into a slot, and it materialized in front of him.

Andy drew.

"I may only be allowed one attack per round," he said, "but you have no Monsters on the field! One will be more than enough!"

"Do say," answered Sean.

"Well, just in case your facedown card is a Mirror Force," replied Stan, "I'm moving Cave Dragon to Defense Mode…"

He turned the card, and Cave Dragon curled up into a ball.

"Now, Luster Dragon, attack!"

Luster Dragon prepared to fire its breath weapon…

Suddenly, it gasped! A ghostly phantom flew out of its back and into Andy's chest!

Andy felt like the chill of the grave had pervaded him…

"Wh-what happened?" he gasped.

"Your Luster Dragon was possessed by the Ghost of Dark Sanctuary, that's what happened!" chuckled Sean.

"What?" gulped Andy.

"That's one of the benefits of Dark Sanctuary," said Sean with a smile. "During each of your Standby Phases, I can choose one of your Monsters to possess with an invisible specter. If you choose to attack with the possessed Monster, the attack is negated, and you lose Life Points equal to half of the Monster's Attack Score…"

Andy's Life Points dropped to 6,800.

"And what's more," continued Sean, "any Life Points you lose as a result of this get added to mine!"

Sean's Life Points rose to 3,000.

Andy was shocked. This was a strategy unlike any he had ever seen before…

"Fine, he gulped. "I end my turn…"

Sean drew.

"Very well," he said. "I play my Pot of Greed…"

He fit the card into a slot, and the wicked jar handed him two cards.

"Now I'll summon… Headless Knight!"

A haunting laugh echoed over the field, and the knight in golden armor with a shield and sword – and no head – burst out of the ground. (1,450/1,700)

"But it won't be staying long," he continued. "Begone!"

Headless Knight shattered into pixels.

"What?" exclaimed Andy. "What did you do?"

"A necessity," explained Sean. "Dark Sanctuary is so powerful, that I have to sacrifice a Monster during every one of my first Main Phases to keep it in play."

"Hmm…" muttered Francesca. "I knew there had to be a catch…"

"Now, I'll place two cards facedown, and end my turn…" continued Sean.

He fit the cards into slots, and they appeared next to his other facedown card.

Andy drew…

"I activate a Trap!" yelled Sean.

One of his cards lifted.

"I activate Sixth Sense!"

The Trap Card showed the frightening image of a scared woman with psychic energy flowing out of her forehead.

"Sixth Sense?" gasped Andy.

"Don't panic," chuckled Sean. "This Trap is meant to help me, not hurt you…"

A large black dice appeared, with strange runes indicating the numbers.

"Here's how it works," he explained. "I call two numbers, and then the Dice of Fate goes for a roll. If it lands on one of the numbers I called, then I get to draw that many cards. If it lands on any other number, I have to discard that many cards from my deck.

"I call five and six!"

"Well, that makes sense…" muttered Drake.

The Dice of Fate fell… it skipped and rolled…

And it stopped. The number glowed, indicating a five.

"Lucky me…" he chuckled. Five cards flew out of his deck and he caught them.

He looked at them for a moment.

"Well, go on…" he said.

Andy considered.

"I'll move Cave Dragon back to Attack Mode…" he said, turning the card.

Cave Dragon resumed attack position.

"…but I'm not going to attack until I find a way to do so without risk. I end my turn."

Sean chuckled again as he drew.

"I'm afraid stalling isn't going to help," he said. "First I'll summon Witch of the Black Forest…"

He put a card down, and a cackling laughter echoed over the field – the wicked witch in her dark robe appeared in front of him. (1,100/1,200)

"…now I'll sacrifice her to keep Dark Sanctuary!"

Witch of the Black Forest shattered.

A card slipped out of his deck and he took it.

"And as you know, when the Witch is sent to the Graveyard, I get to draw a Monster with low Defense…"

He hit his Disk.

"And now…" he said, "…the countdown begins! I activate Destiny Board!"

His Trap Card lifted…

A spooky shape began to take form in the sky above him. It was a large board, trapezoid in shape. At the top were the numbers 0 through 9, below that were the letters A through Z, and below that were the words "YES" and "NO". A spectral hand held a triangle with a round glass in the middle.

"What?" said Andy, almost laughing. "You expect me to be scared of a Ouija board?"

"I assure you, Andy," laughed Sean, "this is no toy board game that you buy at a Toys R Us! This is a real Ouija board that lets me communicate with a powerful demon!"

"Demon?" gulped Andy.

"Yes, and he has a message for you… And here's the first letter…"

With a sound like nails on a chalkboard, the spectral hand moved the marker until it rested on the F.

A flaming letter F topped by a skull appeared under the Destiny Board. Sean smiled.

"At the end of each of your turns, a new letter will be added to the message, and when all five letters are in place the demon will be summoned… At which time it will attack, destroying you and granting me an automatic win."

"So I end my turn…"

Andy was trying his hardest not to panic.

_Okay,_ he thought. _Attacking is dangerous, but I have to defeat him before that message gets finished…_

_Either that or destroy the Destiny Board, and I don't have anything to do that with right now…_

He drew.

The Dragon Dwelling in the Cave.

_He couldn't have possessed this guy, because I haven't summoned him yet… but his Attack Score isn't really strong enough to make much of a difference…_

"I summon The Dragon Dwelling in the Cave in Defense Mode!" he exclaimed.

He put the card down, and the sleepy, rocky Dragon appeared. (1,300/2,000)

_Okay,_ he thought. _Cave Dragon, or Luster Dragon? Since Cave Dragon is weaker, he likely didn't possess it… so…_

"Cave Dragon, attack!" he shouted.

Cave Dragon prepared to attack…

"Congratulations, Andy, you didn't chose the possessed Monster!" laughed Sean. "Not that it will do you any good…"

He tapped his Disk, and his last Trap Card lifted.

"I activate Dark Spirit of the Silent!"

A howling ghost flew out of the Trap Card, flew into Cave Dragon, and then flew into Luster Dragon!

"What's happening!" shouted Andy.

"Dark Spirit of the Silent not only stops your Monster from attacking, but forces another of your Monsters of my choice to attack! And I choose your Luster Dragon!"

"ARGH!" shouted Andy. "If it's possessed…"

"Yes, and I'm afraid it _is,_" said Sean with a grin.

Luster Dragon tried to attack, but once again it gasped, and the Ghost of Dark Sanctuary darted out and flew into Andy. He screamed!

His Life points fell to 5,600, while Sean's rose to 4,200.

"Man, this guy's good!" exclaimed Drake.

"Drake…" muttered Francesca. "Just whose side are you on?"

Drake sighed.

"All I know is, this guy would pound me flat! If I tried to attack with Gren Maju Dai Eiza while it was possessed…"

"You're telling me!" exclaimed Stan. "Andy is only hurting himself."

Andy gasped.

"I end my turn," he said.

A card flew out of Sean's deck, and he placed it in his Disk.

"Then that means the Destiny Board gets its second letter!" he laughed.

The hand moved the pointer, and it covered the I.

A flaming I topped with a skull appeared to the right of the F.

"F-I…" muttered Andy. "Hey, wait a minute…"

He smiled.

"There's a flaw in your strategy!"

"A flaw?" asked Sean as he drew.

"Yes," said Andy with a grin. "Each letter of your Destiny Board is one card!"

"So?" asked Sean, with a shrug.

"SO?" laughed Andy. "You've played The Dark Door, silly! A Duel Disk only has room for five Magic and Trap Cards! If you want to keep The Dark Door, you can't finish the message!"

Stan and Francesca gasped.

Could Sean have actually been that stupid?

But then, Sean laughed out loud.

"Smart, Andy, real smart," he commented. "Most of my opponents don't pick up on that. And that usually is a problem when using Destiny Board. However, it _isn't_ a problem due to the second effect of Dark Sanctuary…"

"SECOND effect?" gasped Andy.

"Yes!" laughed Andy. "It let's me use the slots on my Monster Zone to play Magic and Trap Cards. Therefore, I can indeed finish the message with The Dark Door in place!"

Andy was dumbfounded.

_Where on earth did he get this card?_ he thought.

"Now that it's my turn," he stated, "I'll summon Sangan…"

The large, spherical Fiend with a toothy mouth and three eyes appeared. (1,000/600)

"And now, I'll sacrifice it to keep my Field Card!"

Sangan shattered.

A card slipped out of his deck, and he took it.

"And now I get to draw a Monster with low Attack!" he stated.

"Talk about strategy…" muttered Stan.

"What do you mean?" asked Francesca.

"He obviously used the Witch to search for Sangan," answered Stan, "thus ensuring that he'd have a Monster to sacrifice for at least two more turns… This guy IS good…"

"It's your move," said Sean. "But remember, one of your Monsters is possessed… choose your attack wisely…"

Andy drew…

Masked Dragon.

_Still not worth attacking with…_ he thought.

"I summon Masked Dragon in Defense Mode!" he exclaimed.

He put the card down, and the metallic Dragon wearing a mask appeared, folding its wings. (1,400/1,100)

_Now, let's see,_ he thought_. He doesn't have another Dark Spirit of the Silent on the field…_

_If I had to guess,_ _Sean probably possessed the Luster Dragon again… Here goes nothing…_

"Cave Dragon, attack!"

Cave Dragon bellowed…

And then it screamed! The ghost shot out of it and flew into Andy again!

"HA, HA, HA!" laughed Sean. "I tricked you, Andy! I knew you'd think I possessed the stronger Monster!"

Andy's Life Points fell to 4,600, and Sean's went up to 5,200.

"Come ON Andy!" begged Francesca. "Do something!"

"I can't," gasped Andy. "I have to end my turn…"

"In that case…" said Sean with a smile.

A card slipped out of his deck. He took it and placed it in a slot.

The hand on the Destiny Board moved to the N.

The flaming letters spelled F-I-N.

A growling was heard in the sky of Dark Sanctuary. A lot of the onlookers were now more terrified than ever…

"My turn now," said Sean, drawing. "I'll summon The Portrait's Secret!"

He put a card down, and a painting appeared in mid-air. A hideous face and claws emerged from it. (1,200/1,500)

"And now," said Sean, "goodbye!"

The Portrait's Secret shattered.

"Make your move…" he said.

Andy closed his eyes… He drew.

He looked at his card.

He looked at the field.

"Uh, Sean, a question?" he asked.

"What?" answered Sean.

"Where did you _get_ your Dark Sanctuary card?"

"Why do you ask?" asked Sean.

"I'm just curious," said Andy with a shrug.

"It wasn't easy," answered Sean. "Only ten of these cards exist – I had to win it. I entered a tournament in San Francisco called the Paradise Lost Duel Monsters Expo. To enter you needed a deck based on Fiends, and the prize was one of the only ten Dark Sanctuary cards in existence. It wasn't easy, but I won."

"You don't say…" chuckled Stan.

He put a card down on his Disk.

"I summon Troop Dragon in Defense Mode…"

The three Dragon-men armed with swords appeared, kneeling in defense. (700/800)

"And now," he said, "I'll play the card I just drew… Stamping Destruction!"

"Huh?" asked Sean. "What does that do?"

"It inflicts 500 Life Points of damage on my opponent, AND destroys one Trap or Magic Card!" answered Andy.

"NO!" shouted Sean. "You're going to destroy the Destiny Board!"

"Uh uh…" said Andy, shaking his finger.

He threw the card into the slot.

"I'm using it to destroy your whole Dark Sanctuary!"

Luster Dragon stamped his foot down, and a shock wave issued forth! Sean was thrown back, the evil palace behind him was smashed into shards, the eyes and fangs in the sky shattered, and finally, the evil fog dissipated.

The crowd surrounding them cheered.

Sean's Life Points fell to 4,700.

"And now that I don't have to worry about your ghost," chuckled Andy, "Luster Dragon, attack his Life Points directly with emerald flash blast!"

The now angry Luster Dragon roared, and shot forth his energy blast, striking Sean in the chest! He screamed and fell over.

His Life Points fell to 2,300.

Andy waited for Sean to get up.

"And I end my turn…" he said with a grin.

A card slipped out of Sean's deck. He frowned and took it.

He didn't have a choice… playing this card was mandatory…

"I'll play the fourth letter of the Destiny Board…" he scowled.

The hand on the Destiny Board moved to the A, and the fourth letter appeared.

"F-I-N-A…" chuckled Andy. "The word is 'FINAL', isn't it? Unfortunately, with Dark Sanctuary gone, you can't play more than five Magic and Trap Cards, and since you told me that Dark Sanctuary is an incredibly rare card that most duelists only dream of owning, I don't think you have more than one in your deck.

"In fact, with all five of the slots in your Magic/Trap Zone full, you now can't play any Magic or Trap Cards at all – so I've practically crippled you!"

"All right, Andy!" shouted Francesca.

"Phew!" said Stan.

Sean snarled as he drew.

He gave a slight smile.

"Maybe you ruined that plan…" he muttered. "But every good duelist knows… Always have a Plan B!"

"Plan B?" asked Andy.

"The next Monster I'm going to summon I have to Special Summon," explained Sean. "And to do that, I have to remove one Earth Monster in my Graveyard from play…"

He hit a button on his Disk and a card flipped out.

"So I'll remove my Portrait's Secret…"

He slid the card into the removal pile.

"And in return for that, I get to summon Gigantes in Attack Mode!"

He placed a card down, and a huge, rocky ogre with red skin and a horn on his head, wearing an iron apron and kilt appeared, armed with a huge tree trunk. (1,900/1,300)

"Huh?" questioned Drake. "What good will that him? It's not even as strong as Cave Dragon…"

"Gigantes, attack his Cave Dragon!" shouted Sean.

Gigantes raised it tree trunk and charged…

"Fight it off, Cave Dragon!" shouted Andy.

Cave Dragon belched forth its breath, eroding Gigantes into dust!

Sean's Life Points fell to 2,200…

And then a storm erupted over the field!

"When Gigantes is destroyed in battle," he explained, "it creates an effect similar to Heavy Storm, which blows away every Magic and Trap Card on the field!"

His Destiny Board and Dark Door cards blew away.

"So now I can play my Magic and Trap cards again," he said. "I'll place this card facedown, and end my turn."

He placed a card into a slot, and it materialized in front of him.

"Okay…" muttered Francesca, "Plan B starts…"

Andy drew.

_So now what?_ he thought. _That Trap card could be almost anything… but if I take a risk I could win!_

"Luster Dragon, ATTACK!" he shouted.

Luster Dragon shot forth his energy beam again…

"Activate Waboku!" shouted Sean.

The Trap Card lifted, and the three priestesses sprang up to block the attack.

"Oo-kay," muttered Andy. "I'll end my turn…"

"I draw one card…" said Sean.

"Heh, heh, heh…" he chuckled.

"You want to let me in on the joke?" muttered Andy.

Sean put a card down.

"I summon Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands," he stated.

A weird creature appeared on his side of the field. It had bright silver skin, and aside from its head, it was apparently made of hands. (1,400/1,000)

"Oh no…" muttered Andy. "That let's you search your deck for any Ritual Magic or Monster Card!"

A card flew out of Sean's deck.

"Exactly," he affirmed. "And the card I just drew was the Monster!"

He held the card up.

"The card I'm using is a powerful Ritual called Contract With The Dark Master!"

He slid the card into the slot.

"Now, to complete this ceremony, I offer Kycoo the Ghost Destroyer and Manju himself…"

He placed a card down. A tall man in priestly garb with a bald head and a mask covering half his face appeared, clutching a string of prayer beads.

Then he and Manju stood back to back, and a mass of wiry ribbons sprouted from the ground. They started to entwine the two Monsters…

"This is really creepy…" muttered Francesca.

The two Monsters were covered in a large cocoon… it started to swell…

And then it burst! A huge, shadowy form arose…

It was a huge cross between a Fiend and a Zombie with slimy hair and thick muscles. He had huge wings and claws the size of daggers!

"Meet **_Dark Master Zorc_**!" exclaimed Sean.

(2,700/1,500)

"Guys!" whispered Drake. "I remember this creature! A duelist defeated me with him – _after_ I had summoned _two_ Gren Maju Dai Eiza!"

"How on earth did he do THAT?" gasped Francesca.

"You'll see…" moaned Drake.

"Let me explain how Zorc works," chuckled Sean.

A black dice appeared in the air.

"Every turn, I can roll this dice… If it lands on a 3, 4, or 5, he can destroy one of your Monsters – a 1 or 2, and he can destroy ALL of your Monsters!"

"And a 6?" asked Andy, nervously.

"Then all of my Monsters are destroyed," shrugged Sean. "But you must admit the odds are in my favor…"

The dice rolled…

It landed on a three!

"Dark Master Zorc, wipe out his Luster Dragon!" commanded Sean.

The Fiend shot forth a blast of dark energy, and Luster Dragon was blown into shards!

"And now," laughed Sean, "attack his Cave Dragon with unholy blight!"

The Dark Master shot forth a blast of unholy energy, blowing Cave Dragon away!

Andy's Life Points fell to 3,900.

"Your move…" chuckled Sean.

_What am I going to do?_ thought Andy as he drew_. Nothing in my hand can beat that abomination – only one Monster in my whole deck is able to defeat him…_

_Unless I draw my special card…_

"I summon Koumori Dragon in Defense Mode," he said, placing a card down.

Koumori Dragon appeared, and folded its wings.

"That's all I can do…" he muttered.

Sean drew.

_Hmm,_ he thought.

"I'll place one card facedown," he said.

He fit a card into a slot, and it appeared.

"Now I play Monster Reborn," he stated, placing a card into a slot, "bringing back my Headless Knight!"

The holy ankh appeared, and Headless Knight appeared with a laugh.

"And now," laughed Sean, "I'll sacrifice my Knight…"

Headless Knight shattered, and he put a card down.

"…to summon a beast known as The End of Anubis!"

A dark creature arose next to Dark Master Zorc. It was a ghostly Fiend that looked like a muscular creature with the head of a demonic jackal. (2,500/0)

A lot of the onlookers were now even more scared than they were when Dark Sanctuary was on the field. Sean's Monsters weren't just Fiends – they were Fiends from the darkest depths of the Underworld.

"Before you embarrass yourself by trying," noted Sean, "you should know that when The End of Anubis is on the field, all card effects that involve the Graveyards simply don't work!

"Now, dance, my dice!"

Dark Master Zorc waved his hand, and the dice rolled again…

It came up a five!

"Zorc, wipe out his Dragon Dwelling in the Cave!"

Zorc blasted his unholy beam, and The Dragon Dwelling in the Cave was eradicated.

"Now, attack his Troop Dragon!"

Zorc fired his black beam, and Troop Dragon was blown to bits!

Andy pulled a card from his Disk and placed it down.

Another Troop Dragon arose.

"Nice try," he said. "But when Troop Dragon is destroyed in battle, I can summon another one!"

"Well then," chuckled Sean, "we'll just have to take them down one at a time. End of Anubis, destroy the second one!"

The End of Anubis formed a ball of blackness in its hands, and held it over its head. It hurled it, blowing the second Troop Dragon away.

Andy pulled the third Troop Dragon from his deck and summoned it to the field.

"That ends my turn," said Sean.

Andy drew.

He looked at his card.

"I'll place a card facedown, and that will be all," he said.

Sean drew.

He looked at his hand.

_Well, nothing I can summon without a Tribute,_ he thought. _But Zorc and The End of Anubis should be enough…But just in case…_

He looked at his facedown card.

_Just in case I land on a six, my Dice Re-Roll card will make sure Zorc gets a second chance…_

"Go, my dice!" he shouted.

The dice skipped and bounced.

And it landed… on the one!

"NOOOO!" screamed Francesca.

Zorc cast a mighty spell, and Koumori Dragon, Masked Dragon, and Troop Dragon were all blown to pieces!

"HA, HA, HA!" laughed Sean. "Now, once I attack, you lose!"

"I'm not finished yet, Sean!" shouted Andy.

His Trap Card lifted.

"Activate Threatening Roar!"

A huge beast appeared behind him, and let out a gigantic bellow! Dark Master Zorc and The End of Anubis cringed in fright!

"No Monster can bear the terror of Threatening Roar," warned Andy, "not even your Dark Master. They won't be able to attack me this round!"

"Then I end my turn," said Sean. "But what are you going to do? You'll never keep a Monster long enough on the field to summon anything strong enough to defeat either of my Monsters!"

"We'll see…" muttered Andy.

He drew.

"And I play… Reload!" he shouted, throwing it into a slot.

Hi deck flew out of its tray, and he tossed his four cards into the air. The cards flew into the deck, and the deck shuffled…

It inserted back into the tray, and four more cards flew out.

Andy looked at them. Then he looked at Sean.

"Sean," he mused. "In all of the time I've been dueling, you've given me the best duel yet… But I'm afraid it's time to end this…"

"Huh?" said Sean.

"I summon Lord of Dragons!" shouted Andy.

He placed the card down, and the caped Spellcaster with his helmet made from a dragon's skull appeared. (1,200/1,100)

"With him on the field, I can play this card," said Andy, placing a card into a slot. "The Flute of Dragon Summoning!"

A golden flute shaped like a dragon appeared, and Lord of Dragons grabbed it. He put it to his lips, and played a haunting melody…

"What's the point?" asked Sean.

"By using The Flute of Dragon Summoning, I can Special Summon any Itwo/I dragons from my hand!" answered Andy.

"So first, meet Des Volstgalph!"

He put a card down, and the huge, earthen dragon with sandy skin and sharp ridges appeared. (2,200/1,700)

"And also… Tyrant Dragon!"

He placed his last card on the Disk, and a HUGE Dragon appeared! It was easily twice the size of Luster Dragon #2, and it had teeth like spears, claws like swords, and armor plating that looked like bronze! Steam poured from its jaws! (2,900/2,500)

"YAAAH!" yelled Sean.

His two Fiends looked pretty frightened as well…

"And there's something you should know about Tyrant Dragon," said Andy with a smile. "If it destroys one Monster, it can attack a second!

"Tyrant Dragon, attack both his Fiends with imperial inferno!"

Tyrant Dragon blasted forth an inferno of fire, and Dark Master Zorc was reduced to cinders! Then it blasted forth another burst of flame, wiping out The End of Anubis!

Sean stared in disbelief as his Life Points fell to 1,600.

"Des Volstgalph, finish him!" yelled Andy.

Des Volstgalph shot forth a stream of wind and sand, knocking Sean over.

His Life Points hit zero…

It was over.

The crowd cheered.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"YES ANDY!" yelled Fran. "That was your best duel ever!"

She ran up and hugged him, much to his surprise.

"Oh, Andy…" she sighed.

"Uh, yeah, Fran… great…" he muttered.

He put his arms around her.

_Hey, this isn't so bad,_ he thought. _Maybe I'm starting to mellow…_

"Ah-HEM!" muttered Sean, who was just getting up.

"Oh, sorry," said Andy. "Are you all right?"

"I'll be fine," groaned Andy. "You're a clever duelist! And a lucky one!"

"As my friend here would say, luck has very little to do with it," answered Andy.

"Well," muttered Andy, taking out one of his Crystal Cards.

He handed it to Andy.

"I guess I have to give you this. But I'm going to get it back… And Dark Necrofear and I are going to get to the Thousand Year Door eventually – just you wait!"

"We'll hope to see you there," said Andy shaking his hand. "Come on, we'll get you a peach cobbler…

The bell from the Creepy Steeple chimed again, this time ringing three.

"Humph, someone should do something about that," muttered Stan.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Lord Crump exited the internet café, sipping his fifth cappuccino, when he almost bumped into somebody.

"You should cut down on the coffee, Crump," said the visitor. "Coffee habits tend to lower your life expectancy by ten percent…"

"Go to Hell," muttered Crump.

And then he looked up, and dropped the coffee cup.

"Leopold?" he gasped. "Don't hurt me, please!"

"I'm not going to hurt you Crump," chuckled Leopold. "I need to protect you so you can watch me finish off Stan. I'd like to have someone besides his bratty friends witness my triumph…"

He placed a small ring in Crump's hand.

"Wear that, and whatever you do, don't take it off until I tell you to. Otherwise, you're going to regret it.

"Y-Yes sir," stammered Crump.

"I'm dueling Stan in one hour," replied Leopold, "whether he wants to or not…"

**0**

**0**

**0**

**DARK SANCTUARY (Magic Card)**

**Type: **Magic/Field  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description: **Image of an evil palace surrounded by hideous eyes and fanged mouths. You can only play this card if one "Dark Necrofear" on your side of the field is destroyed. If you chose to use this card, the effect of "Dark Necrofear" is negated and it is sent to the Graveyard. If you do not sacrifice a Monster during the first Main Phase of each of your turns, this card is destroyed. This card is destroyed if there is no "Dark Necrofear" in your Graveyard. So long as this card is in effect, you can play Magic and Trap cards in Monster Zone spaces as well as your Magic/Trap Zone spaces. Also, one per turn, before your opponent's Battle Phase, you may secretly choose one Monster on your opponent's side of the field. If the chosen Monster attacks, negate the attack and subtract half of the chosen Monster's current ATK from your opponent's Life Points and add them to your own Life Points. This effect is nullified if this card is destroyed.

_Note: "Dark Sanctuary" was used by Bakura in the multi-part anime episode "The Dark Spirit Revealed". All creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0**

**0**

**0**

**SIXTH SENSE (Trap Card)**

**Type: **Trap  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description: **Image of a frightened woman with psychic energy emitting from her forehead. Announce two numbers between 1 and 6. Your opponent then rolls one die once. If the result is either of the two numbers that you announced, draw cards from your deck equal to the number rolled. If the result is different from either of the two numbers you announced, discard cards from your deck equal to the number rolled.

_Note: "Sixth Sense" is a Japanese card that has not yet been released in the United States. (And probably won't be, seeing as it is on the Japanese forbidden list.)_

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**Coming up next…**_

_**Leopold, the Shadow Spawn of Earth, challenges Stan with an odd deck theme that few real-world duelists have ever mastered! Carnage is about to fly in the creepy burg of Twilight Town, as the fourth member of this demented family takes to the arena. And see the debut of the last of Stan's Companions! It's all coming up in a chapter that I call… um, well, I won't reveal the name of the chapter – that would ruin the surprise. Don't miss it!**_


	18. Prehistoric Duelasaurus

_**You ever notice how popular dinosaurs are these days? They're pretty popular for animals have been extinct for eons.**_

_**Everywhere you go, you see dinosaur movies, dinosaur toys, dinosaur posters, and even little dinosaur stickers on bananas! I've always loved dinosaurs myself… I can't count all the times I've gone to New York's Museum of Natural History to see all the huge dinosaur skeletons and fossils. **_

_**Why then, has the Dinosaur Type been more or less neglected in Duel Monsters? The Type is very rare, and few of the Monsters are useful. The only famous duelist I heard of who used them was a former regional champion named Rex Raptor, and it all went downhill for him after he was beaten by Joey Wheeler in Duelist Kingdom. (He tried to make a comeback in Battle City, but he didn't last one round – I forget the name of the guy who did him in.)**_

_**Maybe the flaw in Rex's strategy was that he relied too much on brute force and didn't pack enough Effect Monsters – he might have also done better if he had used better Trap and Magic Cards…**_

_**Right now, I'm facing a guy who probably learned from Rex's mistakes…**_

_**He'd be the one to make Dinosaur Monsters popular – if he wasn't as much a predator as they were...**_

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER SEVENTEEN**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Prehistoric Duelasaurus**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

Stan looked at the three Crystal Cards in his hand.

It was a start, but Andy and Francesca both had five apiece. He'd have to work hard if he hoped to catch up to them.

He looked at his watch – 3:55 PM.

Then he looked at what Andy and Francesca were looking at from the bench they were sitting at. Drake and Sean were facing each other.

"So Sean," said Drake with a smile. "You sure you want to take me on? Don't forget, I saw most of your deck, and you've seen none of mine…"

"You've seen most, but not all," answered Sean. "And just because you know my strategy doesn't mean you'll win…"

_Heh, heh,_ thought Drake. _I know just how to beat this guy. I have a feeling he needs Dark Necrofear in his Graveyard to keep that Dark Sanctuary active… So… remove her from play, and BAM! No more Dark Sanctuary!_

Meanwhile, Sean was thinking to himself.

_What he doesn't realize is there's more to my deck than Dark Sanctuary and Destiny Board. And Dark Necrofear has secrets inside her that even Andy didn't learn about. Not to mention that her usual effect is still pretty powerful._

"Okay, Sean, I accept your challenge!" exclaimed Drake.

The toll from the Creepy Steeple tolled four.

"Confounded clock," muttered Sean.

"All right then," exclaimed Drake.

He raised his Disk.

"Activate…"

Then lightning started to flash in the sky!

"Oh, don't tell me it's going to rain!" shouted Sean.

Then, sounds of the townsfolk screaming were heard!

And then, bolts of lightning hit Sean and Drake! They screamed!

"GUYS!" shouted Stan.

And then there was silence… But all was not well.

The two duelists standing before them – they had been turned to stone!

Stan, Andy, and Francesca gasped. They got up.

"Sean… Drake…" gulped Andy. "What in the name of…"

"It isn't just them, Andy," said a frightened Francesca.

They all looked around…

The same evil spell had afflicted the entire town! Everywhere they looked, the townsfolk had been frozen into stone statues.

"What happened to everybody?" asked Stan.

"And why weren't we effected?" shuddered Francesca.

"I believe I can answer that question," said a voice around them.

The ground began to tremble, and a form rose out of the earthen soil. It slowly took a man-shaped form…

They were looking at a boy who seemed to be about their age. His jeans, shirt, and jacket were all earthen brown in color, but incredibly clean (strange, seeing how he had just emerged from the ground). He had neatly cut brown hair, and chocolate brown eyes, and was wearing glasses.

"Greetings folks," he said, calmly. "Leopold's the name… Shadow Spawn of Earth, and the intellectual among my siblings. I'm twice as smart as any of the other Shadow Spawn!"

"I take it you did this?" snarled Stan.

"Really, Stan, I figured there was only about a one percent chance you wouldn't figure that out. It's only common sense…"

"Change them back, or I'll…" growled Stan, clenching his fists.

"Please, Stan," warned Leopold, "I'm much more refined than a thug like you, and I hate resorting to fisticuffs. If you so much as lay a finger on me, I'll cause every statue here to shatter. I can, and I _have_ in the past."

Something about his tone told them that he wasn't bluffing.

"What do you want?" muttered Stan.

"To duel you, of course," said Leopold. "And I estimate that there's a 95 chance that you'll accept, because if you refuse, the population of Twilight Town will remain oversized paperweights forever."

Stan growled.

"Of course, I have much more experience than you, so I estimate your chances of beating me are about 10. The only duels I've ever lost are to my mother, who has never lost, and to my other siblings, in which cases I've won roughly 50 of the time."

"Your mother lost once," chuckled Francesca. "To the Three Heroes."

That seemed to make Leopold angry. The earth trembled a little.

"That's a touchy subject Francesca, and I recommend you don't bring it up again!" he snapped.

"Okay!" squeaked Francesca in fear.

"So anyway," continued Leopold, "if you accept my challenge, meet me in the peach orchard in fifteen minutes. Don't be late."

He walked off in the direction of the peach orchard.

"What are we going to do?" asked Andy, in panic.

Stan looked at Sean and Drake.

He shuffled his deck.

"I beat Kurtis," he said, "and I can beat this guy too. I'll give him the duel of his life…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

In the largest peach tree, Lord Crump was perched, watching as Leopold entered the wide open space in the center of the field.

_This is perfect,_ he thought. _If anyone can beat Stan for good, Leopold can. He's even better than Kurtis is…_

_And once he manages to summon his trump card, Stan won't stand a chance!_

He plucked a peach from the tree and took a bite.

_Delicious,_ he thought. These _will be better than popcorn!_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Stan and his two friends entered the orchard to find Leopold waiting. The Shadow Spawn carried a Duel Disk that strangely seemed to be made of stone.

"I knew you'd come," said Leopold.

"Can it, bub," growled Stan. "You wanted a duel, you've got one. Just promise to release the people of this town once I've beaten you!"

"Of course," agreed Leopold. "I'm a man of my word. Now why don't your friends sit over there?"

He pointed to the huge peach tree, the one where Crump was hiding in the branches. Andy and Francesca sat by the huge trunk.

"Okay, Leo…" started Stan.

"Leopold!" corrected Leopold.

"Whatever!" snapped Stan. "I'm gonna take you out in two and two!"

"Then get ready," dared Leopold. "I'm going to take you back to the Stone Age!"

They raised their Disks, and the holo-imagers shot out, and the sides snapped together. The Life Point counters set to 8,000, and they each drew their first hands.

"I'll start," said Leopold, drawing his first card. "After all, whoever goes first wins."

"I suppose you have the numbers to back _that_ up too?" asked Stan.

Leopold smirked, and placed a card down.

"I'll place one card facedown on the field…" he said, fitting it into a slot.

The card materialized in front of him.

"…and then I'll summon Mammoth Graveyard in Attack Mode!"

He threw a card down, and the huge skeleton of a mastodon reared up in front of him. (1,200/800)

"Scared yet, Stan?" he said with a grin.

Stan laughed out loud.

"Scared of THAT?" he chuckled. "Don't make me laugh! I can take down that pile of bones without half trying."

"Well then," said Leopold. "It's your move…"

Stan drew.

"Heh, heh, I'm activating my Trap!" cackled Leopold.

His card lifted.

"Fearful Earthbound!"

The ground around Stan's feet started to stir, and then several sharp objects burst up around him!

He was standing in the middle of a giant mouth with huge fangs!

"Eek!" shrieked Francesca.

"Uh…" stammered Stan, looking at it nervously. "So what does this Fearful Earthbound do, exactly?"

"Nothing yet," answered Leopold, "but finish your move."

Stan nervously looked at the hologram below him.

_It's a set of jaws,_ he thought, _so logic states that they're going to bite when… something happens. Question is, what?_

_I'll have to worry about it later…_

He put a card down.

"I summon The Illusory Gentleman in Attack Mode!" he shouted.

He placed the card down, and the colorful Spellcaster with the single eye appeared, brandishing his cane. (1,500/1,600)

"Gentleman, attack his Mammoth with dark illusion!"

The Illusory Gentleman shot forth his colorful spell, blasting Mammoth Graveyard into pixels!

Leopold's Life Points fell slightly to 7,700, but he chuckled…

The set of jaws surrounding Stan started to tremble…

And then they snapped shut around him! He screamed!

"STAN!" screamed Andy.

The jaws retracted, and Stan fell on his rump. His Life Points fell to 7,500.

"I figured there was a 90 chance you wouldn't be able to resist attacking my weak Mammoth Graveyard," stated Leopold, "so I set Fearful Earthbound. This Continuous Trap will chew off 500 of your Life Points each time you declare an attack!"

"Do tell," said Stan sarcastically.

"Any other moves you'd like to make?" asked Leopold.

"No," growled Stan. "It's your move."

"Fine," said Leopold. "First I'll summon a beast known as Two-Headed King Rex in Attack Mode!"

He placed a card down, and a huge Dinosaur with mauve scales, wings, and two heads, each one with three horns, appeared in front of him. (1,600/1,200)

"Next," continued Leopold, putting a card down, "I'll summon Gilasaurus, also in Attack Mode!"

A fierce looking raptor, with brown skin and claws the size of daggers appeared next to Two-Headed King Rex. (1,400/400)

"Hey, time out! No fair!" shouted Stan. "You can't just summon two Monsters at once!"

"You dare accuse me of cheating?" sneered Leopold. "Gilasaurus can be considered a Special Summon. In order to do that, I have to give you the option of Special Summoning a Monster from your Graveyard."

Stan gave him a look.

"I have NO Monsters in my Graveyard!" he protested.

"Then that's too bad," said Leopold, with a shrug. "Sorry, but those are the rules."

He pointed.

"Two-Headed King Rex, attack his Gentleman with twin-jawed bite!"

The two-headed Dinosaur roared and lumbered over to the terrified Spellcaster and grabbed him in both of its jaws, tearing him in two!

"Gilasaurus, attack directly with raptor's claw!"

The smaller Dinosaur charged over and swiped at Stan with its mighty claw, knocking him over.

Stan's Life Points fell to 6,000.

Leopold chuckled.

"You don't stand a chance Stan," he said. "In fact, you have about as much chance for survival as the true Dinosaurs did…"

"Namely, zero percent."

"Keep yakking, dino-boy," growled Stan. "I'm going to make you and your Monsters just as extinct as the real dinosaurs are…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Meanwhile, Crump was enjoying every minute of it.

_Ah, this is the life,_ he said, plucking another peach. _A great show and fresh fruit to go with it. And the best part is, I don't even have to waste time taking notes for this one!_

_All I have to do is sit back, and enjoy the show…_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_Okay,_ thought Stan, looking at Fearful Earthbound. _Attacking will just hurt me, but not attacking will be even worse. There has to be something I can do…_

He drew.

_Well what do you know?_ he thought.

"I summon Goombella the Scholar in Defense Mode!" he exclaimed, putting a card down.

"One of his Companion cards!" said Francesca, excitedly.

Goombella appeared in front of him with a laugh. (500/2,000)

"Now Goombella, use your Tattle!" shouted Stan.

Goombella hopped onto Stan's shoulders, and the top four cards in his deck floated out. Stan and Goombella looked at them…

Goombella whispered in his ear. Stan rearranged them, and they floated back onto his deck.

Goombella hopped back down in front of Stan.

_Enjoy that Monster Card now, Stan,_ thought Leopold, _because once I defeat you, all of your special cards will be with my mother, where they belong!_

"It's your move, Leopold," stated Stan.

Leopold drew.

"I'll sacrifice my Gilasaurus for the stronger Sword Arm of Dragon!" he stated, switching cards on his Disk.

Gilasaurus vanished, and a large, yellow, striped Dinosaur with a tail that was topped with a blade appeared in its place. (1,750/2,030)

"That will end my turn," he said.

"That's weak for a Tribute Monster!" mocked Stan. "A lot of my four-stars could take it out!"

"Then why don't you?" asked Leopold.

Stan drew, knowing exactly what he was drawing.

"I play Mystical Space Typhoon, blowing away your Trap Card!" he shouted.

He threw the card into a slot, and the cyclone ripped across the field. Fearful Earthbound was reduced to dust.

"Again, you've done exactly what I expected you to do," stated Leopold, adjusting his glasses. "I calculated that there was a 95 chance you would destroy that Trap the first chance you got. And now that you've used up your Mystical Space Typhoon, you'll find it harder to destroy more of my Magic and Trap Cards."

"We'll see," said Stan, taking a card from his hand. "I'll summon Mystical Elf in Defense Mode.

He put the card down, and the peaceful elf appeared, chanting her holy spell. (800/2,000)

"Make your move," said Stan.

Leopold drew.

_Hmm, not bad…_ he thought.

He fit a card into a slot.

"I play Nightmare Steel Cage!" he shouted.

Flames erupted around Stan, and Goombella gasped in fright. The flames transformed into iron bars that formed into a dome-like cage, studded with spikes.

"That will keep you from attacking for two of your turns," chuckled Leopold.

"Aw, geeze," muttered Francesca. "That's not good…"

"Well, it's not… bad…" answered Andy.

"Huh?" asked Francesca.

"Well, just as the Nightmare Steel Cage prevents Stan from attacking, Leopold can't attack either. And Stan can still sacrifice his weaker Monsters for stronger ones. Of course, Leopold can do the same…"

And apparently, Leopold wasn't done.

"I sacrifice my Two-Headed King Rex for Megazowler!" he exclaimed. "In Attack Mode!"

He put a card down, and Two-Headed King Rex was consumed. A huge Dinosaur resembling a mean-looking triceratops with orange scales and thick plates appeared. (1,800/2,000)

"It's your move, Stan," he stated.

_And if he was smart, I already know what card he put second in his deck when he used Goombella's ability,_ he thought.

Stan drew. He showed Leopold the card.

"I'm playing my Pot of Greed, Leopold," he said, snidely.

He plugged the card into a slot, and the jar appeared, handing him two more cards.

"You know, you could use this card yourself," chuckled Stan, adding the cards to his hand, "because you have only one card left!"

"Actually," said Leopold, adjusting his glasses again, "thanks to you playing that card, there's a chance I might be able to increase the size of my hand exponentially right now!"

"Say what?" asked Stan.

Leopold's facedown Trap Card lifted.

"I activate… Gamble!"

A shiny golden coin fell from the heavens, and he caught it.

"Gamble?" asked Stan. "What does that do?"

"I can only play this card when you have six or more cards in your hand, and I have two or less. I flip the Coin of Chance… if I call it right, I get to draw until I have five cards. If I call it wrong, I skip my next turn."

"You sure that coin doesn't have two heads?" accused Stan.

"Will you stop accusing me of cheating?" snapped Leopold.

Just to show him, he revealed the two sides of the coin. One was heads, and one was tails.

"You're taking a big risk," muttered Stan.

"True," agreed Leopold, nodding. "In any coin flip, the chances of calling it correctly are always a flat 50... but I'm feeling mighty lucky today…"

He tossed the coin.

"It's… heads!" he shouted.

The coin flipped through the air. He let it hit the ground…

Stan looked down and groaned. It was indeed heads.

Leopold chuckled. "Lucky me," he said.

Four cards flew out of his deck, and he caught them.

"It's still my turn, Leopold!" shouted Stan, looking at the two cards he had just drawn. "And I'll sacrifice Goombella to summon Chaos Command Magician!"

Goombella gave a wink, and then vanished. The mighty Spellcaster of Light appeared, brandishing his staff! (2,400/1,900)

"And that's my move," he said.

_He's in for a rude awakening when this Cage crumbles,_ he thought.

Leopold drew.

_Heh, heh,_ he thought. _Just what I needed…_

He put a card on his Disk.

"I summon Balloon Lizard in Defense Mode!" he exclaimed.

A new Monster appeared, and the name "Balloon Lizard" seemed to fit it perfectly. It was a huge lizard, who's spherical torso seemed to be bloated like a balloon. It had an alligator-like head and a long tail protruding from its sides, and it floated in the air, as if it were full of helium. (500/1,900)

_Balloon Lizard,_ thought Stan. _Okay, that's seriously weird…_

"This guy isn't technically a Dinosaur," noted Leopold, "but he sure fits the theme, don't you think?"

"My move now," said Stan.

He drew, drawing the first card he didn't know about.

"I sacrifice Mystical Elf to summon Dark Magician Girl!" he shouted.

Mystical Elf shattered into pixels, and Dark Magician Girl appeared, trailing hearts and a beautiful music in her wake! (2,000/1,700)

"And that will end my turn," stated Stan.

The Nightmare Steel Cage evaporated, like sugar in the rain, as Leopold drew his next card.

"I play Graceful Charity," he announced.

He played the card, and the angel flew into his deck. It handed him three cards.

"And just because I'm such a nice guy," added Leopold, "I'll show you the two cards I'm discarding."

He flashed two cards in front of him. They were Little D. and Uraby.

"Now I'll place a card facedown, and that will be all."

He slid a card into a slot, and it appeared.

Stan looked at the facedown card intently.

_Both my Monsters are stronger than both all of his, but he didn't even shift Sword Arm of Dragon and Megazowler into Defense Mode… something's up…_

He drew.

"I activate… Threatening Roar!" shouted Leopold, as his Trap Card lifted.

A huge beast appeared behind him, and let out an earsplitting roar! Dark Magician Girl and Chaos Command Magician cringed in fright…

"Hey, I have that card!" shouted Andy.

"You think that Dragons are the only creatures who can roar, Andy?" asked Leopold. "Some paleontologists believe that a T-Rex had a roar that could be heard for miles. Anyway, I don't think your Monsters will be attacking this round, Stan."

"Fine," growled Stan. "It's your move."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

From his perch on the tree, Crump almost choked on the piece of fruit he was eating.

_Man, _he thought. _Why did I drink all that coffee? I almost had an accident there!_

_Ah well, Leopold still has Stan on the ropes. This won't take much longer…_

He absentmindedly took the pit out of the peach he was eating, and dropped it.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Francesca felt a twinge of pain as something landed on her head.

She pulled it out of her hair.

_A peach pit?_ she thought.

She slowly looked up…

She quickly looked back down.

She bent over and whispered something in Andy's ear.

"Huh?" he said.

He slowly looked up as well. Then he quickly looked down.

"We'll handle it later," he whispered.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Leopold made a draw.

He smiled inwardly.

_Well,_ he thought, _I never had much use for the Painful Choice card… and now certainly isn't the time to start using it…_

_But now it's time to give Stan a pretty painful choice…_

He slid the card into a slot.

"I'm playing this Trap Card facedown," he said, "and ending my turn."

"HUH?" said Stan, shocked. "You're actually telling me it's a Trap? What kind of rookie does something THAT stupid?"

"First of all, I'm not stupid, Stan," stated Leopold.

He pointed to his skull.

"I.Q. of 165, genius level…"

He paused.

"And second, I'm telling you it's a Trap because, since you have nothing on the board that can destroy it right now, there's no way for you to stop me from triggering it when you start your turn. It's THAT kind of Trap."

"You know, Leopold," shouted Andy, "there are words for people like you… none of which I like to say in front of a lady."

"Fine!" cursed Stan, "I'm drawing…"

He drew.

"So let's see what your stupid Trap is already!"

"Activate… Earthshaker!" shouted Leopold, as his Trap lifted.

The ground rumbled, mostly around Dark Magician Girl and Chaos Command Magician.

"This Trap is somewhat complex, so let me explain," started Leopold. "You have two Monsters on your side of the field, and they're of different Types. One is a creature of Darkness, and one is a creature of Light…

"My Trap will destroy one of them… The only question is… which?"

He gave an evil smile.

"The choice is _yours_…"

Stan looked at him with an expression of pure hate…

"You're asking me to choose which one of my own Monsters dies?" he yelled. "That's _cruel_, Leopold!"

"This duel can't resume until you choose, Stan," chuckled Leopold. "Sorry kid, but those are the breaks…"

Stan looked at Dark Magician Girl and Chaos Command Magician…

Then he looked at the card he had just drawn…

He turned to Chaos Command Magician…

"Forgive me…" he said.

Chaos Command Magician turned to him and nodded.

"I choose my Monster of Light!" shouted Stan.

"Earthshaker, swallow his Chaos Command Magician!" yelled Leopold.

The tremor increased to a full earthquake, and then a fissure opened up, plunging Chaos Command Magician into it.

"Uh, I don't get it…" muttered Andy. "Stan chose Chaos Command Magician when he was clearly the stronger Monster…"

"I have to agree with your friend there Stan," said Leopold, quizzically. "Your Chaos Command Magician was stronger, and had a better effect – I calculated that there was an 80 chance you would have chosen Dark Magician Girl.

"I have to ask… why?"

"Because of the card I just drew," said Andy with a smile. "I needed Dark Magician Girl to activate it!"

He showed him the card.

"The Sage's Stone?" gasped Leopold. "But… wha… HOW?"

He did a quick calculation in his head.

"Uh, round to the nearest hundredth place…"

Stan tapped his foot.

"There was only about a 3.07 chance you could have drawn that right when you needed it!" he screamed.

"When you have faith in your deck, the odds don't matter!" exclaimed Stan.

He threw the card into a slot, and a card flew out of his deck.

He threw it on his Disk, and the mighty Dark Magician appeared! (2,500/2,100)

"Dark Magician Girl… Dark Magician…" ordered Stan. "Wipe his Sword Arm of Dragon and his Megazowler with double dark magic attack!"

The two mages put their staffs together and fired a blast of blazing blast magic! The two Dinosaurs howled, and exploded into fragments!

Leopold's Life Points fell down to 6,750.

"Okay…" snarled Leopold. "But I'm still in the lead… And my deck has quite a few more surprises in store…"

"Bring it on…" snarled Stan.

Leopold drew.

"I'll place a Monster facedown in Defense," he said, placing a card on his Disk.

A hidden Monster appeared.

"And also a card facedown," he said.

He fit a card into a slot, and it materialized.

"Make your move," he said.

"I will," said Stan, drawing.

He added the card to his hand.

"Dark Magician Girl destroy his Balloon Lizard!" shouted Stan.

Dark Magician Girl aimed and fired!

As the blast of dark magic shot forward, Leopold smiled.

"Gotcha," he said with a grin.

As impact was made, a huge explosion ripped across the field! Stan was thrown backwards!

"Ugh…" he groaned.

"You really should have gone for my Balloon Lizard earlier," laughed Leopold. "For every one of my Standby Phases that it stays on the field, you lose 400 Life Points when it's destroyed – and it lasted Ithree/I of those phases."

Stan's Life Points fell to 4,800.

"Yeah?" he said, getting up. "It's still my move!"

He pointed.

"Dark Magician, destroy his last defense!"

Dark Magician fired at the facedown Monster…

A weird object appeared on the card…

It cackled before it was blown to smithereens.

"Gaak!" shouted Stan. "A Morphing Jar? Who did you have to kill to get THAT?"

Leopold grinned.

"On second thought, don't answer that," sighed Stan.

The two of them discarded their hands and drew five new cards.

"Well, make your move," snarled Stan.

"I will," said Leopold with a glare. "To summon this next Monster, I have to remove one Rock Monster from the game. And since it's no longer useful, I'll remove my Morphing Jar…"

His Morphing Jar slipped out of his discard slot, and he fit it into his Remove From Play slot.

"So now I summon The Rock Spirit in Attack Mode," he stated, putting a card down.

A large, grey-skinned soldier dressed like a Spartan and carrying a rod topped with a ruby materialized on the field. (1,700/1,600)

"That's not a Dinosaur…" muttered Francesca.

"Is there a law that says I have to play only Dinosaurs?" pouted Leopold. "Shadow Spawn of EARTH, remember?"

He sighed.

"Make your move, Stan."

_Besides, even with this Monster, Dinosaurs play a large part in my next strategic move. Stan will never see it coming!_

Stan drew.

"I know your Rock Spirit's power, Leopold," he said. "It gains 300 Attack Points during my Battle Phase. But that still won't make him strong enough to fend off my Dark Magician!"

_No, Stan, don't!_ screamed Francesca in his head. _His Trap Card!_

"Dark Magician…" shouted Stan, "dark magic attack!"

Dark Magician aimed…

"You should have thought of that a while longer, Stan," chuckled Leopold. "I activate my facedown card…"

A Magic Card lifted, bearing the picture of a scattered pile of bones, over which a group of dinosaur spirits were roaring.

"Terror From The Extinct!" shouted Leopold.

The Dinosaur spirits flew out of the card and encircled Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl!

"Let me explain," chuckled Leopold. "This Quickplay Magic card weakens all Monsters on your side of the field by 100 Attack and Defense Points for every Dinosaur in my Graveyard for the remainder of the turn. And counting the three I sent there with my Morphing Jar, there are ten.

"Certainly, Stan, you can handle math as easy as a little subtraction, hmm?"

Stan stood dumbfounded.

"Guess not," sighed Leopold. "It reduces your Dark Magician's Attack to 1,500, which is currently 500 lower than The Rock Spirit!

"Rock Spirit, counter attack!"

The Rock Spirit blasted a beam of energy from his rod, blowing Dark Magician away.

Stan's Life Points fell to 4,300.

"Of course, that means your Dark Magician Girl gains 300 Attack Points, but thanks to my Magic Card, she's still too weak this turn to take on The Rock Spirit."

"Fine," snarled Stan. "I end my turn…"

The Rock Spirit returned to 1,700 Attack, and Dark Magician Girl rose to 2,300 Attack.

Leopold drew.

"Now to take care of her too," he chuckled. "I'll sacrifice my Rock Spirit to summon Dark Driceratops!"

The Rock Spirit shattered, and a very strange Dinosaur appeared – and this was the biggest one yet. It looked like a strange cross between triceratops and bird of prey, with feathers, talons, and a hooked beak. (2,400/1,500)

"Whoever it was at Industrial Illusion who thought up this Monster," pondered Leopold, "obviously believed in the theory that dinosaurs were more closely related to warm-blooded birds than cold-blooded reptiles!"

"Do say…" muttered Stan.

"Dark Driceratops!" shouted Leopold. "Trample his Dark Magician Girl!"

Dark Magician Girl screamed as the huge Dinosaur plowed into her, blowing her into fragments.

Stan's Life Points fell further, to 4,200.

"Just a word of advice, Stan," said Leopold. "Putting Monsters into Defense Mode won't work with this creature. It has an effect just like Andy's Spear Dragon…"

He chuckled.

"But unlike that pathetic Dragon, this creature has a Defense Score better than zero and doesn't have to shift into Defense Mode after it attacks!"

Andy got up in a rage.

"You want to come over here and call my Monsters pathetic?" he shouted. "After Stan kicks your ass, I'm going to kick it again!"

"And then I'm going to kick it a third time!" shouted Francesca.

Leopold paused for a minute.

_Heh, heh,_ he thought. _Forget what mom said… this is too good to pass up! I'll defeat all three of them! Then my standing in this family will increase above the others by three hundred percent!_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

In the tree, Crump was working on more of the fruit.

Crump really didn't know the meaning of the word "moderation".

_This is great!_ he chuckled. _Leopold's going to blow them ALL away!_

_And the best part is…_

All of a sudden he felt a gurgling noise in his stomach.

_Ooh…_ he thought. _I don't feel too good…_

His stomach started making funny noises…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Stan put a card into a slot and a card on his Disk.

"I place a card facedown, and summon Gemini Elf in Attack Mode," he stated.

The two twin elves appeared. They shuddered at the sight of the huge Dinosaur. (1,900/900)

"Heh," chuckled Leopold. "I guess you're smarter than I thought, Stan – you obviously realized that my Dark Driceratops would have done more damage to you if it had attacked your elves while they were in Defense Mode…"

"I learn quickly," grumbled Stan.

"Do you now?" snickered Leopold, drawing.

He looked at the card.

"Well, not the best Monster, but this will do," he sighed. "I summon Mad Sword Beast in Attack Mode!"

He put the card down, and a large beast that seemed to combine the worst aspects of Dinosaur and rhinoceros appeared, bearing a sharp tusk on its snout. (1,400/1,200)

"Dark Driceratops, attack his elves!"

The elves held each other and shrieked in fear as the Monster closed in…

"You know Leo, for a genius, you don't have much common sense," said Stan, with a grin.

His Trap card lifted…

It was his Spellbinding Circle!

Leopold gasped as Dark Driceratops fell to 1,700 Attack.

Leopold growled.

"Make your move…" he dared.

"As you wish," said Stan, drawing. "Gemini Elf, attack his Dark Driceratops!"

Gemini Elf shot forth twin bolts of lightning, reducing the bird-like Dinosaur to ashes.

Leopold's Life Points fell to 6,550.

"All right!" shouted Leopold. "It's my move now!"

He drew.

_Good..._ he thought.

"You know Stan," he said, "I love dinosaurs, but they aren't the only animals that interest me. All forms of prehistoric animals pique my interest…"

He switched cards on his Disk.

"Therefore, I sacrifice my Mad Sword Beast to summon my Big-Tusked Mammoth in Attack Mode!"

Mad Sword Beast shattered, and it seemed a wave of cold, followed by a light snowfall pervaded the area. A huge Beast appeared. It was a giant mastodon with purple fur, and huge tusks! (2,000/1,000)

"Mammoth, attack his Gemini Elf with blizzard blast!"

Big-Tusked Mammoth let out a trumpet, and shot a cone of frost at the two elves! They were encased in a block of ice… and then shattered!

Stan's Life Points dipped to 4,100.

"Before you make your next move Stan, let me let you in on Big-Tusked Mammoth's special effect," noted Leopold. "So long as he's on the field, your Monsters are forbidden from attacking on the round in which they are summoned!

"Now you may move."

Stan drew.

_It's time to take a risk,_ he thought.

"I summon Silent Magician Lv 4, in Attack Mode," he said.

He put a card down, and a short character appeared. It looked like a child, wearing a costume that was a combination of a sorcerer's outfit and an alien's outfit, colored silver and green with a strange helmet. He carried a short staff. (1,000/1,000)

Leopold laughed.

"That's weak!" he exclaimed.

"Maybe so," said Stan. "But he'll get stronger. In the meantime, I'm playing Clock Out!"

_Clock Out?_ thought Leopold. _That's another card that mom wanted me to confiscate!_

"Now," said Stan, placing it into a slot, "first I have to give up 1,000 of my Life Points…"

His Life Points fell to 3,100

The grandfather clock appeared. The spinner spun…

And this time, Stan was luckier. It landed on the four!

"Now you can't attack for four of your turns!" exclaimed Stan.

"All right!" shouted Francesca.

"But what exactly does that Silent Magician do, anyway?" asked Andy.

"Make your move," said Stan with a smile.

Leopold grimaced and drew…

Light flowed into Silent Magician, and his Attack Score grew to 1,500.

"Huh?" said Leopold. "How did your Silent Magician get more Attack Points?"

"Every time you draw a card," explained Stan, "Silent Magician Lv 4 gains a spell counter, and with each one he gets, he gains 500 Attack Points!"

Leopold's eyes narrowed. He looked at his cards.

_So, that guy gets stronger with each card I draw?_ I thought. _I can live with that…_

_In fact, with the cards I have now, I already have a plan that carries about an 80 chance of success!_

_First, I'll summon this Monster to keep his Silent Magician from attacking…_

_Then I'll draw cards until it reaches an astronomical Attack Score…_

_Then I'll play this Block Attack card, and Equip it with this Nitro Unit! When I destroy it, Stan will lose a LOT of Life Points!_

He switched cards on his Disk.

"I sacrifice my Mammoth to summon The Sandman, in Defense Mode!" he exclaimed.

Big-Tusked Mammoth vanished, and a new creature appeared. The name "Sandman" seemed to describe it perfectly. It was a tall man, seemingly made out of sand. (0/3,000)

"Your move, Stan," chuckled Leopold. "Just try to get past him."

The clock ticked down to three.

Stan drew…

Sandman pointed at Silent Magician, and the young Spellcaster bowed his head…

"What?" exclaimed Stan. "He's asleep?"

"That's The Sandman's special effect," chuckled Leopold. "During your first Main Phase, I can choose one of your Monsters, and that Monster falls asleep, unable to attack for the remainder of the turn!"

"Lovely," said Stan, sarcastically.

He looked at his card, and smiled.

"I play… Sweat Treat!" he exclaimed.

_Ugh, another one?_ thought Leopold.

Stan played the card, and the cute gingerbread man popped out with its pink dice. He rolled it…

And it came up a four.

"All right!" shouted Andy. "Now Stan gains 4,000 Life Points!"

Stan's score shot up to 7,100.

"And with that, I end my turn," said Stan, "but I just made it much harder for you, Leo…"

"It's LEOPOLD!" shouted his opponent.

_And it doesn't matter,_ he thought, drawing.

He eyed another Magic Card in his hand.

_Once I destroy his Silent Magician and draw my ultimate weapon, he's finished…_

Silent Magician's Attack went up to 2,000 as Leopold eyed his card.

"I play Pot of Greed," he stated, plugging the card into a slot.

Stan gasped in surprise as the jar handed him two cards.

"Is this some sort of joke?" he asked, as Silent Magician absorbed more energy. "You do realize that by drawing two more cards, my Silent Magician gains 1,000 more Attack Points?"

Silent Magician went up to 3,000 Attack.

"Yikes!" gasped Andy. "That little tyke is just as strong as Kaiba's Blue-Eyes White Dragon now!"

"I'm quite aware of that," stated Leopold, "but my Sandman will just send him to La-La Land again on your next turn. To end, I'll place a Monster facedown in Defense."

He set a card, and a hidden Monster appeared.

The clock ticked down to two.

Stan drew, and Silent Magician fell asleep again.

_Nothing I can summon without a sacrifice,_ he thought.

"I'll pass this turn," he said.

Leopold drew. Silent Magician went up to 3,500 Attack.

Stan gave a slight smirk.

"First I'll set a second Monster facedown in Defense Mode," said Leopold, setting a card.

Another concealed Monster appeared.

"Now I'll play my Premature Burial card," he continued, "to bring my Dark Driceratops back from the grave!"

His Life Points fell to 5,750 as he played the card. The ground shook, and Dark Driceratops crawled out of the ground. (2,400/1,500)

"Make your move," he said with a grin.

"I will," said Stan, drawing. "Because now that Silent Magician Lv 4 has absorbed five spell counters, I can sacrifice him to summon Silent Magician Lv 8!"

A card flew out of his Disk, and Stan caught it. He switched cards.

Silent Magician Lv 4 glowed. He grew, and within seconds, he had basically transformed into an adult version of his former self.

But The Sandman pointed at him, and he fell asleep as well.

He looked at the card he had just drawn.

_I'll save this guy,_ he thought.

"That will be all for my turn," he said.

Leopold drew.

He noticed that this new Silent Magician did not increase in Attack Points.

He smiled a smile that Stan did not like.

"I'll pass this turn," he grinned.

The clock clicked to the top, and it vanished.

Stan drew.

He chuckled.

"I summon Blast Magician in Attack Mode!" he exclaimed.

He put the card down, and the fiery Spellcaster appeared in a burst of flame. (1,400/1,700)

"Now, I play… Graceful Charity!" he shouted.

The angel flew out of his deck and handed him three cards. He choose two, and gave them to her to discard.

Blast Magician absorbed the energy from the Magic Card.

"Huh?" asked Leopold.

"Now that my Blast Magician has absorbed the power of one Magic Card," smiled Stan, "he can now destroy a Monster with 700 Attack Points or less! And your Sandman has zero Attack Points!

"Blast Magician, blast his Sandman!"

Blast Magician shot forth a stream of fire, and The Sandman was blown into dust.

Silent Magician woke up in a start.

"Just as I'd hoped," chuckled Stan. "With it gone, so is the sleeping spell. So, Silent Magician, destroy his Dark Driceratops with solar blast!"

Silent Magician thrust forth his staff, and shot forth a stream of burning, bright light! Dark Driceratops roared, and was reduced to ashes!

Leopold's Life Points fell to 4,650.

"Blast Magician, attack… _that_ Monster!"

Blast Magician shot forth a fiery spell at a facedown card, and another Two-Headed King Rex appeared. It also roared and was reduced to ashes.

"Your move, Leopold," chuckled Stan. "And you have only one Monster left!"

"One will be more than enough!" laughed Leopold.

He drew.

_Ah, my trump card!_ he thought, laughing inside._ Think I'll save it until after I demolish his Silent Magician._

"I reveal my facedown Monster…" said Leopold with a grin.

The card spun around.

"Reveal… The Trojan Horse!"

A huge horse made of wood appeared in front of Leopold. (1,600/1,200)

"Be very careful, Stan!" shouted Andy.

"What?" asked Francesca.

"If Leopold sacrifices The Trojan Horse for a Monster of Earth, it counts as two sacrifices!" exclaimed Andy.

Francesca shuddered.

_Just like Unshaven Angler and Whirlwind Prodigy!_ she thought.

"Now it's time to show you the real King of the Jungle!" shouted Leopold. "I sacrifice The Trojan Horse, to summon Black Tyranno!"

The Trojan Horse shattered, and the biggest Dinosaur of all appeared. It was beyond belief. It was a savage Tyrannosaurus Rex with huge claws, giant teeth, and black scales. It roared in pure bloodlust. (2,600/1,800)

"That's mighty impressive, Leopold," said Stan, with a yawn, "but in case you didn't notice, my Magician is still stronger…"

"Maybe so," stated Leopold, "but I was forming a strategy the second I found out about your Silent Magician's ability, one that will make your chance of survival almost zero percent.

"See, unlike you, I don't act on instinct! I plan ahead! I think with the skills that only a genius can call upon, I…"

"You're going to fall flat on your face…" muttered Stan.

Leopold growled.

He took a card from his hand.

"Let me show you part one of my strategy!" he shouted. "I'm using this Magic Card on your Silent Magician… Block Attack!"

He threw it into a slot.

"Oh no!" cried Francesca.

Then Silent Magician lifted a finger to his lips, and made a motion, as if to say, "Shhh!"

And he remained in Attack Mode.

"Huh?" said Leopold, surprised. "Why didn't he shift into Defense Mode?"

"Because he has an effect completely different from his younger counterpart, Leo," said Stan with a grin. "The only Magic Cards that affect him… are mine!

"Remember when I just said you were going to fall flat on your face? I could see your strategy coming from a mile away – you were intending to defeat Silent Magician by using some combo with that monstrosity and a Magic Card. But you never considered the fact that Silent Magician even had an effect that could resist them.

"So what are you going to do now?"

Leopold ground his teeth.

_If that creature is immune to my Magic Cards, he's immune to Nitro Unit too,_ he thought. _Well then, there's no way to save Black Tyranno, so I'll just make the most of it…_

"I'm Equipping your Blast Magician with this," he said, putting a card into a slot. "Nitro Unit!"

Blast Magician gasped, as a strange, mechanical device with wires, batteries, and a tank that said "Nitro" on it was strapped to his back.

"Let me explain," said Leopold, with a sinister chuckle. "When my Black Tyranno destroys your Blast Magician, in addition to the normal amount of damage you'll receive, you'll take damage equal to Blast Magician's Attack Score!

"Black Tyranno, attack his Blast Magician with predator roar!"

Black Tyranno let out a huge bellow, and Blast Magician staggered…

The Nitro Unit beeped wildly, and Blast Magician exploded, throwing Stan backwards!

His Life Points plummeted to 4,500.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

In the tree where he was watching Crump was not having a very good time.

He was starting to get very bad pains in his stomach. And he was getting worried.

_Ooh,_ he thought_. If I throw up, not only will my cover be blown, but it will be…_

…_undignified._

_I've got to get out of here and get some Pepto-Bismol. But how?_

He sighed, and took the Duel Disk that was strapped to his back. He took out a card.

Dimensionhole.

_Grodus told me to use this only in an emergency…_ he thought. _Well this is an emergency if I ever saw one…_

He placed the card in a slot, and a portal opened up beside him. He leapt through, and it closed.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Stan got back up, and drew a card.

"Well, well," he said.

"Ready Leopold? Time to meet and old friend of my family!"

He put a card down.

"I summon Ms. Mowz the Tease Thief in Attack Mode!"

Andy and Francesca smiled as the new Monster appeared. She was a short, semi-humanoid mouse with white fur, red shoes, and a red bandit's mask. Her long tail was bent in the shape of a heart. (1,200/1,000)

"How adorable…" sneered Leopold, sarcastically.

"Silent Magician, wipe out his Black Tyranno!" shouted Stan.

Silent Magician shot forth his Solar Blast, and Black Tyranno was incinerated.

Leopold's Life Points fell to 3,750.

"Ms. Mowz, attack him directly with your love slap!" ordered Stan.

"Love slap?" said a shocked Leopold.

Ms. Mowz squealed in delight, and pounced! she slapped at Leopold's face, and he cursed…

His Life Points fell down to 2,550.

Then the unexpected happened. Ms. Mouse snatched a card out his hand with her mouth!

"HEY!" yelled Leopold. "That's mine!"

Ms. Mowz scurried back to Stan and handed him the card. Then she gave Stan a smooch on the cheek.

"Heh, thanks Ms. Mowz," he said, somewhat embarrassed. "Anyway, Leopold, it's mine now, thanks to Ms. Mowz's Kiss Thief ability. When she damages your Life Points, I get to take a card at random from your hand, and add it to my own!"

_Fine,_ thought Leopold. _So will you use that card Stan? I estimate that there's a 60 chance you'll do with it exactly what I planned to do with it!_

Stan looked at the card that Ms. Mowz had given him.

"A Soul Release card, eh Leopold?" he laughed, "well, I can put this to good use…"

He plugged it into the slot.

"I'll use it on your Graveyard, removing your Black Tyranno, Dark Driceratops, Megazowler, Sword Arm of Dragon, and one Two Headed King Rex! Whatever strategies you had in mind that involved using powerful Dinosaurs, I just crippled them!

"And I end my turn."

Leopold laughed. He laughed out loud.

"Uh, maniacal laughter is never a good sign…" muttered Francesca.

Leopold drew.

"Crippled them, Andy?" he laughed. "Hardly! You did with that card exactly what I intended to do with it! So thank you so much!"

"WHAT?" exclaimed Andy. "Why would you remove your own Monsters from play?"

"I needed to," chuckled Leopold. "To play the mightiest Monster in my deck!"

He threw a card down.

"I summon the almighty **TYRANNO INFINITY**!"

Thunder and lightning flashed in the sky, as a Monster even bigger than Black Tyranno arose. It was twice as big, twice as mean-looking, and rainbow-colored energy radiated from its scales!

"NOW do I scare you?" chuckled Leopold.

"Yes!" gulped Stan.

"Then allow me to explain how this earth-shattering Monster works," he explained. "Don't let the name fool you – any good mathematician will tell you that infinity is only a hypothetical number, and that _nothing_ can truly be infinite. But this creature is powerful. It's Attack Score is 1,000 for every Dinosaur Monster of mine that has been removed from play. And since you so kindly removed five of them for me…"

(5,000/0)

Andy and Francesca gasped.

"Face it, Stan," laughed Leopold, "I'm going to bury you here! Perhaps in a million years, some future paleontologists will come across your bones!"

He laughed out loud.

"Now then," he smiled, "which of your two Monsters should I destroy first? I could easily destroy your mouse…"

Ms. Mowz shivered in fright.

"…but that wouldn't win me the duel," sighed Leopold, "and I hate your Silent Magician even more!

"Tyranno Infinity, attack his Silent Magician with infinite primal rage attack!"

Tyranno Infinity blasted forth a beam of pure energy from his jaws, blasting Silent Magician away!

Stan's Life Points fell to 2,900, and that wasn't the only effect. He was knocked flat on his back, and had the wind knocked out of him.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Stan heard a squeaky voice above him.

"Stan?" it said. "Stan? Get up! Get up you big piece of Roquefort!"

He felt a warm touch, like the muzzle of a friendly dog touching him, and he got up.

Ms. Mowz was standing over him.

"Huh?" he said.

"I'm sorry, Stan," she lamented. "I stole the wrong card!"

"It wasn't your fault," sighed Stan. "But what are we going to do? This is like Drake all over again! He's too powerful!"

Ms. Mowz giggled.

"It's simple, you little piece of gorgonzola! If an enemy is stronger than you, you simply have to outsmart him! I know that well…"

"What do you mean?" asked Stan. "And do you _have_ to compare me to cheeses?"

Ms. Mowz chuckled.

"That got on your ancestor's nerves a lot too," she laughed. "See, I first met the Three Heroes in Hooktail Castle. I was doing what any good thief did – looking for valuable stuff. I was immediately impressed by their powers – but I didn't want to join them just yet.

"I snuck around, following them everywhere. I played a lot of tricks on them along the way, and eventually they got used to me…

"Eventually, I asked them to do me a favor that I told them was dangerous. It wasn't really. I just wanted to know if they'd do something that they _thought _was dangerous. If they did, I intended to join up with them.

"So they did, and I joined the Companions.

"See, I outsmarted the Three Heroes, and they weren't the only powerful beings I outsmarted. You have the skills and the cards to take down that so-called genius and his big bad dinosaur…

"Now go knock him dead, my little piece of provolone!"

She gave him a kiss on the cheek…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Stan got up, and slowly gathered his cards.

"Make your move," dared Leopold. "As if it will matter… By the way, your mouse is next…"

Stan looked at his cards.

Dark Magician of Chaos, Mind on Air, Monster Reborn, Pitch Black Power Stone, and…

Double Spell.

He thought for a minute.

A plan was forming. He could win this duel on this turn… _if_ the card he drew was a Magic Card!

He deftly drew…

He looked at the card.

Sibling Rivalry!

"Question, Leopold," he said with a grin. "Have you ever seen a mouse take down a dinosaur?"

Leopold laughed out loud.

"Stan, that is the biggest bluff I have ever heard!" he laughed.

Stan placed a card in a slot.

"I play Monster Reborn!" he shouted. "I'll bring back a Monster that you made me discard with your Morphing Jar…"

An imposing form appeared on the card…

It was Buster Blader.

(2,600/2,300)

"Heh, heh, a fat lot of good that will do you!" laughed Leopold. "My Dinosaurs aren't Dragons!"

Stan ignored him.

"And now I play… Double Spell!" shouted Stan.

He discarded Sibling Rivalry.

"Oh, I'm shaking!" said Leopold, sarcastically. "There's no Magic Card in my Graveyard that can help you!"

"I beg to differ!" laughed Stan. "I'm using this card to duplicate the effects of the card you tried to use on my Silent Magician!"

Leopold paused…

And then it sank in…

"AUUGH!" he shouted. "That was my Block Attack card!"

"Bingo!" laughed Stan.

Tyranno Infinity curled up into Defense Mode.

"Your Tyranno Infinity may have an overwhelming Attack Score," stated Stan, "but I noticed that its Defense Score is… zero.

"You know, some people say that Dinosaurs had very small brains. Apparently, this one had NO brain. It could only attack, and couldn't defend itself at all!"

"Ms. Mowz, attack Tyranno Infinity!"

Leopold screamed as Ms. Mowz darted forward and rammed herself into the gargantuan Dinosaur. It burst into colored shards!

"My best Monster…" sobbed Leopold. "Beaten by a… a… _mouse!_ What were the odds? _What were the odds?_ I'll never live this down!"

"Ahem…" said Stan, pointing at his Buster Blader.

"Oh, no…" groaned Leopold.

"Buster Blader, finish him off with blade buster attack!"

Buster Blader charged forward and struck Leopold with his mighty sword, knocking him down, and blasting away the rest of his Life Points.

Leopold got up and stared at Stan in hate.

"Curse you Stan!" he shouted. "How dare you humiliate me! I may have lost, but I'll get even! There's a 100 chance of that!"

And then he burst into an explosion of dust.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Stan, Andy, and Francesca ran back into town, and to their relief, they saw that the townsfolk had recovered.

Mostly.

All of them were sitting down, rubbing their joints.

They noticed Sean and Drake sitting on a bench.

"Are you guys okay?" asked Sean.

"We'll live," groaned Drake. "We're just a little… stiff."

Sean sighed. "You saved us…" he muttered. "You won the duel…"

"You knew?" asked Stan.

"We all could hear everything," answered Drake. "It was torture – not being able to move, and hearing that madman and his threats…"

A townsfolk came up to them.

"You saved the whole town…" he said. "How about I treat you all to a nice steak dinner at my restaurant?"

"Sure!" said Stan. "And how about some more of those famous peaches?"

"Uhm, I should warn you," said the man. "Don't eat too many of those. Twilight peaches are good, but if you eat to many at once, you could get real sick…"

"Really?" muttered Stan.

"Yeah," sighed the man. "More than five in one day, and you could get nausea, upset stomach, constipation, indigestion…"

"Well Sean," muttered Drake, "guess our duel will have to wait until we're a bit more limber…"

"I've got nowhere to go," shrugged Sean.

Francesca took her Stan aside.

"Stan, I don't want to worry you but…"

The bell from the Creepy Steeple tolled five.

"Darn that thing," she sighed. "Anyway, while you were dueling, there was a guy in the tree above us watching the whole thing."

"Yeah," said Andy. "I saw him too."

Stan frowned.

"So, the Shadow Queen has a toady spying on us," he sighed. "Just great."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Leopold was unceremoniously dumped in the center of a large cavern.

He looked around, and gasped as he saw Melissa, Kurtis, and Tyson held captive by magical devices.

"So, you blew it too, Mr. Smarty Pants," sighed Melissa. "What a surprise…"

"Leopold!" shouted a voice from the shadows.

Leopold started sweating as his mother floated into view.

"Leopold, I don't know what to say to you," she said. "I've seen better strategy from a dueling monkey!"

"But mom, I couldn't have known…" shuddered Leopold.

"Let me point some things out for you, Leopold," explained the Shadow Queen, as she flicked her Disk into position. "You _knew_ that your Tyranno Infinity's greatest weakness was its nonexistent Defense Score. You also _knew_ that Stan had a Double Spell card in his deck…

"And yet, you practically handed victory to him by playing Block Attack on a Monster that you knew _nothing_ about.

"Leopold, you claim to be twice as smart as your siblings. You're wrong…"

She took a card out of her dress.

"…you're twice as stupid!"

She threw the card into a slot.

"Nightmare Wheel!" she shouted.

Leopold screamed as chains grabbed his arms and legs and racked him to a hideous metal wheel.

As she turned to leave, she said, "Next time you weigh the percentages, weigh them better!"

**0**

**0**

**0**

**FEARFUL EARTHBOUND (Trap Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Trap  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description: **Image of a warrior surrounded by a set of fearsome jaws. So long as this Trap remains on the field, your opponent loses 500 Life Points each time he declares an attack.

_Note: "Fearful Earthbound" was used by Bakura in the anime episode "Showdown in the Shadows (Part One)". All creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0**

**0**

**0**

**SWORD ARM OF DRAGON (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Dinosaur  
**Attribute: **Earth  
**Level: **6  
**ATK: **1,750  
**DEF: **2,030

**Card Description: **A dinosaur that bristles with sword-like spikes all over. It attacks by recklessly ramming foes.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**MEGAZOWLER (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Dinosaur  
**Attribute: **Earth  
**Level: **6  
**ATK: **1800  
**DEF: **2,000

**Card Description: **A dinosaur with horns protruding from all over its body. As expected, its ramming attacks are very powerful.

_Note: "Sword Arm of Dragon" and "Megazowler" were first used by Rex Raptor in "The Dueling Monkey" All creative credit goes to the writers of that episode. (Contrary to rumors, these cards do not even exist in Japan, although they have appeared in video games.)_

**0**

**0**

**0**

**TERROR FROM THE EXTINCT (Magic Card)  
**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Magic/Quickplay  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description: **Image of a scattered pile of bones, over which a group of dinosaur spirits are roaring. Until the end of the current turn, all face up Monsters on your opponent's field, regardless of position, lose 100 ATK and DEF points for each DINOSAUR-type monster in your Graveyard.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**THE SANDMAN (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Fiend/Effect  
**Attribute: **Earth  
**Level: **6  
**ATK: **0  
**DEF: **3,000

**Card Description:** This vile creature lures victims into an eternal slumber from which they can never awake. When this Monster is face-up on your side of the field, you can choose one Monster on your opponent's side of the field during each of your opponent's first Main Phases. So long as this Monster remains on the field, the chosen Monster cannot attack for the remainder of the turn.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**MS. MOWZ THE TEASE THIEF (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Beast-Warrior  
**Attribute: **Earth  
**Level: **4  
**ATK: **1,200  
**DEF: **1,000

**Card Description: **This wily bandit stalked and teased the Three Heroes for some time before finally joining them. When this Monster damages your opponent's Life Points, you can take one card at random from their hand and add it to yours and use it during the duel. (If cards taken in this manner are sent to the Graveyard, they go to the original owner's Graveyard.)

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**Coming up next:**_

_**Andy is lured to the spooky Creepy Steeple, where a dark assassin waits for him! (And fans of "Paper Mario", no, it isn't Doopliss!) Andy will have to face his fears, a deck designed to counter his, and the maddening tolling of the Steeple's bells… But fortunately, the next Companion will be aiding him!**_

_**Don't miss "For Whom The Bell Tolls", coming soon.**_


	19. For Whom The Bell Tolls

_I have a small apology to make. _

_Someone pointed out that the two Silent Magicians are female Monsters, and I referred to them as male. I apologize. See, I don't own the cards, and I only had descriptions to work with._

_My apologies to any Duel Monsters feminists. But you must admit, both of them are powerful Spellcasters, male or female._

_Anyway, onto the next chapter._

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**Everyone has something that they're afraid of… I'm no exception.**_

_**You heard that I'm afraid of clowns… You know, that's sort of a common fear. Clowns can be creepy sometimes. The way they act, the way they talk. If nothing else, they're just downright annoying…**_

_**There are tons of reasons to support a fear of clowns. Did you know that the infamous child-killer John Wayne Gacy once worked as a clown?**_

_**The media helps the image. Batman's deadliest enemy – one of the most infamous enemies in comic book history – is a clown, and he's not the only clown in comics who's a villain. And strangely, clowns in comics who are heroes are very rare. **_

_**And now I'm facing my worst nightmare…**_

_**An opponent who's not only a clown…**_

_**But one who has a clever deck that he's prepared just for me…**_

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER EIGHTEEN**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**For Whom The Bell Tolls**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

"_Buster Blader, finish him off with blade buster attack!"_

As Andy sat outside the Twilight Inn with Francesca at his side, he replayed the last moments of Stan's duel with Leopold in his head.

He sighed.

"Francesca," he asked. "Do you remember your first real tournament? I mean, after you first got your Disk?"

"Yeah," sighed Francesca. "I didn't do to well… I only got to the second round…"

Andy chuckled.

"I can one-up you on that," he answered. "I got to the third round in mine…

"But the opponent I faced at that point was pretty good. His deck was nothing special – basic beatdown strategy…

"But boy, did he know how to build a side deck!

"You know how side decks are. If you have one, only fifteen cards are allowed, no more, no less. But his was perfect. He seemed to have stuff in it for every occasion.

"And since he had seen me duel, he rearranged his deck with cards to defeat my strategy. I didn't stand a chance…"

The bell from the Creepy Steeple tolled seven.

"Blast that thing!" he cursed. "It's going to be hard to sleep tonight…"

They sighed, and walked into the inn.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

In the Palace of Shadow, its mistress rubbed her chin as she looked over a special deck.

_Hmm,_ she thought. _Not you… not you…_

She came to a card.

"Yes…" she hissed. "Perfect…"

She tossed the card into the fireplace, and the violet flames blazed green.

"Arise!" she chanted.

A dark form leapt out of the fireplace, and cackled with laughter.

He took a hat off of his head, and made a polite bow.

"I am your humble servant, my Queen," he said. "I am ready to do your every bidding…"

"Splendid," said the Queen with a smile. "I need for you to duel for me…"

"I can duel with the best of them," grinned the creature. "Just tell me who the victim is…"

The Queen motioned to her viewing globe, and a picture of Andy appeared.

"There," she said. "I want you to lure him to the Creepy Steeple, and defeat him."

"It is as good as done, my Queen," said the creature.

"Not quite," said the Queen, taking a few cards out of her dress.

"Andy's deck is difficult to beat, but if you add these cards to your deck, you'll have an advantage."

She handed them you him, and he looked at them.

"Dragons, I assume?" he asked.

"Exactly, now get moving."

"Don't worry," he said. "I know the Creepy Steeple well. I can even shake him up a bit before he reaches me!"

He vanished into a dark mist…

Out of the darkness, Sir Grodus appeared.

"Are you sure that nutjob can be trusted?" he asked.

"Not sure," replied the Queen, sitting down. "I often use my living Duel Monsters as duelist assassins, but this one is a bit more… _unstable_ than the rest…

"Still, given what we know of Andy, he should have a hard time with this guy, especially after the help I just gave him…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

A few hours later, Andy was asleep in his bed at the Twilight Inn.

Outside, the Creepy Steeple chimed eleven…

Dreaming, Andy saw it clearly…

The Creepy Steeple. A twisted bell tower dominated in the front by a spooky stained glass window.

"Andy…" said a voice. "Andy… Come here Andy…

"Or are you too scared?"

"Shut up…" mumbled Andy.

"I dare ya…" laughed the voice. "I double dare ya!"

Andy grimaced.

"Chicken…" mocked the voice. "Cluck, cluck, cluck, cluck, cluck…"

Andy woke with a start.

He angrily looked out the window.

The change came over him. The Creepy Steeple had just challenged him…

And he wasn't going to let it go.

He got up and pulled his clothes on.

"You don't scare me you blasted bell tower," he cursed. "Maybe this whole town is too frightened to go near you, but I'm going to find whatever you're hiding and root you out!"

He picked up his Duel Disk and strapped it onto his arm.

He went down to the common room of the inn, where the innkeeper was snoozing by the desk.

Andy gently shook him awake.

"Huh? Wha?" he sputtered, waking up.

"Which way is it to the Creepy Steeple?" demanded Andy.

"Take the pathway south out of town," mumbled the man, still half asleep.

And then he woke up with a start.

"WAIT!" he cried. "You aren't actually going there, are you?"

"In a word, yes," growled Andy. "The chiming is one thing, but that stupid bell tower just made it personal…"

"But sir, you'll…"

He couldn't stop him. Andy was already out the door.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The woods south of Twilight Town were little different than the woods approaching Twilight Town. Andy stood ready to draw a card from his Disk should any nightmares pop up and threaten him.

None did, but it was a long walk. Eventually, the ground grew thick and foggy. The trees cast ominous shadows over him.

Eventually, the shadows parted, and he saw his goal…

The Creepy Steeple.

It was a tall, rickety-looking building, surrounded by a rusty gate. The bell tower jutted up over the main building, and a large, round, stained glass window was above the entrance. It resembled some church that had been turned evil by a wicked taint.

Andy went up to the gate and opened it. He boldly went up to the front doors…

And they swung open to greet him.

"Awfully nice of you…" he grumbled.

He walked into a spooky, dark, hallway. Dim light shone from the stained glass window, and pillars supported the ceilings. To each side was another, more colorful stained glass window, depicting a ghostly form…

Andy heard a fluttering above his head…

He looked up, and saw a group of spooky creatures with leather wings about to swoop down on him! Dark Bats! (1,000/1,000)

"Well," snarled Andy, drawing a card, "it seems we have a few bats in this belfry!"

He placed a card down on his Disk.

"Go, Luster Dragon!" he shouted.

The large Dragon made of sapphire appeared in a flash! (1,900/1,600)

Luster Dragon roared, and blasted forth his beam of energy, blasting away at the Dark Bats! One by one, they were vaporized.

Eventually, all of the creatures were gone.

Andy removed the card, and placed it back on his deck.

"Is that the best you can do, Shadow Queen?" he said.

He saw a stairway, and started to climb it.

At the top was a large dusty room. A bed was in one corner, a painting was on the wall, and a sword and a shield were in another corner.

A moaning pervaded the room… Three ghostly wisps started floating around Andy, and then floated into the painting, bed, and armaments…

And then they changed, turning into three ghostly shapes!

"Give me a break," sneered Andy. "It's going to take more than a bunch of weak ghosts to make me scared!"

He drew the card and summoned Luster Dragon again.

"Take care of those nightmares, Luster Dragon!" he shouted.

Luster Dragon shot forth its breath weapon, blasting away The Portrait's Secret, The Gross Ghost of Fled Dreams, and Headless Knight.

A door appeared on the wall.

Luster Dragon vanished, and Andy opened it.

A long, spiral stairway led up. Andy started to climb the stairs.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

After a long ascent, he opened a trap door, and entered the belfry itself. A huge bell was hanging overhead, and weird mirrors were all over the place, as were colored curtains. A strange orange door with a purple question mark was on the far end of the room, and an orange cube the size of a table that was covered with question marks was right under the bell.

"Whoever built this place had to have been crazy…" muttered Andy.

"That reminds me of a funny one…" said a goofy voice.

Andy looked around, but he saw no one.

"There are these two inmates in an insane asylum, see," continued the voice, "and one day they decide they don't like being in an asylum. So they decide that they're going to escape!"

"Where are you?" shouted Andy.

The voice ignored him, and continued the joke.

"Anyway, they make it to the roof of the asylum, and they have to jump ten feet to the next building to complete their escape. The first guy – ah let's call him Fred – makes the jump easily. But the second guy – let's call _him_ Sam – won't jump. See, he's afraid of falling.

"Then Fred says, 'Say, I've got an idea! I have my flashlight with me! I'll just shine the light between the building, and you can walk over it and join me!'

"But then Sam says, 'What do you think I am, crazy?'"

The voice paused to chuckle.

"'You'd turn it off when I was halfway across!'"

"All right," ordered Stan. "Enough with the bad jokes. Show yourself!"

"Very well…" said the voice.

A figure dropped down from the ceiling. It was a harlequin dressed in a colorful suit, blue, yellow, and green. He had a red cavalier hat with a large violet plume. His face was covered with makeup – white down the middle, and black on either side.

Andy was shocked for a minute, but he regained his composure.

"Peten the Dark Clown?" he exclaimed.

"In the flesh," said Peten, with a grin.

He removed his hat and bowed.

"YOU'RE the big scary monster that's been tormenting Twilight Town with the Creepy Steeple's bells?" asked Andy, now annoyed.

"Uh, no," said Peten. "I'm house-sitting for him while he takes a break. But it is rather nice here."

"Listen clown, I want some answers!" demanded Andy. "And unless you want me to blow you away like I did those ghosts…"

"That won't work, Andy!" scolded Peten. "Remember The Unfriendly Amazon? I'm just like her. You can't destroy me with your Monsters…"

Andy paused for a minute to take this in…

"So then you called me up here to duel me?" he asked.

"You read my mind," chuckled Peten.

He gestured, and a Duel Disk appeared on his arm.

"How'd you do that?" asked Andy.

"DUH!" mocked Peten. "I'm a Spellcaster, in case you didn't know! Now, let's shuffle our decks and get this started."

Peten produced a deck, and placed it on the orange cube. He started to shuffle just like Marv had before his duel with Francesca.

"I'm watching you, Peten!" warned Andy.

"Please," protested Peten. "Card tricks are strictly for amateurs!"

"Yeah," said Andy, suspiciously. "Just to make sure, I'll cut your deck…"

"Go right ahead…" said Peten, taking his hands off of it. "A great duelist once said after all, 'Always trust your opponent, but only after YOU cut their deck'!"

Andy cut the deck into thirds, and then stacked them together.

"He must have been clever," he sneered.

They loaded their decks, and the cube sank into the floor.

"Now let's…" started Peten.

And then, the great bell tolled again! Andy covered his ears as it rang out twelve chimes!

"As I was saying," continued Peten, "let's duel!"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Twenty minutes earlier…

Francesca rushed into Stan's room.

"Stan, wake up!" she shouted.

"Ergh, Fran…" he groaned. "You know, I once punched my mother for waking me up in the middle of the night…"

"Oh, I'm sorry!" gasped Fran. "Don't…"

"I was kidding," groaned Stan. "What is it?"

"Get out of bed, we have to…"

"I don't have any pants on!" growled Stan.

"Stay in bed!" shouted Francesca.

Stan sighed.

"Anyway," continued Fran, "about ten minutes ago I went into Andy's room…"

"Whatever for?" mumbled Stan.

"Uhm…" muttered Francesca. "No reason…"

"Uh huh," said Stan with a smile. "Go on…"

"And he was gone!" she exclaimed.

"Gone?" said Stan, getting up.

He hopped out of bed. Francesca covered her eyes, but he was wearing jeans.

"I was kidding about the pants, too," he chuckled. "Where is he?"

"I asked the innkeeper, and he was scared to death!" stammered Francesca. "He said Andy had gone to the Creepy Steeple – saying that the place had made it… personal."

"Personal?" asked Stan. "How could a building way out in the woods have insulted him?"

Francesca shook her head.

"We have to find him," said Stan, pulling his jacket on. "Ten to one says he's heading into another one of the Queen's traps…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Peten grinned as he looked at his first hand.

_There he is, just as I expected,_ he thought, as he saw one of the cards the Queen gave him.

_Buster Blader!_

_That fool that Yugi Mouto dueled in Battle City who I quoted – what was his name? Arkana? – he may not have been able to duel very well and didn't have much respect for Duel Monsters…_

_The bastard…_

…_but he did know a good way to rig a deck! Namely, trim the edges of one key card so it's slightly smaller than all the others. And since I did that with this card, it fell right on top when he cut my deck!_

_So then, I'll just wait until he's used a lot of his Dragons, and when he's least expecting it… BAM! My secret weapon will be released!_

Andy looked at his own hand.

"You make the first move, Peten," he sneered.

"Gladly Andy," said Peten with a grin.

He made his first draw.

"I'll summon Dream Clown in Attack Mode!" he exclaimed.

A tall figure appeared. It was a clown dressed in a yellow tunic, with sleeves colored red and covered with stars. He also wore a foolscap with the same red-with-stars pattern, and a blue cape. He had a big, green nose, and purple hair covering his eyes. (1,200/900)

"Ugh," moaned Andy, sweating, "another clown…"

"And to keep him safe, I'll Equip him with this," said Peten, placing a card into a slot. "Heart of Clear Water!"

A pendant shaped like a crystal in the shape of a skull appeared around Dream Clown's neck.

"Now it's your move," chuckled Peten.

_Clever,_ thought Andy. _That Clown can destroy one of my Monsters every time he shifts into Defense Mode… And Heart of Clear Water makes him harder to get rid of…_

He drew.

He looked at the card he had just drew, and the Monster in his hand.

_Heh, heh,_ he thought. _I knew I wouldn't regret adding this guy to my deck after I won that card from Jolene!_

Andy put a card down.

"I summon Horde Wyrm in Attack Mode!" he exclaimed.

A small dragon, only slightly larger than Baby Dragon, with large wings and scaly green skin appeared in front of him. (800/1,200)

"Huh?" said Peten in surprise.

"Let me explain how this little guy works," said Andy with a grin. "He can't attack directly, but when he does manage to damage your Life Points, I get to see your hand, and force you to discard two cards of my choice!"

"HA, HA, HA, HA, HA!" laughed Peten. "That little runt can't harm me! It's far weaker than Dream Clown!"

"Not for long!" exclaimed Andy. "I play this Magic Card… Power Lift!"

He placed a card into a slot, and the card appeared. It had the image of Gearfried the Swordmaster surrounded by intense light.

"With this card, I can add any Monster's Defense Score to its Attack Score, bringing Horde Wyrm's Attack to 2,000!"

"HUH?" shouted Peten. "Where did you get a card that powerful?"

Andy didn't answer.

"Horde Wrym, attack his Dream Clown with golden glow blast!"

Horde Wrym breathed out a blast of golden light! Dream Clown screamed as it hit him, and Peten's Life Points fell to 7,200.

"Now show me your hand," ordered Peter.

Peten hesitated.

"Show it to me, or you forfeit!" shouted Andy. "Do you want me to show you Horde Wyrm's card so I can prove those are the rules?"

Peten cringed and turned his hand towards Andy.

"I knew it…" accused Andy. "You had a Buster Blader in your deck, and you rigged your deck so it would be in your first hand!"

"That's a lie!" shouted Peten. "It was just a lucky draw, that's all…"

"Well now I'm telling you to discard it_and_ your Monster Reborn!" ordered Andy.

"Ooh," cursed Peten, discarding them, "I'll get you yet, Andy!"

"Perhaps," said Andy. "Because there is a drawback to Power Lift. The Monster I use it on is destroyed at the end of the turn in which I use it. So I'm ending my turn now…"

Horde Wrym shattered into pixels.

"Then it's my turn," cursed Peten, drawing.

He looked at the card.

"I'll place a card facedown," he said, fitting it into a slot.

The facedown card appeared.

"And since you have nothing to defend yourself with, Dream Clown, attack directly with drunk punch!"

Dream Clown winded up his fist and charged, hitting Andy with an uppercut! He fell over, and his Life Points fell to 6,800.

_Ergh,_ thought Andy. _Okay, maybe that wasn't the best of ideas…_

"Make your move," demanded Peten, angrily.

"Gee," said Andy, sarcastically, "I thought Clowns were supposed to be jolly!"

He drew.

"Time to say goodbye to your Dream Clown!" he said with a grin. "I summon Koumori Dragon!"

He placed the card down, and the fierce little Dragon with bat-like wings and purple scales appeared. (1,500/1,200)

"And now I play, Stamping Destruction!"

He played the Magic Card, and Koumori Dragon stamped its foot. Peten was thrown backwards, and the Heart of Clear Water shattered.

Peten's Life Points fell to 6,700.

"Koumori Dragon, cream that clown!" he shouted.

The Dragon shot forth a wave of fire…

But it was halted by a vortex…

Andy looked, and saw that Peten had activated a Negate Attack Trap.

"Close, but no banana, Andy!" laughed Peten.

"Fine, it's your move," growled Andy.

Peten drew.

"Well, well, Pot of Greed," he said, "this should help…"

He played the card, and the Pot handed him two more cards.

He chuckled manically.

"First I'll shift Dream Clown into Defense Mode…" he said.

He turned his card. Dream Clown knelt.

"…which destroys your Dragon!"

Koumori Dragon burst into shards!

"Now I'll summon… Crass Clown, in Attack Mode!"

He placed the card down, and a hideous laugh echoed through the belfry. A large ball covered with stars appeared, and a fat creature appeared balancing on it. It was the ugliest clown Andy had ever seen, wearing a green outfit with yellow polka dots, a large pink ruff, and a blue cap. He carried a long staff. (1,350/1,400)

"Crass Clown, attack directly with acrobatic daggers attack!" shouted Peten.

The Clown gave a cackling laugh… Three glowing daggers appeared in his right hand, and he did a handstand with his left hand! He hurled the daggers, striking Andy in the chest!

Andy sweated as his Life Points fell to 5,450.

"One of the many reasons I hate clowns…" he groaned.

"And I'm not done!" laughed Peten. "I'm fusing my two clowns together with Polymerization!"

He played the Magic Card, and the two clowns blurred into colored lights…

The colors formed into a large box with stars on it, and a crank on the side. The crank turned, and loony music started to play.

"Presenting," laughed Peten, "the fabulous Fiend with the funny name… Bickuribox!"

The box popped open, and an evil looking jack-in-the-box popped out, with a beak, a long red cape, and a blue foolscap. (2,300/2,000)

"And I think I'll end my turn there," chuckled Peten.

_Ho boy,_ thought Andy, shivering. _Coming here was a mistake…_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Meanwhile, Stan and Francesca had reached the Creepy Steeple.

A voice howled in their heads…

"_Turn back…"_ it moaned. _"Turn back…"_

"Yeah, fat chance, whoever you are!" snapped Francesca.

They walked up to the front doors…

…only to find them locked.

"We'll never force those doors down…" muttered Stan.

"We can't…" said Francesca.

She took some cards out of her deck.

"But if our Monsters are good are blowing away the Queen's minions, maybe they can also help us storm the Queen's strongholds. And my Amazons are pretty racked…

"It's worth a shot…"

She put five cards down on her Disk…

Amazon Archer, Amazoness Fighter, Amazoness Chain Master, Amazoness Swords Woman, and Amazoness Paladin appeared.

"All right troops!" she yelled. "Break that door down!"

The five Amazons sheathed their weapons (except the Fighter, who didn't carry one), and rammed into the door with their shoulders.

As Francesca as hoped, it started to splinter.

"Keep it up girls!" she urged. "Show that door who's boss!"

The Warriors rammed into the door again, and it started to give…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Andy drew and looked at his cards.

_No way I can beat that Fiend-in-a-box,_ he thought. _The only thing I can do is defend…_

He put a card down.

"I summon The Dragon Dwelling in the Cave in Defense Mode!" he announced.

He put his card down, and the sleepy, rocky Dragon appeared. (1,300/2,000)

"Make your move," he sneered.

"Your wish is my command…" chuckled Peten, drawing.

He looked at the Magic Card he had just drawn.

"And you're gonna get a kick out of this! Bickuribox, attack that Dragon with slash-in-the-box attack!"

Bickuribox cackled! It pulled a large scythe out of its mouth, and stretched forward, slashing the Dragon in half. The two halves shattered!

"And now," cackled Peten, "I'll use my Quickplay Magic Card… the powerful De-Fusion!"

He threw the card he had just drawn into a slot, and Bickuribox split into two globs of light.

"This card divides my Fusion Monster into its two component Monsters!" laughed Peten, as Dream Clown and Crass Clown returned. (1,200/900), (1,350/1,400)

"Now my two clowns… get 'im!"

Andy screamed as Dream Clown slugged him and Crass Clown impaled him with his daggers.

His Life Points fell to 2,900.

"Nyah, nyah!" laughed Peten. "I'm way ahead of you!"

"Not for long," snarled Andy.

He drew.

"All right Peten," he said with a smirk. "Time to turn this duel around. I play Monster Reborn, to bring back my Koumori Dragon!"

He fit the card into a slot, and Koumori Dragon reappeared. (1,500/1,200)

"I see," muttered Peten. "Well, I'm sorry Dream Clown, but I guess this is goodbye…"

"More than you know," said Andy, with a smirk. "It's time you met an old family friend…"

He switched cards on his Disk.

"I sacrifice Koumori Dragon to summon Admiral Bobbery the Bomber!"

Koumori Dragon shattered, and a strange creature hopped into view. He was spherical and black with a fuse on top, resembling a cartoon bomb. He wore a sea captain's hat that was patched on the side, and had a large, white moustache. On his back was a large steering wheel of the type used in old fashioned sailing ships. He had blue shoes. (2,200/1,000)

Like he always felt when he or his friends summoned the Companions from their cards, a great sense of love and friendship seemed to radiate from this Monster. Once again, Andy was greeting an old friend for the first time. He wished Stan and Francesca were her to see him…

But there was a duel to win.

"This little guy is a real _blast_ if you know what I mean!" exclaimed Andy. Bobbery, attack his Dream Clown with Bomb-omb blast!"

The fuse on Bobbery's head sparked, and the wheel on his back spun! He trotted up to Dream Clown…

And a huge explosion blew Dream Clown to bits!

Bobbery landed back on Andy's side.

"Your Clown got blowed up!" gloated Andy.

Peten's Life Points plummeted to 4,700.

"Wha?" gasped Peten. "I lost 2,000 Life Points? I should have only lost 1,000!"

"Thanks to Bobbery's effect," explained Andy, "when he damages your Life Points, he does _twice_ the expected damage!

"So what are you going to do now?"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Almost there…" urged Stan.

The Amazons gave one more shove, and the door caved in!

The Amazons stopped and caught their breath, exhausted. Francesca removed the cards, and they vanished.

"They can rest in my deck for now," she said. "Now let's find Andy."

"If he got into a duel," proposed Stan, "I'd wager that someone lured him to the top of this steeple…"

"Then let's find some stairs," said Francesca, determined.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Your Crass Clown is next!" shouted Andy.

"We'll see about that," cursed Peten.

He drew.

"Ah heh, heh," he chuckled. "Heh, heh. HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA!"

"What?" asked Andy.

Peten put a card down.

"I summon Dark Rabbit in Attack Mode!" he cackled.

A goofy, cartoonish rabbit with black fur in a black outfit appeared. It looked like some evil caricature of Bugs Bunny. (1,100/1,500)

"Okay," sighed Andy. "That is just not right…"

"And now I play… Negative Energy!" laughed Peten.

He threw a card into a slot.

"Negative Energy?" gulped Andy. "What the heck is that?"

"It doubles the Attack Score of all Dark Monsters on the field!" laughed Peten. "Too bad you didn't keep your Koumori Dragon out!"

Andy gazed in horror as Crass Clown grew to an attack of 2,700, while Dark Rabbit grew to 2,200!

"Crass Clown, attack his…" started Peten. "Oh, I forget what he called it, just attack his Monster!"

Crass Clown threw his daggers at Bobbery, and the Bomb-omb exploded.

"Bobbery! NOOO!" shouted Andy.

He was about ready to cry. His Life Points fell to 2,400.

"Ahem…" said Peten.

Andy looked up just in time to see Dark Rabbit sock him in the face!

He fell flat on his back, and his Life Points plummeted to a mere 200.

Peten cackled.

"Don't you get it, Andy?" laughed Peten. "You're done! Through! Finished! Adios amigo."

Andy got up and drew a card.

"You haven't won yet, you, you…"

He threw a card into a slot.

"…you clown! I play Snatch Steal!"

The sinister robber appeared, and he leapt into Crass Clown! The Fiend floated over to Andy's side.

"Crass Clown," ordered Andy, "attack that demented Rabbit!"

Crass Clown cackled, and threw his daggers at Dark Rabbit. The deranged bunny gasped and burst.

Peten's Life Points fell to 3,700.

"And now I'll sacrifice your Crass Clown to summon Luster Dragon #2!" shouted Andy.

He placed a card down, and Crass Clown shattered. The huge Dragon made of emerald arose. (2,400/1,400)

"And with that, I end my turn," said Andy. "Like I said, you haven't won yet!"

Peten bowed his head, and drew.

"I place one card facedown," he said, placing the card he had just drawn into a slot.

The facedown card appeared.

"And now I'll summon Toon Alligator in Defense Mode," he continued.

He put the card down, and a grinning, comical alligator carrying a stone axe appeared. (800/1,600)

"Humph," said Andy, "_that's_ a pathetic Monster if I ever saw one!"

"I end my turn," growled Peten.

"Fine," said Andy, drawing.

He looked at the card and smiled.

"I summon Luster Dragon #1, in Attack Mode!" he announced.

He put the card down, and the smaller Luster Dragon appeared alongside the larger one.

"Now…" said Andy.

"I activate my Trap!" shouted Peten.

The Trap lifted.

"A Dragon Capture Jar?" exclaimed Andy.

The sinister jar appeared, and both of Andy's Dragons shifted into Defense Mode.

"You really didn't think that Buster Blader was the _only_ anti-Dragon card I put in my deck, didja?" gloated Peten.

"Not really," sighed Andy.

_Actually, the truth is, I did,_ he thought, _but this guy is apparently full of tricks…_

"Well, make your move, I can't do anything else."

Peten drew.

I play Card of Sanctity!" he shouted placing a card into a slot.

A blue flash lit up the interior of the bell.

"Pretty, isn't it?" asked Peten.

"Why thanks," said Andy, "I could use some more cards…"

They each drew until they had six cards.

_Perfect,_ thought Peten, _this fool's days are numbered…_

He took a card and placed it on his Disk.

"First, I'll summon Saggi the Dark Clown in Defense Mode," he said.

A goofy jester in a dark outfit, colorful makeup, and a wide-brimmed hat appeared. He cackled. (600/1,500)

"And now I play this Magic Card…" he stated.

He plugged a card into the slot.

"…Different Dimension Capsule!"

An eerie sarcophagus appeared behind him, floating in midair…

"What does… that do?" asked Andy.

"This Magic Card allows me to take any card from my deck, and seal it within the capsule!" exclaimed Peten.

A card floated out of his deck, and the sarcophagus opened. The card flew inside, and it snapped shut.

"And after just two short turns, I'll be able to retrieve it, and add it to my hand!"

"What did you put in there?" asked Andy, nervously.

"A Magic Card that will seal your doom!" laughed Peten with an evil cackle.

At that point, Stan and Francesca came bounding up the stairs.

"Andy?" yelled Francesca. "ANDY!"

"You're dueling…" gasped Stan. "Peten the Dark Clown? How?"

"I don't know," sighed Andy. "It just seemed to happen."

"How the heck did you brats get in here?" demanded Peten.

"It takes more than a locked door to keep us from helping our friend!" shouted Stan.

"Uh…" stuttered Peten. "Did you pick the lock or break it down?"

"We didn't break it down, my Amazons did," answered Francesca. "And they'd like a word with you later, by the way…"

Peten held his forehead.

_Doopliss is going to kill me when he finds his front door smashed in,_ he thought. _And he's probably going to expect me to pay for it! Well, maybe I can convince the Queen to fix it with a spell or something once I take care of Andy…_

"Let's get on with this duel," he cursed. "I believe it's Andy's turn."

"Stan, this is bad!" whispered Francesca. "Andy's only got 200 Life Points left, and that clown has his Monsters pinned with a Dragon Capture Jar!"

"He still has a chance," whispered Stan. "One good Trap removal card will take care of that thing. I just wish we knew what was in that Capsule…"

Andy drew.

_The Dragon's Bead…_ he thought. _This can't destroy that Jar, but I might as well put it down…_

"I'll place a card facedown, and that will end my turn," he said.

The card appeared behind his Monsters.

Peten drew.

"I'll pass for this turn," he said with a grin. "Go ahead…"

Andy drew and looked at the new card.

_Hmmm…_ he thought.

"I'll place another card facedown," he said.

He placed a card in a slot, and it appeared next to his other one.

"All right, that's my turn," he sneered. "So retrieve your big, bad Magic Card and play it already!"

"Oh, I will!" said Peten with a smile.

He drew.

The Different Dimension Capsule opened, and then vanished, leaving only the card. It floated down, and Peten snatched it.

"You may have made me discard my Buster Blader," he laughed, "but I can easily get him back!"

"What do you mean?" snapped Andy. "I also made you discard Monster Reborn!"

"This isn't Monster Reborn, but it's almost as good," laughed Peten. "Behold… Emblem of Dragon Destroyer!"

He fit the card into a slot.

"EMBLEM OF DRAGON DESTROYER?" said Stan and Francesca both at once.

"What's that?" asked Stan.

But Andy knew what the card was only too well…

"This handy Magic Card lets me add one Buster Blader to my hand from my deck or Graveyard," laughed Peten.

An orb flew out of his discard pile, and it turned into a card.

"So guess who's back?" he laughed, showing it to him.

He chuckled as he placed it on his Disk.

"So now, I sacrifice my Toon Alligator and Saggi the Dark Clown…"

The two comical Monsters vanished…

"And… Buster Blader, come forth!"

The intimidating form of Buster Blader arose, holding aloft his mighty sword! (2,600/2,300)

"As you likely know, Andy," chuckled Peten, "this Warrior gains 500 Attack Points for every Dragon that _you_ have on the field and in your Graveyard! And I've been keeping track… you have five!"

(5,100/2,300)

"And now," he started.

"I activate Threatening Roar!" shouted Andy.

His Trap card lifted, and the great beast roared, sending Buster Blader skidding back!

"Heh, heh," chuckled Peten. "You're only delaying the inevitable…"

Andy felt dizzy. He clutched his head…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Andy was sitting on a deserted beach. An abandoned ship had been left to rot some yards away from him.

He shivered in fright. Tears fell down his face…

"Andy!" snapped a voice that was sharp, raspy, and bossy. "Get on your feet, you young whippersnapper!"

Andy spun around, and saw Admiral Bobbery staring him in the face. He looked somewhat angry.

"How the mighty have fallen," scolded Bobbery. "The descendent of the man I used to admire more than anyone has been turned into a quivering wreck by a…. a clown!"

"What do you expect me to do?" asked Andy. "This is just like my first tournament… Peten built his deck with the express purpose to defeat mine, just like that first guy did. And now it's going to happen all over again…"

"Poppycock!" exclaimed Bobbery. "Are you saying you're going to let something that happened in the past influence your whole future? You're making the same mistake I made!"

"A mistake? You?" asked Andy. "But you were one of the Companions! You were a great warrior… a…"

"I almost wasn't," said Bobbery. "I let a misconception turn my life to misery before your ancestor saved me!"

He paused.

"Let me tell you the whole tale, Andy. You see, in my youth, I was a sailor… I loved the sea. I went on voyages to faraway lands, seeking adventure, riches, and glory… I could never get enough of the sea spray in my face, or the crashing of waves against the hull of the ship…

"But there was one thing I loved _more_ than the sea… and that was my darling wife Scarlette…"

A tear fell down Bobbery's metal cheek.

"She was a lovely maiden, with hair of gold, and a voice that would make the angels envious… The songbirds would get up early in the morning to hear her greet the sunrise! And no matter how many times I went out to sea on a new adventure, she'd wait faithfully for me to return…

"But one time, when I was out on a particularly _long_ voyage, poor Scarlette took ill. I had no idea what was happening to her. When I got back, I was told of horrible news – she had perished from her illness."

Andy started to say something, but Bobbery went on.

"I blamed myself, Andy. From the moment I heard, I blamed myself. I thought that if only I hadn't been away, I could have done something. I swore I would never set foot on a ship again, because now the sea… it sickened me.

"For years, I lived as a recluse in my house, wallowing in self-pity, hating myself, and thinking that wherever Scarlette was, she hated me too…

"And after what seemed like decades, your forefather found me. He needed me to come out of retirement, but I refused. And he wasn't about to force me.

"He was a smart guy. He knew about a lot of things besides dragons, you know. He figured that Scarlette couldn't possibly have blamed me for it – and he found a way to prove it. He searched around, and found a letter that she had written… on her deathbed. I still don't know why it never got to me.

"But it spoke great words. It told me that she still loved me, and that when she was gone, she didn't want me to give up everything else I loved so dear. Things like the vast sea, and all of its wonders.

"Andy, the past can't be changed, and it can influence the future… but it can't tell you what to do! You are in command of your own destiny. And right now, I'm telling you to pick up those cards, and knock that silly hat right off that cockamamie excuse for a duelist! Because if you give up now, your future is going to bleaker than my life was!

"Good luck…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Well, are you going to move or aren't you?" asked Peten. "This is getting boring…"

"Well excuse me!" said Andy.

He drew.

"I just needed a little pep talk from an old friend…"

"What are you talking about?" asked Peten.

"You wouldn't understand Peten," snarled Andy. "I doubt a lunatic like you even HAS any friends…"

He fit the card into the slot.

"I play… Reload!"

His hand of cards and his deck flew into the air, and the cards flew around in a chaotic pattern! They quickly reassembled into a deck, fitted back into the deck tray, and five cards flew out.

"All right!" shouted Andy, throwing one of them into a slot. "I play Mystical Space Typhoon!"

A whirlwind ripped across the field, and the Dragon Capture Jar blew apart!

"Humph, a lot of good THAT will do you," mocked Peten. "You don't have a Monster strong enough to defeat my Buster Blader… even if you summon your Red Eyes Darkness Dragon, my Monster will still be stronger!"

Andy ignored him.

"I'll place another card facedown, and that will be my turn," he said.

He fit the card into a slot, and it appeared behind his Monsters.

Peten drew.

"Humph, you're up to something…" he said, suspiciously. "Very well, I'll summon another Crass Clown in Defense Mode…"

He put the card down, and another Crass Clown appeared, shielding himself with his staff.

"Now I'll…" started Peten.

"I activate Burst Breath!" shouted Andy, as his Trap lifted.

"Burst Breath?" stammered Peten. "What's that?"

"To activate this card, I have to sacrifice one Dragon… and then all Monsters on the field with a Defense less than the Dragon's Attack are destroyed!

"And in case you didn't notice, your Buster Blader's Defense is one hundred less than the Attack of my Luster Dragon #2!"

"This can't be!" shouted Peten.

"It is!" laughed Andy.

Luster Dragon #2 roared, and belched a colossal wave of energy over the entire field!

When the smoke cleared, every Monster on the field had been eradicated.

"So?" asked Andy. "Now what?"

"WAY TO GO, ANDY! WHOO!" yelled Francesca.

"Eesh…" gasped Peten. "I have to end my turn…

"Good…" said Peter with a grin.

He drew.

"I summon Twin-Headed Behemoth in Attack Mode!" he shouted.

He threw the card down, and the huge, winged, two-headed Dragon appeared! (1,500/1,200)

"Now let's see how you like it!" shouted Andy. "Behemoth, attack that clown's Life Points directly with twin-headed flame attack!"

Twin-Headed Behemoth roared, and spit forth two streams of fire, striking the mad harlequin! He screamed, and staggered back.

His Life Points fell to 2,200.

Peten gasped for breath.

"I'm done playing, now it's time to get _serious_!" he shouted. "No more clowning around!"

"Do tell," said Andy. "Make your move…"

Peten drew.

"I'll summon another Dark Rabbit in Defense Mode," he cursed, placing a card down.

Another loony rabbit appeared, and shielded itself with its arms. (1,100/1,500)

"And you might notice that its Defense is equal to your Behemoth's Attack!" scowled Peten.

"In that case," said Andy, drawing.

"I'll move my Behemoth to Defense Mode…"

He turned the card, and Behemoth folded its wings.

"And then I'll summon Masked Dragon in Defense Mode."

He placed a card down, and the metallic Dragon in a mask appeared, also folding its wings. (1,400/1,100).

Peten drew…

_Aha…_ he thought.

_I just drew Magic Cylinder! He's already used up his Stamping Destruction and his Mystical Space Typhoon! His chances of destroying this are slim…_

_And his Life Points are almost gone! If he attacks with anything, I'll win!_

"I'll place a card facedown, and that will end my turn," he said, setting the card.

Andy drew. He added the card to his hand.

"All right!" he exclaimed. "I sacrifice my Twin-Headed Behemoth, and my Masked Dragon…"

The two Dragon's shattered.

"To summon my Red Eyes Black Dragon!"

The huge, fiendish Dragon arose! (2,400/2,000)

"Red Eyes, attack his Dark Rabbit with inferno fire blast!"

Flames formed in Red Eyes's jaws…

"This duel is over!" cackled Peten. "I activate Magic Cylinder!"

His Trap Card lifted… Stan and Francesca gasped.

"Aw, ain't that too bad…" sighed Andy.

He discarded a card, and his own Trap Card lifted.

"I activate The Dragon's Bead!"

"Huh?" said Peten, shocked.

His Magic Cylinder shattered!

"The Dragon's Bead lets me discard one card to negate any Trap that targets a Dragon!" exclaimed Andy. "So your Magic Cylinder is destroyed…

"And so is your Dark Rabbit…"

Red Eyes blasted forth his flame, and Dark Rabbit was reduced to burnt hasenpfeffer.

"Your move…"

Peten started to sweat heavily. If he were truly wearing makeup, it would have been running at that moment…

He drew.

"I uh… I summon Clown Zombie in Defense Mode…" he stammered.

An evil looking Zombie that somewhat resembled Crass Clown – only dirtier and decayed – appeared, shielding itself with a wooden staff. (1,350/0)

"Is that your move?" asked Andy.

"YES!" shouted Peten, frustrated.

Andy drew.

"Aw geeze," he said, "I have no Monsters to summon…"

Peten looked relieved…

"Too bad this duel has to end now…" Andy continued.

"What do you mean?" asked Peten. "My Zombie is in Defense Mode! If you can't summon anything else, my Life Points are safe!"

"I don't have to attack your Zombie to get rid of it," said Andy with a smile. "I'm playing a Magic Card called Dragon's Gunfire!"

He fit the card into a slot.

"Listen carefully," he explained. "Dragon's Gunfire can only be played when I have a Dragon on the field, and it gives me two options. I can strike my opponent for 800 points of direct damage…

"Or, I can destroy a Monster with a Defense Score of 800 or less.

"And your Clown Zombie has no Defense Score at all!"

"Eek!" shrieked Peten.

A blast of flame shot from Red Eyes's maw, vaporizing Clown Zombie.

"Now, Red Eyes, attack him directly with inferno fire blast!"

Red Eyes belched its flame, and Peten screamed as his Life Points were reduced to zero…

Peten fell to the ground, and started laughing maniacally. He laughed so hard he looked like he would burst…

And then, he did seem to burst. He burst into globules of black vapor, and was gone.

"Phew!" said Andy.

"Andy!" shouted Francesca.

She ran up and hugged him.

"Nice to see you too, Fran," he sighed.

"Why did you ever come here?" she asked.

"The Steeple," he sighed. "It kind of sent me a challenge while I was asleep… And I wasn't about to let any dumb bell tower make a fool of me…"

He turned to the strange orange door with the purple question mark on it.

"You know," he said, "I think there's something very interesting behind that door…"

He went to the door and slowly opened it…

Resting on a pedestal was a single Duel Monsters card.

It seemed to shine as he picked it up. They all looked at it in awe.

It was a Magic Card called "Sweet Feast".

Andy sighed.

"It has to be another Enchanted Card," he sighed.

"Take it Andy," said Francesca, with a smile, "you've earned it."

As Andy shuffled it into his deck, the bell above them tolled again, striking one. They covered their ears!

When they stopped shaking, Andy growled.

"What do you all say we do the citizens of Twilight Town a big favor and destroy this blasted bell?" he suggested.

Stan and Francesca looked at the large bell.

"I dunno," said Francesca. "Breaking down a door is one thing, but it's gonna take a Monster with a lot of destructive power to destroy that…"

"Well, I've got one…" said Andy, taking two cards from his deck.

He placed a card down on his Disk.

Troop Dragon appeared.

"Now, I'll just sacrifice them…" he said, switching cards.

Troop Dragon vanished.

"Guys, meet Admiral Bobbery the Bomber!" he exclaimed, as Bobbery appeared. "He helped a lot before you got here."

He pointed.

"Bobbery, blow that blasted bell to bits!"

The fuse on Bobbery's head lit, and the wheel on his back started to spin. He leapt up into the interior of the bell…

"Guys," said Andy, "I suggest we make a run for it…"

They fled from the room, as Bobbery's Bomb-omb blast went off, shattering the sinister bell into shards of broken metal!

Bobbery dropped into the center of the room. He gave a wink before fading away…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

In the Palace of Shadow, Peten the Dark Clown was on his knees before the Shadow Queen, while Sir Grodus watched from the shadows.

"So, let's go over this," growled the Queen. "You not only failed to defeat Andy, but you lost the Enchanted Card that Doopliss kept in the Steeple, AND you let them destroy the Steeple's focal point of power!

"Peten, rebuilding that bell is going to be costly…"

"Milady…" begged Peten, "I tried my best… I even made sure that Buster Blader was in my first hand…"

"Well, then…" started the Queen, "at least that's… what? How did you do THAT?"

"Well, it's an old trick used by high rollers and card sharks," explained Peten, "I trimmed the edges on the card to make it slightly smaller… so when Andy cut my deck, it fell on top! So I was sure…"

The Shadow Queen grabbed him by the neck and slammed him against the wall!

"I can't breathe…" he gasped.

"That's because I'm choking you, you moron!" she yelled.

"I thought you'd be pleased…" he gasped.

"In other words," cursed the Queen, "you cheated!"

"Well, yeah," gasped Peten. "So what? This isn't the Olympics… And you said you had to have someone defeat him…"

The Queen dropped him, and he gasped for breath.

"Peten," she said, angrily, "didn't I tell you what the conditions were for my release from this blasted prison?"

"Yeah!" exclaimed Peten. "You or a servant working for you has to defeat those brats…"

"Someone needs to defeat them in a fair contest!" cursed the Queen. "Emphasis on the word **_fair_**! If you cheat, it's no longer fair!"

"Oh…" groaned Peten.

"So even if you had won, the challenge would have been void, and I wouldn't have been able to claim Andy…" growled the Queen.

The Shadow Queen sat down on her throne, and her Disk flicked into position.

"Mercy, please!" shouted Peten. "I didn't know! It was a misunderstanding!"

"Really?" said the Queen with a smile.

She placed a set of cards down on her Disk.

"In that case, Peten, you're free to go…"

Peten smiled.

"…if you can reach the door!" exclaimed the Queen.

Peten turned around, and saw a gang of Dream Clowns, Crass Clowns, Saggi the Dark Clowns, and Clown Zombies looming in front of him. He gulped…

As sounds of pummeling and screams of pain came from in front of them, Grodus walked up to the Queen. He noticed that she was holding a Grave Arm card.

"Are you going to use that on him?" he asked.

"Eventually," she said with a grin, "but for now, let's just watch the fun…"

**0**

**0**

**0**

**HORDE WYRM (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Dragon/Effect  
**Attribute: **Wind  
**Level: **4  
**ATK: **800  
**DEF: **1,200

**Card Description: **This young dragon delights in stealing valuable objects. This Monster cannot attack your opponent directly. When this Monster damages your opponent's Life Points, look at your opponent's hand, and discard two cards from it of your choice.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**NEGATIVE ENERGY (Magic Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Magic  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description: **Image of a green circle with an "N" in it surrounded by bolts of lightning. Double the ATK of all DARK Monsters on the field (both yours and your opponent's).

_Note: "Negative Energy" was used by Pegasus in "Champion versus Creator (Part One)" All creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0**

**0**

**0**

**DARK RABBIT (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Beast  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level: **4  
**ATK: **1,100  
**DEF: **1,500

**Card Description: **A comedic rabbit from the world of American comics. It darts and dashes about very quickly.

_Note: "Dark Rabbit" is a Japanese card that was never released in the United States. It was used by Pegasus in "Champion versus Creator (Part One)"_

**0**

**0**

**0**

**POWER LIFT (Magic Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Magic/Quickplay  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description: **Image of Gearfried the Swordmaster surrounded by intense light. Add the DEF of one Monster on your side of the field to its ATK for the duration of the round. At the end of the round, the Monster is destroyed.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**ADMIRAL BOBBERY THE BOMBER (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Machine/Effect  
**Attribute: **Water  
**Level: **6  
**ATK: **2,200  
**DEF: **1,000

**Card Description: **This salty old Bomb-omb sailor had an explosive personality. When this Monster damages your opponent's Life Points, inflict twice the amount of damage that the attack would normally doduring damage calculation.

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**Coming up next:**_

**_The team leaves Twilight Town behind, and Stan is challenged by the mighty Princess of Themyscira! Well, anybody who knows who that is probably realizes that it isn't the real Princess of Themyscira, but this one is a duelist with a deck that is not to be taken lightly! Fans of "Yu-Gi-Oh GX", you're not gonna want to miss this one! Don't miss "Heroic Surge", coming soon._**


	20. Heroic Surge

_I'd like to answer a concern._

_One fan pointed out that Yoshi must be in Francesca's deck, and questioned why. Is Yoshi truly female, even though it lays eggs?_

_Let me put that question to rest. Yoshi is in Fran's deck, and he is MALE._

_Why is he in Fran's deck? Fran has a very good reason for having him. Why, you'll have to wait._

_I'd also like to make one thing clear. _

_A lot of you have realized that the duelist in this chapter uses the Elemental Heroes. Well, I realize that the rules for the fusions of these Monsters state that they can only be Special Summoned via fusion, and thus can't be summoned via Monster Reborn. When it happens in this chapter, I'm taking the same artistic license that the anime takes._

_So enjoy. _

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**I don't know about you, but I love comic books.**_

_**I've read a lot of them in my time… Comics featuring the exploits of such heroes as Spider-Man, Batman, the X-Men, Superman (well, Superman has gotten a little lame over the past few years, but he's still a classic).**_

_**I must say that I never knew that the makers of Duel Monsters ever decided to create a whole line of cards with a superhero theme. (Well, I knew about Zombyra the Dark, but that was about it.) And I never thought that I'd be put up against a duelist who uses a deck full of these strange Monsters. Just by looking at her, it seems she's even a bigger fan of comic books than I am.**_

_**And I have to wonder what surprises her deck has in store for me…**_

_**See, in the comics, the heroes almost always win…**_

_**And I have to try my hardest to break that tradition…**_

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER NINETEEN**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Heroic Surge**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

The rest of the night passed without incident, and everyone got a much better sleep – unmolested by the tolling of the bells.

Drake and Sean decided to stay in Twilight Town for a while, but Stan, Andy, and Francesca were more than eager to leave. After wishes of luck and goodbyes, they departed, taking a road east of town.

Eventually, to their delight, the eternal twilight gave way to a brisk sun, and they were walking through a much friendlier forest. Flowers bloomed, and trees full of large, green leaves loomed over the road. Francesca was reminded of the forested areas of New England in the springtime as they walked along the path.

"So where to now?" she asked.

Stan looked at the map.

"It's odd," he said. "This road leads to a town by the shore called Keelhaul Key…"

He paused.

"But between there and here is a small picture of a… gear, and it doesn't have a name on it…"

"What could that be?" asked Andy.

A figure in a tree looked down at them. A smile crossed her face, as she took something off her belt.

She silently leapt off the tree behind them, and snuck up behind…

"Well, we'll probably find out when we get there," said Stan, "we'll just have to… huh?"

He was startled as a lariat flew over him and fastened around his chest!

"GOTCHA!" shouted a girl's voice. "The divine Princess Diana claims her next hapless foe!"

They turned around.

Holding onto the lariat (which had been covered with golden sparkle-paint) was a sixteen-year-old girl in a very revealing outfit. She was wearing a strapless one-piece that was red on the top, the top part stylized by a fancy golden symbol that suggested a "W". The bottom part was blue and covered with stars, and the two halves were divided by a golden belt. She wore red boots, silver bracelets, and a golden tiara with a red star in the center.

She also wore a Duel Disk on her arm.

"Ho boy," muttered Stan, removing the lasso.

"Okay," he said, "who are you, and why are you dressed like Wonder Woman?"

She chuckled.

"I told you, my name's Diana," she said. "And I'm dressed like her because I'm a big fan of her!"

"It must get awfully chilly in that outfit…" mumbled Francesca.

"Look Diana," sighed Stan, as she coiled up the lasso, "the proper way of making a challenge is NOT to rope a duelist with a magic lasso!"

"I got your attention, didn't I?" asked Diana. "So Stan…"

"How'd you know my name?" he asked.

"I saw you duel Drake," she said. "Quite a duel…"

She frowned.

"But now the Monsters in my deck want to take on yours!" she demanded. "They want to take your sorcerers of Darkness to justice!"

She held out five Crystal Cards.

"And as you can see, they're very good at what they do…"

Stan frowned. Obviously this duelist who modeled herself after a hero saw his Spellcasters as villains…

But there was no harm in asking…

"Might I ask why your Monsters have such a grudge against mine?" he asked.

Diana chucked.

"The creatures in my deck are Warriors who have always strived to fight the forces of evil in all its forms," she laughed. "Heroes straight from the pages of comic books… they are known as… **_The Elemental Heroes_**!"

Andy and Francesca clapped.

"So Stan, do your dark sorcerers dare go against my Heroes?" she goaded.

"Oh, they dare all right…" said Stan, now more than a little annoyed.

"Stan!" whispered Francesca, pulling him aside.

"This gal is weird," she warned. "And we don't even know a thing about these 'Elemental Heroes'…"

"Relax Fran, I can take her," answered Stan. "And I doubt she's working for the Shadow Queen. Would someone working for her dress like Wonder Woman?"

"Stranger things have happened…" sighed Francesca.

"Come on Stan," said Diana with a smile. "I know the perfect place for this battle…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Lord Crump trudged down the pathway, still holding his gut. He had drunken a whole bottle of stomach remedy, and he was still feeling sick.

_I guess the moral of this story is,_ he thought, _too much of anything is never good._

He noticed the three teens and Diana stepping off the path.

_Well,_ he thought, _back to work…_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Diana had led them to a wide-open field, with a single tree trunk in the middle.

"My Warriors need a wide-open space to properly do their work," commented Diana, as she shuffled. "Why don't we cut each other's decks just to be fair?"

"Fine," said Stan as he placed his deck on the trunk. "But I'm not a cheater. My Monsters may be Dark, but they're honorable."

"A lot of villains have codes of honor," commented Diana, snidely, as she cut her deck. "Take the Mafia…"

"All right, stop it!" shouted Stan, as he cut hers. "To prove I'm a nice guy, I'll give you the first move."

"Fine," said Diana.

They backed up.

"Let the battle begin!"

The holo-imagers shot from their Disks, and they snapped into place. The scores set to 8,000 apiece.

"It's time to duel!" they both shouted.

Diana drew her first hand.

"To start of," she said, "I'll place down a facedown…"

She fit a card into a slot, and it appeared in front of her.

"And then," she continued, "I'll play this little guy in Defense Mode…"

She placed a card down.

"Meet my Winged Kuriboh!"

A small form appeared fluttering in the air. It was a Kuriboh, sure enough, but it had small, feathered wings. (300/200)

"And now my turn is complete," she said.

_Odd,_ thought Stan, drawing. _I'd almost think she was setting up a Crush Card Trap… but for that she'd need a Monster of Darkness… and unlike a normal Kuriboh, that Winged Kuriboh is a Monster of Light…_

He drew his first card.

_Well, this should do,_ he thought.

"I summon Skilled White Magician in Attack Mode!" he shouted.

He put his card down, and the white-robed sorcerer appeared.

"Go!" he shouted. "Attack Winged Kuriboh!"

Skilled White Magician shot forth his bright spell, and Winged Kuriboh was vaporized.

"Thank you, Stan," said Diana with a smile. "By destroying that, you activated my Trap…"

Her facedown card lifted…

"Hero Signal!"

A flash like a spotlight shone out of the card; it looked similar to the Bat-Signal, but with a different type of insignia in the center.

"What does that do?" asked Stan, confused.

"When the Hero Signal is activated, the Elemental Heroes see and respond!" exclaimed Diana.

She chuckled.

"In game terms," she continued, "I can Special Summon any Elemental Hero of four stars or less from my deck…"

A card flew out of her deck, and she placed it down.

"So meet Elemental Hero Avian in Attack Mode!"

A tall form appeared in front of her. It was a man in a green costume with a silver chest and a crown-shaped cowl. Growing from his back were two, huge, feathered wings. (1,000/1,000)

_Well that doesn't seem very impressive,_ thought Stan.

"Then it's your turn," he said.

Diana drew a card.

"Now I'll summon Elemental Hero Burstinatrix, also in Attack Mode!" she shouted.

She put another card down, and a new figure appeared, this time, a female one. What skin was exposed was chalk-white. She wore a red leotard, boots, long gloves, and a pointed leather hat. She had flowing white hair, and fires burned from her palms. (1,200/800)

"I don't mean to insult your Monsters," quipped Stan, "but they're pretty weak."

"Perhaps," said Diana with a smile, "but there's something you should know about superheroes… they improvise!"

She flicked open her Field Slot and placed in a card.

"I play… Skyscraper!"

The whole field around them started to darken, and a dramatic change started to take place! Dark buildings of a grim city started to arise from nowhere, and spotlights shot up from below! They now seemed to be dueling from the roof of a building in the middle of a vast and sinister metropolis…

"No way…" gasped Stan.

"I believe the correct response is… 'way'!" responded Diana.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Crump shook in fear. He had been watching from behind a large stump, but the hologram from Diana's Field Card had turned it into a ventilation duct.

_Sheesh!_ he thought. _I've seen some crazy holograms in my time, but this is the first time I've ever seen a Disk conjure up a whole city from out of nowhere!_

He gasped for breath.

_So what on earth does this Skyscraper card do? What benefit does it give Diana? I don't know any more about these Elemental Heroes than Stan does!_

_What now…?_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Okay, Diana, where are we?" demanded Stan.

"Where would superheroes be without a city to protect?" asked Diana. "Let me explain how this complex Field Magic Card works…

"While this card is active, every time an Elemental Hero makes an attack against a Monster who's Attack Score is higher than theirs, their Attack Score is boosted by 1,000 for the remainder of the round!"

Stan paled…

That would make both Avian AND Burstinatrix capable of flattening Skilled White Magician!

"Avian!" shouted Diana, "attack that mage with Featherbreak attack!"

Avian's Attack shot up to 2,000, and he blasted forth a pair of whirlwinds from his arms mixed with feathers! Skilled White Magician groaned, and he was blown to pieces.

"And the first one tastes our wrath!" exclaimed Diana. "Time for the second…"

She pointed.

"Burstinatrix, attack Stan directly with Burstfire!"

Flames shot from Burstinatrix's palms! Stan cringed as he was hit by them…

His Life Points fell down to 6,500.

"Well," said Diana with a smile. "I guess it's your turn…"

Stan frowned as he drew.

He took a card from his hand.

_I can't defeat both of them, but maybe at least I can take a chunk out of her Life Points…_

He placed a card down.

"I summon Gemini Elf in Attack Mode!" he shouted.

The two twin, tattooed elves appeared, seeming very out of place in the huge metropolis. (1,900/900)

"Your Heroes might gain a boost when they attack in this burg," exclaimed Stan. "But you never said they gained that boost when _my_ Monsters attack! Gemini Elf, attack Burstinatrix with dual magic attack!"

The elves shot forth their bolt of lightning at the heroine! Burstinatrix screamed and was blown into shards.

Diana's Life Points fell to 7,300… and she was furious.

"How dare you!" she shouted. "Your wicked elves will pay!"

"Boy, she's really in character…" muttered Andy to Francesca.

"It's your move," sighed Stan.

He really wanted to beat this gal now – he'd never had a more annoying opponent in his life. Maybe he'd never noticed that fact in the comic books he had read – superheroes could be annoying at times when you were on the receiving end of their aggression…

Diana drew and looked at the card.

She placed a card in the slot.

"I'm playing Premature Burial, to bring Burstinatrix back," she said.

Her Life Points slipped to 6,500, and Burstinatrix rose out of the ground.

"And one thing you should know about superhero teams, Stan," she continued. "All of them know how to work as a team… but of all superhero teams, only the Elemental Heroes have _this_ kind of teamwork!"

She placed a Magic Card into a slot.

"I play Polymerization!"

Avian and Burstinatrix clasped hands… Then they flew into the sky of the dark city, and burst into a flash of light!

A much larger form crashed down onto the building! It was a tall male figure with green skin and trunks. Growing from his right shoulder was a huge wing, much like Avian's, and his left arm was the neck and head of a fierce, red dragon!

"Using their powers to combine their bodies together," exclaimed Diana, "they form a mighty force of Wind and Fire called Elemental Hero Flame Wingman!"

(2,100/1,200)

Stan gulped.

_Okay,_ he thought._ I'm guessing that this guy probably has some sort of effect up his sleeve…_

_And even if I summoned a stronger Monster, I'd have to make sure I managed to attack first… He's still an Elemental Hero, so the effects of Skyscraper likely apply to him too._

"Since I can't attack with him now, since he's a Fusion Monster, I'll end my turn," stated Diana.

Stan drew.

"I play… Pot of Greed!" he exclaimed.

He played the card, and the Pot handed him two more cards.

_Yes!_ he thought.

"I play Swords of Revealing Light!" he exclaimed.

The glowing swords pierced the city's night sky, and crashed down around Diana and her hero.

"Now, I'll summon White Magician Pikeru in Defense Mode…" he stated.

He put the card down, and the adorable child Spellcaster appeared, again looking out of place in this arena. (1,200/0)

Diana shook her head.

"Pikeru's cute looks don't fool me, Stan," she accused. "The faces of villainy wear many forms…"

Stan was really getting upset. His Monsters were NOT evil!

Then a thought came to him. He smiled inside…

If Diana was going to treat his Spellcasters as villains, maybe he should start _playing_ the villain.

"It's going to much harder fir you to defeat me now, Princess of Themyscira!" he said with a cackle. "I'll end my turn by playing Sweet Treat!"

He fit a card into a slot.

"What's that?" she asked.

Stan chuckled as the gingerbread man with his dice appeared.

"The wounds your pathetic heroes inflicted on me will soon be for naught!" he laughed. "This dice will roll, multiply by 1,000, and add that total to my Life Points! Go my dice!"

The living cookie tossed the dice and it rolled…

And it landed on a five.

Stan laughed manically as his Life Points rose to 11,500.

"Well," he said. "I end my turn, but I'm almost twice as powerful as you are, and you can't touch me!"

"I think Stan's going overboard…" whispered Andy to Francesca.

"I draw one card," said Diana.

_Boy, this is getting fun!_ she said with a smile. _I've always wanted a duel like this…_

She added the card to her hand.

"I'll pass this turn," she said.

"In that case," said Stan, drawing.

Pikeru waved her scepter, and Stan's Life Points went up to 12,300.

He switched cards on his Disk.

"I'll sacrifice Gemini Elf for Dark Magician Girl, and place her in Defense Mode," chuckled Stan.

A magical circle appeared on the roof of the building, and Dark Magician Girl spun out. She faced Flame Wingman, and then knelt in Defense. (2,000/1,700)

"So," snarled Diana. "Your black sorceress finally shows herself. My Heroes will punish her severely!"

"Make your move…" dared Stan.

Diana drew.

"I play Mystical Space Typhoon!" she yelled, throwing a card into the slot, "to shatter your Swords!"

The Swords of Reveling Light were blown away.

"Now," she said, "Flame Wingman, attack Pikeru with skydive scorcher!"

Flame Wingman stretched forth his arms. He flew up into the air and then flew to the ground surrounded by flames!

Pikeru screamed as he crashed into her and she was obliterated.

As Stan watched, his Life Points fell to 11,100.

"Huh?" he said. "But she was in Defense Mode!"

"Elemental Flame Wingman has a powerful effect!" exclaimed Diana. "When he destroys a Monster, the owner loses Life Points equal to the Monster's original Attack Score. So you lose 1,200 Life Points!

"And your witch is next! I end my turn…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Lord Crump picked up his cellphone and dialed.

"Hello, your excellence?" he asked.

The Shadow Queen listened while looking into the viewing globe.

"I'm watching Crump," he said. "This is quite interesting…"

"Can you believe this?" chuckled Crump. "To think that Stan is facing a duelist who's using superhero Monsters! Ironic, dontcha think?"

"Actually, Crump, this Diana character interests me…"

She paused.

"Let me ask you, did you ever watch cartoons when you were a kid?"

"Eh?" said Crump. "Say what?"

"I'll take that as a no," muttered the Queen. "Well let me tell you something… Maximillion Pegasus…"

"You mean the guy who invented this game?" asked Crump.

"YES, the guy who invented this game!" shouted the Queen. "How many other guys named Maximillion Pegasus are there?

"Anyway, not many people know this, but he _loves_ cartoons!"

"Who'd have ever thought…" muttered Crump.

"They inspired him to create his own special deck, with the special Toon Monsters," continued the Queen. "But loony, funny cartoons weren't the only cartoons he loved – he also liked action cartoons. That inspired him recently to create the Elemental Heroes.

"And I know more about these unique heroes than this nutty duelist likely does. So whether she wins or loses, here's what I want you to do…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Stan drew.

He grinned.

"Now I have you!" he laughed.

He turned the card on his Disk.

"I'll switch Dark Magician Girl… to Attack Mode!"

"Huh?" pondered Diana.

Stan dramatically threw a card into a slot.

"And now I'll Equip her with my secret weapon… Magic Formula!"

The ancient book floated in front of Dark Magician Girl, and she skimmed through the pages.

"The eldritch pages on this tome make her more than strong enough to defeat your pathetic fused Warrior!" laughed Stan.

"I hope this ends soon," sighed Francesca, "this is getting bizarre…"

Dark Magician Girl's Attack Score rose to 2,500!

"Now Dark Magician Girl," shouted Stan, "attack Flame Wingman with dark magic blast!"

Dark Magician Girl swung her scepter and fired her dark spell, blasting the Elemental Hero to bits!

Diana's Life Points fell to 6,100.

"Your move, hero," he gloated.

"You and your witch won't defeat me Stan!" shouted Diana, drawing.

She looked at her card.

"I'll play my own Pot of Greed!" she announced.

She fit the card into a slot, and the jar handed her two cards.

She looked at the five cards in her hand.

_Yes!_ she thought. _I couldn't have asked for better!_

"Okay Stan," she said. "I'm placing _three_ cards facedown on the field!"

She fit three cards into slots, and they quickly appeared in front of her.

"Next," she said, "I'll summon the wild side of the Elemental Heroes…"

She placed a card down.

"Elemental Hero Wildman, in Attack Mode!"

A muscular Warrior appeared. He looked like an aborigine, covered with war paint and tattoos, with black hair tied in a ponytail. A sword made of bone was slung to his back – and he quickly drew it. (1,500/1,600)

"And now," she continued, "I'll summon… Elemental Hero Bubbleman, in Attack Mode!"

She put another card down, and yet another hero appeared in a burst of bubbles. He wore a blue suit and cape, with a pointy-eared cowl. His shoulders were protected by armor, and he had two tanks on his back, connected by tubes that ran along his arms which ended in gun-like weapons. (800/1,200)

"Wait a second!" shouted Stan, reverting to his normal personality. "No fair! How did you summon two Monsters at once?"

Diana laughed, and waved her hands, showing that they were empty.

"Bubbleman just _hates _to be alone," she said, "so due to his special effect, he can be Special Summoned… IF he's the only card in my hand!"

"Oh…" said Stan. "Well…"

He paused.

"Yeah, well hold on a second," he continued. "Even if your Wildman gains the benefit from Skyscraper…"

"He does," interrupted Diana. "All the Heroes do, even though Wildman prefers… well, the wild."

"Yeah, well do the math…" muttered Stan. "If he attacks Dark Magician Girl, his Attack will be boosted to 2,500, which is the same as hers, so the battle will be a draw and they'll both be destroyed.

"I agree," said Diana with a smug look. "I end my turn."

Stan looked hard at the two heroes, and the three facedown cards she had put down.

_This might be dangerous,_ he thought. _She put Bubbleman in Attack Mode and he's far from the strongest Hero I've seen. I'll bet she just WANTS me to attack…_

He drew.

_Magic Cylinder!_ he thought. _This will give me some insurance…_

He looked at his hand.

_And so will my old friend…_

"I place one card facedown," he said, fitting the Trap Card into a slot.

It appeared.

"And now I summon Goombella the Scholar in Defense Mode!"

He put the card down, and the smart little Goomba appeared. (500/2,000)

Goombella hopped on his shoulders and the top four cards on his deck floated out. Goombella whispered in his ear, and he rearranged them carefully. They floated back onto his Disk.

"Dark Magician Girl!" he shouted, "attack Wildman!"

Dark Magician Girl pointed her staff.

"Activate Hero Barrier!" shouted Diana.

One of her facedown cards lifted, and a vortex of crackling energy appeared. The blast of Dark Magic was absorbed.

"My Trap Card protects any Elemental Hero from one attack," she said with a smile.

"Then it's your move," sneered Stan. "Just try to defeat Dark Magician Girl!"

Diana drew.

"First I'll activate another of my facedown cards, Card of Sanctity!"

The Magic Card lifted, and a bright blue flash illuminated the sky over the city.

The two of them drew until they each had a full hand.

_Perfect,_ thought Diana.

"Now I activate Bubbleman's favorite Magic Card… Bubble Shuffle!" she shouted as her second Magic Card lifted.

Bubbleman shot forth a wave of bubbles from the guns on his wrists!

"What's the point?" demanded Stan.

"I'll show you," said Diana with a grin. "It's kind of a two-for-one deal. First, Bubble Shuffle moves Bubbleman and one of your Monsters into Defense Mode!"

Bubbleman knelt. Dark Magician Girl struggled to resist the spell, but she knelt as well.

"And then," continued Diana. "I can sacrifice Bubbleman for any Elemental Hero from my hand!"

Bubbleman vanished as Diana switched cards.

"So meet Elemental Hero Edgeman, in Attack Mode!"

A tall, imposing form arose. He was a monolithic Warrior, clad in golden armor, wearing a helmet with long horns. Blades were on his forearms. (2,600/2,100)

"Oh no!" screamed Francesca. "She managed to summon a very powerful Monster!"

"That's trouble…" muttered Andy.

"You probably think Edgeman looks pretty sharp," chuckled Diana. "Well that's because he is!"

"Well then attack," said Stan with a grin. "I dare you!"

"I will!" answered Diana, "but Edgeman isn't going to attack first! Wildman! Attack Dark Magician Girl with wild blade!"

Wildman lifted his sword, and his Attack shot up to 2,500. He charged…

"I'm sorry to be the one to tell you this," gloated Stan in a sinister voice.

He tapped his Disk, and his Trap lifted.

"But my Magic Cylinder is about to do you a world of hurt!"

"All right!" shouted Andy.

Wildman continued to charge forward…

…he was unimpressed by the Magic Cylinder. He struck Dark Magician Girl with his blade, and she shattered with a scream.

"What?" gasped Stan, as the Trap faded. "But my Trap…"

"…didn't work!" exclaimed Diana. "Wildman is immune to all Traps. That's why I had him attack first. And now that I tricked you into wasting it…

"Edgeman, attack that mushroom with blade-edge!"

Edgeman leapt forward and slashed with his blades! Goombella was eradicated!

Stan's Life Points fell to 10,500.

"Huh?" exclaimed Stan. "Edgeman has a trampling effect?"

"Sure looks that way, doesn't it?" confirmed Diana. "I'll end my turn there."

Stan growled. He drew.

"One card facedown," he said, placing a card into a slot, "and then I summon Skilled Dark Magician in Attack Mode!"

The facedown card appeared, and then the Dark Spellcaster appeared, brandishing his staff.

"Attack!" shouted Stan, "attack Wildman!"

Skilled Dark Magician cast forth his dark spell… Wildman howled, and burst.

Diana's Life Points fell to 5,700.

"Your Heroes have a fatal flaw, Diana," he gloated. "They're strong when they attack and have their Field Card supporting them, but they're easy prey if I can attack first!"

Diana angrily drew.

"Yeah?" she said. "Well, Edgeman doesn't need Skyscraper to be strong!"

She put a card down.

"I'll summon this guy in Defense Mode… Elemental Hero Clayman!"

A large, hulking form appeared. True to his name, this Hero seemed to be built entirely out of hardened clay, with blocky features and huge fists and feet. (800/2,000)

"Edgeman!" she shouted, "attack his Skilled Dark Magician!"

Edgeman prepared to fire his double-edged blast…

"Not so fast, Diana!" exclaimed Stan.

"Ergh, a Trap!" growled Diana as the facedown card lifted.

"Spellbinding Circle!" shouted Stan.

Edgeman was trapped in the glowing pentagram, and his Attack Score dropped to 1,900.

"Doesn't matter!" exclaimed Diana. "Your dark warlock still can't defeat him!"

Stan drew.

"Well I've got somebody who can," he said. "I sacrifice Skilled Dark Magician to summon Chaos Command Magician!"

Skilled Dark Magician shattered, and the powerful Spellcaster of Light arose. (2,400/1,900)

"Go!" ordered Stan, "attack with chaos blast!"

Chaos Command Magician shot forth his rainbow-colored beam, and blew Edgeman into colored shards.

Diana's Life Points fell to 5,200.

"This battle is far from over, evildoer!" shouted Diana.

"I have more than twice as many Life Points as you have, hero!" gloated Stan. "You can't win!"

"We'll see about that," said Diana, drawing.

She looked at her card.

"I summon the brains behind the team," she announced. "Elemental Hero Sparkman, in Attack Mode!"

She placed the card down, and a hero in a blue and yellow costume, with an electrical aura crackling around him, appeared in a flash of light. (1,600/1,400)

_Aw, nuts,_ thought Stan.

"Sparkman!" shouted Diana, "attack his Chaos Command Magician with Shining Surge Flash!"

Sparkman's Attack shot up to 2,600, and he blasted forth a volley of sparks! Chaos Command Magician groaned, and burst into pixels.

Stan's Life Points fell to 10,300.

"Your move," said Diana with another big smile.

Stan frowned as he drew.

_If only I could destroy Skyscraper, I could take away her edge,_ he thought. _But for now, I can only defend…_

"I summon Mystical Elf in Defense Mode," he announced, putting a card down.

The peaceful, blue-skinned elf appeared, kneeling in prayer. (800/2,000)

"I end my turn," said Stan, "and since her Attack is _lower_ than any of your Heroes, your Skyscraper can't help them destroy her!"

Diana drew.

"I have another way to destroy her, Stan!" she chuckled. "Like I said, Sparkman is the intellectual among the Heroes, always inventing things… So let me show you one of his inventions!"

He slid a Magic Card into a slot.

"I Equip Sparkman with Spark Blaster!"

A futuristic blaster appeared on Sparkman's right arm.

"The Spark Blaster has three charges," explained Diana. "By expending one charge, I can switch a Monster from Attack to Defense Mode, or vice versa! Let's give it a test run…"

Sparkman pointed the weapon and shot a blast of electricity at Mystical Elf. She cringed, and stood up into Attack Mode.

"Sparkman, attack!" shouted Diana.

Sparkman fired forth his Shining Surge Blast, and Mystical Elf was vaporized.

Stan's Life Points fell to 9,500.

"Your move," she said.

"Aw man," said Andy. "It's like these guys are unstoppable!"

"Don't worry," answered Francesca. "Stan still has plenty of Life Points left…"

Stan drew.

_All right!_ he thought.

He put a card into a slot.

"I play Premature Burial!" he shouted, "and I'll bring back Dark Magician Girl!"

His Life Points fell to 8,700, and Dark Magician Girl rose out of the ground. (2,000/1,700)

"So," said Diana with a sneer. "The villainess returns…"

"Dark Magician Girl," shouted Stan, "attack Sparkman!"

Dark Magician Girl leapt up and fired her dark blast, blowing Sparkman away!

Diana's Life Points fell to 4,800.

"Your pathetic piece of clay is next!" mocked Stan with a sinister chuckle.

Clayman gave him an angry look.

Diana drew.

"I beg to differ!" she said with that ever present smile. "Do you remember what I said about the Elemental Heroes and teamwork?"

She fit another card into a slot.

"I'll first play The Warrior Returning Alive," she started. "This will let me bring Sparkman back from the Graveyard to my hand."

A shiny orb flew out of her discard slot, and it turned into a card. She took it.

"And now," she said, "I'll discard this card…"

She showed it to him.

"It's a Monster called King of the Swamp," she explained. "By discarding it, I can add one Polymerization card from my deck to my hand."

She discarded it. A card slipped out of her deck and she took it.

"Now I'll play Polymerization…"

She fit the card into the slot.

"Know why? Because this time I'm going to fuse Clayman with Sparkman!"

Sparkman appeared on the field, and he clasped hands with Clayman. The two soared into the sky of the dark city, and another burst of light lit up the sky…

A huge form, even larger than Elemental Hero Flame Wingman crashed onto the field. It was a hulking warrior, with a round, armored body colored gold, powerful limbs, and lighting coursing all over him!

"Bonded together, they create Elemental Hero Thunder Giant!" shouted Diana.

(2,400/1,500)

"That will be all for my move, I think," said Diana, slowly.

Stan gulped. He drew…

"I'll just switch Dark Magician Girl into Defense Mode and end my turn," he said.

Diana grinned a grin that Stan didn't like at all as she drew.

"I place one card facedown," she said, fitting a card into a slot.

"Now then," she said, "I'm activating Thunder Giant's special effect…"

She discarded another card.

"By discarding one of my cards, he can, once per turn, let Thunder Giant destroy any face-up Monster with an original Attack Score weaker than his! So say goodbye to your Dark Magician Girl!"

Thunder Giant raised his hand, and Lightning flashed from the sky! Dark Magician Girl screamed and was vaporized.

"Now, Thunder Giant, attack Stan's Life Points directly with thunderous blast!"

Thunder Giant shot forth a blast of lightning! Stan screamed as he was hit by it.

His Life Points plummeted to 6,300.

"So now what?" gasped Andy. "What's Stan gonna do?"

"Stan can still defend himself," answered Francesca, "if he puts a Monster in facedown Defense Mode…"

"My move!" snarled Stan.

He drew.

"I activate a Trap!" laughed Diana.

Her facedown card lifted.

"Light of Intervention?" gasped Stan.

"That means no placing Monsters facedown, Stan," chuckled Diana.

Stan looked at the card he had just drawn.

He cursed under his breath. This guy would have been able to defeat Thunder Giant if he had placed it facedown!

"I choose to pass," muttered Stan. "You'll just destroy whatever I summon anyway."

"In that case," said Diana, drawing, "Thunder Giant, attack directly again!"

Thunder Giant blasted forth his thunder, and Stan was knocked down! He groaned as he lay sprawled on the floor of the building…

And his Life Points were at 3,900.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Crump was still on the phone with the Shadow Queen.

"Do you believe this?" laughed Crump. "Stan is getting his ass handed to him!"

"Indeed," said the Queen. "But as the immortal Yogi Berra once said, 'It ain't over till it's over'.

"You know what to do once the duel ends. Diana is a powerful duelist, but you can never be too powerful in my book…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Stan slowly got up…

He drew.

"I play… Graceful Charity!" he shouted, playing a card.

The angel flew out of his Disk, and handed him three cards.

_Well,_ he thought, _I might as well discard this… and this…_

He handed her the cards, and she flew into his discard slot.

"I play Monster Reborn, to bring Dark Magician Girl back again!" he shouted.

He played the card, and Dark Magician Girl appeared on the holy ankh. (2,000/1,700)

Diana frowned.

"And now," he continued, "I play The Sage's Stone!"

He fit the card into the slot, and the magical jewel appeared in the air…

A card flew out of his deck, and he threw it on his Disk. The mighty Dark Magician appeared! (2,500/2,100)

"Ergh," growled Diana. "The greatest villain of all appears!"

"Don't you know it!" laughed Stan. "Dark Magician, attack her Thunder Giant with dark magic attack!"

Dark Magician aimed his staff and fired his blast of energy, blasting Elemental Hero Thunder Giant to glowing pixels!

"Now Dark Magician Girl, attack her Life Points directly!"

Dark Magician Girl fired, hitting the costumed duelist square in the chest! Diana screamed and staggered back.

Her Life Points fell to 2,700.

She looked at the two Spellcasters in front of her, who seemed ready to finish her off. She looked at the three cards in her hand.

"Your move," gloated Stan.

Diana drew and looked at her four cards.

A plan started to form…

"First I'll play this card facedown," she said, placing the card down.

It appeared in front of her as she reached for another card.

"Then I'll play Emergency Provisions," she continued, "to destroy it, my Light of Intervention, and my Field Card."

A huge mouth appeared and swallowed the three cards. The huge city around them turned into a swirling grey mist and vanished.

Within seconds, the sunny field had returned.

"By destroying those three cards, I gain 3,000 Life Points," she added.

Her Life Points went up to 5,700.

"Oh, great," muttered Andy.

"Yeah, but she gave up her field advantage," pondered Francesca. "Why did she do that?"

"Now," said Diana, placing a card down, "let me introduce another of Sparkman's brilliant inventions – Wroughtweiler, in Defense Mode!"

A small Machine that looked like a mechanical dog with numerous gears, gizmos, and gewgaws appeared in front of her, curled up in Defense. (800/1,200)

"…and that will end my turn."

_I don't know what that robot can do,_ thought Stan, _drawing, but it has a weak Defense…_

He looked at his cards.

_Nothing to summon, so here goes…_

"Dark Magician Girl, attack her Wroughtweiler!"

Dark Magician Girl laughed and fired, blowing the mechanical dog into scrap!

"Dark Magician, attack her Life Points directly!" he shouted.

Diana screamed as she was engulfed in a blast of black magic and forced to her knees. Her Life Points fell to 3,200.

She chuckled as she got up.

"Not bad," she laughed. "But again, your black sorcerers have underestimated me! When Wroughtweiler is destroyed in battle, I get to retrieve one Elemental Hero and one Polymerization card from my Graveyard!"

Two orbs of light flew out of her discard slot, and formed into cards.

"And I'll retrieve Sparkman," she continued.

"Sparkman is no threat now that your Field Card is gone," laughed Stan.

"Oh, that's where you're wrong!" laughed Diana drawing. "I now have the means to bring forth the mightiest Elemental Hero of all!"

She fit a card into a slot.

"I play Monster Reborn, to bring back Elemental Hero Flame Wingman!" she exclaimed.

The ankh appeared, and the half-fire/half-wind Hero reappeared. (2,100/1,200)

"And now," said Diana with look of triumph, "I'll create a fusion within a fusion! I'm using my Polymerization card to combine Flame Wingman with Sparkman!"

She played the card, and Sparkman appeared. The two heroes clasped hands, and just like the previous two times, they soared into the sky and burst into a flash of light…

"What on earth has she summoned?" gasped Francesca in awe.

A brilliant form flew down from the sky. It was a Warrior of Light, clad in shining, space-age, silver armor and a full-face helmet with glowing eyes, with magnificent glowing wings on his back! He glowed with a blinding light!

"Presenting," exclaimed Diana, "**_Elemental Hero Shining Flame Wingman_**!"

(2,500/2,000)

"This almighty hero gains 300 Attack Points for every Elemental Hero in my Graveyard!" exclaimed Diana. "And in case you weren't keeping track, there are _nine_!"

(5,200/2,500)

"And with that, I end my turn," she said. "But face it, it's almost over…"

Stan gulped as he drew…

"I'll shift Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl to Defense Mode…" he said, sweating.

His two magicians knelt.

"And that will be all."

Diana grinned as she drew.

"Shining Flare Wingman," she ordered, "blow Dark Magician away with ray of purity!"

Shining Flare Wingman raised his hands, and shot forth a beam of pure light, blowing Dark Magician into nothing!

And Stan's Life Points fell to 1,400.

"Huh?" gasped Stan.

"Just like Flame Wingman," explained Diana, "when Shining Flame Wingman destroys a Monster, you lose Life Points equal to its Attack Score!

"It's your move…"

Stan gulped.

He drew and looked at the card.

_Well, what have I got to lose?_ he thought.

He threw a card into a slot.

"I play Clock Out!" he shouted.

His Life Points fell to 400, and the grandfather clock appeared. The hand started to spin…

And it stopped.

"A TWO?" yelled Stan.

"Aw, too bad," chuckled Diana. "That only gives you two free rounds."

"Talk about bad luck," sighed Francesca.

"I'll end my turn," growled Stan.

Diana drew.

She looked at the card. It was another Elemental Hero Sparkman.

_I'll save this,_ she thought.

"I'll pass this turn," she said.

The clock ticked down to one.

Stan drew.

He was surprised by what he had drawn.

"I switch Dark Magician Girl into Attack Mode," he said.

He turned his card, and Dark Magician Girl rose into attack position.

"And I summon Vivian the Shadow Siren in Attack Mode!" he shouted.

He put the card down, and the cute, ghostly Companion emerged out of the shadows. (1,800/1,000)

Diana chuckled.

"I remember her, Stan," she said. "I saw you summon her when you dueled Drake. She can protect one of your Monsters if you discard a card, right?"

Stan was silent.

"Well then," said Diana drawing. "I'll just draw…"

She looked at the card. De-Fusion. Not exactly the best card to use…

"…and I'll pass again."

The clock ticked to the top, and vanished.

Stan drew.

"I'll place one card facedown," he said.

He set a card, and it appeared.

"Well," said Diana, "I can't harm your Monsters, but I can force you to discard your cards! Shining Flare Wingman, attack Dark Magician Girl!"

The Hero powered up his blast…

Stan went to his Disk…

_Wait,_ he thought. _Maybe not yet…_

Stan discarded a card.

"Vivian, protect Dark Magician Girl with your Veil!" he shouted.

Vivian grabbed hold of Dark Magician Girl, and they faded into the shadows. The blast harmlessly dissipated.

"Your move," she said with a grin.

Stan drew, and he was getting worried.

_Thousand Knives,_ he thought, looking at the card. _This could destroy him, IF I still had Dark Magician!_

_I had a Monster who could have easily destroyed him, but I discarded him!_

_Only two options remain… Stall until I get Snatch Steal, or stall until I get Magician of Faith and she lets me get back Monster Reborn and I can use this…_

_Both are risky…_

"I pass again," he said.

Meanwhile, Diana was pretty worried.

_Every draw he makes brings him closer to drawing his Snatch Steal or his Old Vindictive Magician,_ she thought. _I've got to find some way to get rid of Vivian…_

She drew.

_Hey,_ she thought, _The Shallow Grave!_

An idea formed.

_If I play this card, we both must summon a Monster from our Graveyards in facedown Defense Mode – he doesn't have a Monster in there with less than 400 Attack Points, and I don't think Vivian's effect works on facedown Monsters!_

She looked at the Sparkman in her hand.

_And even if it does, I can use this card to bring back Wroughtweiler! If he destroys it, I'll retrieve Clayman, and summon Thunder Giant again, and destroy Vivian with his effect! I'll win!_

She played the card.

"I play The Shallow Grave!" she shouted.

Stan looked surprised.

"Now we must each summon a Monster from our Graveyards in facedown Defense Mode!"

Two orbs flew out of their discard slots and transformed into cards, which landed on their Disks. Two facedown Monsters appeared.

"So Stan," she gloated, "can Vivian's Veil protect facedown Monsters?"

"Actually, no," said Stan, sadly.

"Then prepare to lose!" shouted Diana. "Good will triumph over evil! Shining Flame Wingman, attack his facedown Monster with ray of purity!"

Shining Flare Wingman shot forth his beam of light…

"I activate Negate Attack!" shouted Stan.

The Trap Card lifted, and the blast was halted.

Diana sighed.

"Okay, make your move…" she said.

Stan made a draw.

Then I'll flip my facedown Monster into Attack Mode!" he shouted.

The card flipped…

And Old Vindictive Magician appeared!

"WHAT?" screamed Diana. "HOW?"

Old Vindictive Magician chanted, and Shining Flame Wingman was eradicated!

"But…" gasped Diana. "But you never even used him!"

"True," said Stan with a smile. "But when I played Graceful Charity, I discarded him – I figured I couldn't use him, because you had Light of Intervention in play at the time!

"Seems I beat you at your own game!"

Diana bowed her head.

"This duel is over…" whispered Francesca. "Poor Diana's spirit is broken – her greatest Monster has been blown to kingdom come, and she's lost the will to fight!"

"Now I summon Blast Magician!" he shouted, placing a card down.

The fiery, red-robed Spellcaster appeared. (1,400/1,700)

"Blast Magician, destroy her facedown Monster!" he shouted.

Blast Magician cast forth his fiery spell, and Wroughtweiler was melted into slag.

"Vivian!" he yelled, "attack directly with Fiery Jinx!"

Vivian shot forth her waves of flame, striking Diana and sending her skidding back. Her Life Points fell to 1,400.

"Dark Magician Girl, finish this!" shouted Stan.

Dark Magician Girl fired forth her dark spell, sending Diana tumbling.

She had been defeated.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Diana sighed as she handed Stan one of her Crystal Cards.

"I guess I was wrong about your Spellcasters," she said with a shrug. "If they can defeat the Elemental Heroes, I guess they aren't so bad after all."

"Don't sweat it," said Stan. "In the comics, heroes fight other heroes all the time. Usually by accident, of course. But you're going to have to go a long way if you want to emulate your idol…"

"My idol?" she asked.

"Yeah," said Stan, pointing to the costume. "Wonder Woman."

"Actually," giggled Diana, blushing, "she's not my_favorite_ hero… I just wear the costume because my name is the same as hers and the costume looks good…

"My favorite hero is… Green Lantern."

"Really?" asked Andy, speaking up.

"Yeah, I remember the first comic I ever owned," said Diana with a smile. "It was the first time I ever read those immortal words…"

She paused and recited:

_**In brightest day, in blackest night,**_

_**No evil shall escape my sight;**_

_**Let those who worship Evil's might**_

_**Beware my power…**_

_**Green Lantern's light!**_

"Whoa, I get chills every time I say that.

"Anyway, see you around. Maybe if we both get to the Thousand Year Door we can have a rematch sometime."

She left in the direction of Twilight Town, and the three friends headed in the opposite direction.

Unknown to Diana, Lord Crump was following behind her…

He pulled a small object from out of his coat…

**0**

**0**

**0**

_Note: "Elemental Hero Edgeman", "Elemental Hero Wildman", and "Elemental Hero Shining Flare Wingman" and "Hero Barrier" are real cards that will be released in the upcoming "Elemental Energy" booster set._

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**What does the Queen want with Diana? The question will go unanswered, for now…**_

_**Coming up next…**_

_**The team finds the strange town of Gearville, only to find that this mechanical metropolis isn't much of a town – and a deadly trap awaits within! The first tag team duel of this series is about to take place, and wait until you see who the villains are! **_

_**Oh, and Merlee might show up again too.**_

**_It's all in a chapter called "Sum of its Parts", coming soon._**


	21. Sum of its Parts

_**Yugi Mouto is a great duelist, but there were times in his life when he faced challenges that he couldn't have handled alone.**_

_**In Duelist Kingdom, reports say that he had to team up with his good friend Joey Wheeler to defeat two Eliminators who called themselves the Paradox Brothers. Despite the fact that Para and Dox had the advantage the whole time with a lethal battlefield, Yugi and Joey defeated them. **_

_**In Battle City, Yugi had to team up with his arch-rival Seto Kaiba to take down two masked nutjobs named Lumis and Umbra. Again, their foes had the advantage, but Yugi and Kaiba's teamwork pulled through, and they won.**_

_**Me, I don't know the first thing about dueling this way. I never had to look out for anyone but myself in a duel…**_

_**I wish I had some more practice in it before I had to bet the lives of all three of us – especially Andy – on it…**_

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER TWENTY**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Sum Of Its Parts**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

Sitting on her throne in the Palace of Shadow, the Shadow Queen carefully studied two Monster cards…

She frowned as she picked up her cellphone and dialed a number.

"Crump!" she shouted into it.

"Yes, milady?" answered a voice.

"Listen," she said, "when you made this suggestion this morning, I had… doubts…"

"Trust me, milady," answered Crump, "they can get the job done…"

The Queen sighed.

"Okay," she muttered. "I'm only doing this because you were successful in the most recent acquisition. Now get it fed and bring it to the Palace of Shadow quickly.

"Hopefully it won't be needed… if this plan of yours works."

She hung up and headed to her fireplace.

Meanwhile, in Rogueport, Crump took two hot dogs and a soda from a vendor.

"Here," he said, handing them to a figure by his side. "Wouldn't want to go on an empty stomach…"

The figure quietly took them…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The duel with Diana was two hours behind them, and the noon sun was in the sky… And the terrain had changed for the worse.

The land seemed barren and lifeless – the forest had given way to a rocky wasteland.

"Man," said Andy, "I do NOT like this place…"

Haze and smog started to appear from cracks in the ground.

"Be prepared guys," warned Francesca. "I think another Shadow Queen trap is afoot…"

When the smoke cleared, a strange sight resembling the entrance into a city subway was in front of them. A metal stairway led into the earth.

Above it was a sign that read:

**GEARVILLE**

"Gearville?" said Stan, in surprise, taking out the map.

He looked at it.

"Yep, this is right where the picture on the map of the gear is…" he said.

"Well, we found the next town," said Andy with a shrug. "Even if it is… underground."

He started down the stairs.

"Wait, Andy are you sure that's…" started Stan.

Andy continued down the stairs.

"…wise?"

Not knowing what else to do, Stan and Francesca followed him.

As they descended the stairs, they heard the sounds of machinery in the dim light below. Feelings of dread came upon them as they continued…

When they reached the bottom of the stairs, they looked around in awe.

This was hardly a town. It looked like they were in the middle of a huge, clockwork machine.

Everywhere, there were gears, sprockets, gaskets, and pistons, some the size of houses, all turning in tune to one another. The floor was metal, and oil slicks were all over the place.

"This isn't a town!" exclaimed Andy. "This is a huge machine!"

"Guys, maybe we'd better go back the way we came…" muttered Francesca.

They turned, but the exit was gone!

"Okay…" stuttered Stan, "let's not panic."

A flickering light shone in front of them, and a huge form materialized in the center of the vast room…

"PERFECT MACHINE KING?" shouted Stan.

"NOW can we panic?" asked Francesca.

"No problem," grunted Andy, flicking his Disk into position. "I'll just…"

But before he could draw a card, two hatches on the giant Machine's shoulders opened, and it launched a volley of missiles at the three teenagers!

Everything went dark.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Ooh," moaned Francesca, rubbing her head. "Stan? Where's Stan?"

"You fell on him!" grunted Stan.

"Sorry," moaned Fran, getting up.

She looked around.

"Andy…" she said, in panic. "Where's Andy?"

"That sucker-punching junk heap ran off with him," groaned Stan. "I tried to stop him, but with my arm pinned by your shoulder, I couldn't reach my Disk!"

"We've got to find him!" shouted Francesca. "There's no telling what the Queen might have done by now!"

"Calm down," said Stan. "You heard what Merlee said. He has to be defeated in a duel first… And that didn't look like a duel to me…"

"It wasn't," said a male voice.

They looked up.

"If you want to save your friend, follow the red lights," said a female voice.

A group of red lights lit up along the floor.

"I guess we have no choice…" muttered Stan.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The two of them followed the intimidating labyrinth of gaskets and gears. Whoever had designed this place was obviously not in his right mind.

That was an irony lost on them at the moment. Machines like this demanded precision and care to build – most clockworks were orderly. But this one seemed to have no rhyme or reason, and serve no purpose.

Thus, it was both orderly and chaotic at the same time. Who'd have thought that the Shadow Queen would manage the impossible?

Eventually the lights stopped as they entered a huge room; the floor was still metal, and the moving gears and pistons were still present, both on all sides, and above…

But what really shocked them was what was standing in the corner.

It was Andy, but he wasn't well. He had a look of sheer terror on his face…

…frozen on his face…

…and he had apparently been turned into a statue of metal!

"ANDY!" screamed Francesca, running up to him.

She sobbed as she caressed him.

"How could they?" she cried. "When I find out who did this, I'm gonna…"

"Fear not, Francesca," said the male voice they had heard earlier, "Andy is still alive!"

"We just gave him a nice jacketing of titanium to keep him from going anywhere," said the female voice. "The ultimate in restraining devices!"

"Show yourselves, you rotten…" she started to shout.

A loud whir was heard, and two chains with large hooks on them descended from the ceiling. Two figures were hanging onto them. They leapt down the final ten feet.

It was two androids, one male and one female, covered in from-fitting armor.

"Roboyarou and Robolady," scowled Stan. "I figured more Machines were behind this…"

"Normally, we'd recite the Team Rocket motto," chuckled Robolady, "but that old thing's been done to death by now."

"Listen you two buckets of bolts," demanded Francesca. "Let Andy out of that thing, or so help me, I'll…"

"Calm down, Francesca," said Roboyarou. "We have _every_ intention of letting him go!"

Francesca looked stumped.

"Something tells me that it's going to come with a string attached," she accused.

"Uh huh," said Robolady, nodding. "See, in all likelihood, you two won't be going with him…"

The two siblings raised their arms, and shiny Duel Disks appeared on them.

"You're going to have to duel us first," said Roboyarou. "You win, and you're all free to go… We win… you both take his place! But we'll let him go anyway…"

"How thoughtful," muttered Francesca. "But how am I supposed to duel two against one?"

"Don't make us laugh!" chortled Robolady. "We'd bury you in three rounds that way. It will be me and my brother… Against you and Stan. Tag team!"

Francesca looked at Stan.

"We don't seem to have a choice, Francesca…" he muttered.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

In the Palace of Shadow, three people were watching the proceedings – the Shadow Queen, Lord Crump, and Sir Grodus.

"So, Crump," said Grodus, offhand, "where did you come up with this idea?"

"It was simple, really," said Crump with a smile. "Neither Francesca nor Stan have EVER dueled as a team before, much less with each other. But with Roboyarou and Robolady, it's like second nature to them! They can't lose!"

"We'll see," said the Queen. "Or they won't be the only one who loses…"

Crump gulped.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"All right, hold on!" snapped Francesca. "I don't even know how to tag team! This is so… confusing…"

"Well…" chuckled Roboyarou, "let me give you a crash course, so you know we're not making it up as we go along…"

He paused.

"Rule #1. We alternate turns. "I'll go first, followed by you, then my sister, then Stan, and then back to me. No one may attack until everyone has drawn once.

"Rule #2. Everyone starts out with 8,000 Life Points, as usual. If one player's Life Points fall to zero, his or her partner is on his own. However, you must defeat both members of a team for any victory to be achieved.

"Rule #3. Under most conditions, any Monster you summon is only under your jurisdiction. However, you can make a sacrifice, Fusion, or Ritual using one of your partner's Monsters. In that case, said Monster is under the jurisdiction of both partners. You can also use your Monster to defend your partner.

"And finally, rule #4. Magic and Trap Cards that don't target Monsters affect both partners, for bane or benefit.

"I think that should do…"

"Fine," said Francesca.

They all flicked their Disks into position, and eight holo-imagers shot out.

"LET'S DUEL!" they all shouted.

The Life Point counters rose to 8,000 apiece, and they drew their first hands.

_I'll get you out of that thing,_ thought Francesca, looking at Andy. _I promise…_

"As I said, I'll start…" said Roboyarou, drawing his first hand.

He flicked open his Field Slot, and placed a card into it.

"And I'll start by playing Fusion Gate!" he exclaimed.

"Fusion Gate?" gasped Francesca. "That… sounds familiar…"

Frankly, she had been expecting a Machine Monster.

"Fusion Gate is a powerful card…" answered Stan. "So long as it's on the field, anyone can fuse two Monsters together without the need of a Polymerization card – the only 'catch' is that the monsters that they fuse together are removed from play."

"Correct!" exclaimed Roboyarou. "And I'll also place this card facedown, and end my turn."

He played a card in his Disk, and it appeared in front of him.

_No Monsters?_ thought Francesca. _Odd…_

She made her first draw.

"Okay, I'll summon Amazoness Fighter in Attack Mode," she said.

She put a card down, and the muscular Amazon appeared. (1,500/1,300)

"That will be my turn," she said.

Robolady drew, and made a smile.

"Time to make use of this Fusion Gate!" she smirked. "I'm using it to fuse together Gaia the Fierce Knight, and Curse of Dragon!"

She placed two cards into her Disk. First the powerful black knight bearing two lances appeared on his dark steed. Then a fierce yellow dragon with an exoskeleton and batlike wings appeared.

Then they both vanished into swirling colors of black and gold…

"Forming the first of our fused beasts… Gaia the Dragon Champion!"

An intimidating form appeared. It was Gaia, now mounted on Curse of Dragon.

(2,600/2,100)

"Oh, I get it…" muttered Stan.

"Get what?" asked Francesca, as she looked the powerful Monster in the face that, to her utter shock, her opponent had managed to summon in one turn.

"Roboyarou and Robolady are two Monsters that can make not one, but _two_ fusions!" exclaimed Stan. "So their decks are probably designed to make some of the deadliest fusions in existence!"

"It's your turn, Stan," chuckled Robolady.

"Fine," he said drawing.

He put a card in a slot.

"I'll play Pot of Greed…" he started.

"Why thank you!" laughed Roboyarou. "Now I can activate my Trap!"

His Trap Card lifted, showing two wealthy looking sultans sitting behind a pile of money.

"From now on, my Appropriate Trap will enable both me and my sister to draw two cards whenever either of you draw outside your draw phases!"

Stan sneered. He set another card down.

"I summon Mystical Elf in Defense Mode."

The peaceful elf appeared, chanting her spell.

"Back to you, Robo," he said.

Roboyarou drew.

"In that case," he said, "I'll play this Continuous Magic Card…"

He put a card down, and it appeared, showing Gaia the Fierce Knight on his charging horse, aiming his lances.

"Spiral Spear Strike!"

"Why thank you, brother!" laughed Robolady. "It will make a perfect combo with my Monster!"

"What does it do?" gasped Francesca.

"You'll just have to wait and see," chuckled Robolady. "Now it's your turn, Fran."

Francesca drew one card.

_I don't know what their game is,_ she thought, _but with no Monsters to protect him, Roboyarou is wide open for a direct attack!_

"Amazoness Fighter!" she shouted. "Attack Roboyarou directly!"

"FRANCESCA! WAIT!" shouted Stan.

But it was too late. Amazoness Fighter charged…

"Sister, if you would?" chuckled Roboyarou.

"Gaia, intercept the attack!" shouted Robolady.

The Dragon Champion flew to Roboyarou's side and speared Amazoness Fighter through the heart! She groaned and shattered into pixels.

Roboyarou chuckled.

"Did you forget the last part of Rule #3 already?" he asked. "In a two-on-two duel, you're never defenseless so long as your partner has something on her side. Be thankful you don't take any damage from your Fighter's death!"

Francesca growled.

"Fine," she said. "I end my turn."

Robolady drew.

"First I'll play a powerful Magic Card," she stated. "Dark Designator!"

She played it.

"You think we're scared of a card that forces us to add a Monster Card from our decks to our hand?" asked Stan.

"Who said I was using it on either of you?" asked Robolady. "In a tag team, I can use this to target my partner!"

She turned to Roboyarou.

"So tell me, brother, do you have Zombyra the Dark?" she asked.

"Well, let's see…" he muttered, taking out his deck.

He leafed through it.

"What do you know?" he said, taking a card. "Here he is!"

He added it to his hand.

_A team strategy…_ thought Stan. _These guys are pretty good…_

"Now…" stated Robolady, "I'll summon Maryokutai in Attack Mode."

She placed a card down, and what appeared to be a skull-like being in a ball of liquid flame appeared next to Gaia. (900/900)

"Now Gaia," she yelled, "attack Stan's Mystical Elf!"

Gaia flew forward on his mount, skewering Mystical Elf! She was blown to bits.

Stan's Life Points fell to 7,400.

"What?" shouted Stan. "Since when does Gaia have a trampling effect?"

"He does thanks to my brother's Spiral Spear Strike card," explained Robolady. "Also, whenever my Dragon Champion destroys a Monster in Defense Mode with that card on the field, I get to draw two cards…"

She made two draws.

"…and discard one."

She looked over her hand, and then discarded a card.

"Now, Maryokutai, attack Francesca directly!" she ordered.

Flames appeared in Maryokutai's eyes, and it fired twin beams into Fran's chest! She groaned, as her Life Points fell to 7,100.

"Now I'll play a card facedown, and I'll turn it over to you, Stan," she said.

She fit a card into a slot, and it appeared in front of her.

Stan made a draw.

"I play Swords of Revealing Light!" he shouted, slamming a card into a slot.

Roboyarou and Robolady gasped and the swords rained down upon them.

"This should give us an ample amount to work with," gloated Stan. "You can't attack until _both_ of you have made three turns, and by that time, we'll have found a way to get rid of your Dragon Champion."

"Don't count your chickens yet," sneered Robolady.

Stan took another card from his hand.

"I'm not done yet," he said. "I'll summon White Magician Pikeru in Attack Mode."

He put the card down, and the adorable child Spellcaster appeared. (1,200/0)

"Pikeru," he shouted, "attack Maryokutai with sparkle blast!"

Pikeru shot forth a stream of stars…

"Activate Waboku!" shouted Robolady.

Her Trap Card lifted, and the three robed emissaries arose to deflect the blast.

"All right," muttered Stan. "I'll end my turn."

Roboyarou looked annoyed as he drew.

"I'll summon Zombyra the Dark in Attack Mode," he said, putting a card down on his Disk.

He put the card down, and the superhero on the dark side leapt into view. (2,100/500)

"Make your move, Fran," he said.

Francesca drew.

_Hmm,_ she thought. _A plan is forming…_

"I summon Amazoness Chain Master in Attack Mode!" she shouted, placing a card down.

The chain-wielding Amazon in the fur bikini appeared, holding her weapon.

"Chain Master, wipe out Maryokutai with chain rend!" she ordered.

Chain Master swung her weapon, and charged forth, bringing it down on the flaming skull. It burst.

Robolady's Life Points fell to 7,400. The female android growled.

"Your move, gear-girl," growled Fran.

Robolady drew.

"Ergh, I'll pass for this turn…" she growled.

"In that case," said Stan, drawing, "Pikeru would normally grant me 400 Life Points since she's the only Monster I have, but my partner also has one Monster, so let's see how that works out!"

Pikeru waved her staff. Francesca's Life Points went up to 7,900, and Stan's went up to 8,200.

"Looks the total was 800, and we both got the whole bonus!" chuckled Stan.

"You guys learn fast…" said Roboyarou, sarcastically.

"Thanks, Stan," said Francesca, giving him a thumbs-up.

"Now I'll summon Blast Magician in Attack Mode," continued Stan, placing a card down, "and that will be all for my turn."

The flaming sorcerer holding his bladed staff appeared. (1,400/1,700)

Roboyarou made a draw.

"Heh, heh," he chuckled, placing a card into a slot. "Say goodbye to your Swords…"

His card revealed itself – Mystical Space Typhoon! The Swords of Revealing Light shattered!

"Now, Zombyra, attack his Blast Magician!" shouted Roboyarou. "Super-powered punch attack!"

Zombyra flew forward, and clobbered Blast Magician! The Spellcaster vanished in a burst of flame.

Stan's Life Points fell down to 7,500.

"I know Zombyra's weakness, Robo," sneered Stan. "With every attack he makes, he gets weaker! And he also can't attack us directly."

Zombyra's Attack fell down to 1,900.

"Those are both valid concerns," said Roboyarou, "but I don't intend to keep him around for long."

Stan and Francesca didn't like the way he said that.

"My move," said Francesca drawing.

"I play my own Pot of Greed," she said, placing a card into the slot.

"You realize you just activated our Appropriate Trap!" gloated Roboyarou.

As the jar handed Francesca two cards, two cards flew off of the tops of the two siblings' decks.

"I'll take my chances," growled Francesca.

She looked at her new cards and grinned.

"First I'll play… Art Attack!" she announced.

She slid the card into a slot, and her Enchanted Card revealed itself.

"Sister!" exclaimed Roboyarou. "That's one of the cards we were warned about!"

"Don't worry," smiled Fran. "I can't use its effect for three full turns. Now then, I'll summon Amazoness Paladin to the field."

The Amazon general appeared, holding her sword. (1,700/300) –) (1,900/300)

"And now I'll equip her with Burning Soul Sword," she continued, "sacrificing my Chain Master to do so!"

The sword of red metal appeared in the Paladin's hand, and Chain Master vanished. Paladin's Attack briefly fell down to 1,800, but then her skin and clothing turned golden, and her Attack Score skyrocketed! (3,300/300)

"Amazoness Paladin," shouted Francesca, "attack Gaia with burning soul!"

The Paladin screamed a war cry, and leapt into the air, slashing her blade at Gaia the Dragon Champion! He moaned, and then he shattered, followed by his mount.

Robolady's Life Points fell to 6,700.

"That's my turn," chuckled Fran. "But my Paladin is stronger than Kaiba's Blue-Eyes White Dragon now, so unless you've got something stronger, you're both in hot water…"

Robolady's eyes narrowed. She drew a card.

"I play… Monster Reborn…" she said.

"Oh, fine," muttered Francesca. "Bring back your Dragon Champion. I'll just destroy him again…"

"Whoever said I was doing that?" chuckled Robolady. "I'm using this card to bring back my little friend Maryokutai!"

The skull in the orb of fire reappeared. (900/900)

"Now I'll wipe out your Monsters!" she continued. "I play Lightning Vortex!"

She played a card, and then discarded one. Lightning crashed from the ceiling obliterating Amazoness Paladin and White Magician Pikeru!

"Good grief!" gasped Stan and Francesca at once.

"Now then," said Robolady. "I'm going to fuse Maryokutai and Zombyra the Dark using the Fusion Gate!"

The two Monsters swirled into pools of multicolored energy, and swirled together…

A huge, intimidating figure arose. It was a large, alien-looking creature, hunched over, with guns, cannons, and other space-age machinery on his shoulders.

"Meet our newest fusion…" said Robolady. "The Last Warrior From Another Planet!"

(2,350/2,300)

"Allow us to explain how this complex Monster works," chuckled Roboyarou. "This alien creature is so evil, he murdered his entire race so he'd be unique! Thus the title of 'Last Warrior'.

"While he's on the field, no one is allowed to summon, Flip-Summon, or Special Summon a Monster! The only way you can put a Monster on the field is to set one facedown in Defense!"

"And lest we forget," added Roboyarou, "since this is a fusion of both mine and my sister's Monsters, we're both in control of it."

Francesca's eyes narrowed.

"If your Monster requires us to put Monsters in Defense Mode, you'll have a hard time getting at our Life Points," she pointed out.

"We'll see, won't we?" chuckled Robolady. "I believe it's Stan's turn."

Stan made a draw.

He looked at his card.

_Well,_ he thought, _this is the best I can do…_

"A Monster in Defense Mode, and that will be all," he said, placing the card down.

A hidden Monster appeared.

"Lovely," smiled Roboyarou, drawing.

He fit a card into a slot.

"Now I'm Equipping The Last Warrior with Fairy's Meteor Crush!"

A meteor fell from the darkness of the ceiling above, and struck The Last Warrior! He became enshrouded in flames.

"I should have known," sneered Stan. "You had this whole thing planned, didn't you?"

"Isn't it obvious?" asked Roboyarou. "Warrior, attack Stan's facedown Monster!"

The Last Warrior blasted his guns. Neo the Magic Swordsman appeared, and was blown to bits.

"Heh, heh," chuckled Roboyarou. "Too bad you couldn't have set a Monster with a Defense better than _that_! Only 1,000, I believe…"

Stan's Life Points sank to 6,150.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"I must admit, Crump," said the Queen with a smile, "this may be the first good idea you've had in years!"

"So, _that's_ what you look like when you're pleased!" exclaimed Crump. "I've always wondered…

"You know, if you like this idea, I've got a lot of other ideas that I've been writing down…"

He took out a notebook.

"For instance, you know that mechanism in area 5F that we've been working on? I was thinking we could get a…"

The Queen stared at him with a cold glare.

She lifted his chin with her index finger.

"A smart person knows well enough to quit when he's ahead…" she whispered.

"Uh, right," muttered Crump. "I'll do that…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"My turn!" shouted Francesca.

She looked strangely at the card she had drawn.

"Defense Mode!" she shouted, placing a card on her Disk.

Another hidden Monster appeared.

Robolady drew.

"Fine!" she laughed. "You keep setting them up, and we'll keep knocking them down! Warrior, attack her Monster!"

The Last Warrior fired his weapons… A female Warrior with a huge blade appeared on Francesca's card…

"Amazoness Swords Woman?" shrieked Robolady.

"Yep!" exclaimed Francesca with a grin.

Swords Woman was blown to bits.

"There's a downside to that Warrior's effect, isn't there?" said Francesca, with a smile. "You can't see what Monsters you're blowing up. Damage done from a battle involving Swords Woman is done to my opponent, not to me. And since that fused Monster belongs to both of you, you _both_ lose 750 Life Points!"

Roboyarou's Life Points fell to 7,250, and Robolady's fell to 5,950.

"Grrr," growled Robolady. "They're getting awfully clever…"

"Don't worry sister, miracles don't happen twice in a row," assured Roboyarou.

"My turn…" said Stan.

He looked at his card. He looked at his two opponents.

He put a card on his Disk, and a facedown Monster appeared.

"Your turn, rust-bucket," he said to Roboyarou.

"For your information," scowled Roboyarou, drawing, "my sister and I are made of an alloy that's guaranteed not to rust, chip, pit, or corrode for the next five thousand years!"

"You should patent it," chuckled Francesca. "You'd make a fortune."

Roboyarou just stared at them.

"Last Warrior, destroy his facedown Monster!" he shouted.

The Last Warrior From Another Planet fired his guns…

And Old Vindictive Magician appeared on the card! He cast his powerful curse, and both Monsters were blown into pixels.

Roboyarou and Robolady stared at the spot where their Monster had been…

"Gotcha!" said Stan with a smile.

He chuckled.

"Oh course, due to the Fairy Meteor Crush you Equipped it with, I do lose 1,750 Life Points…"

His Life Points fell down to 4,400.

"…but now, whatever race that creature belonged to is now extinct!"

"Okay, fine!" shouted Roboyarou. "I end my turn. But we're far ahead of you!"

Francesca drew.

"Not for long," she said. "I summon Amazoness Priestess, in Attack Mode!"

She put the card down, and the holy Spellcaster in her long skirt and leather bikini top, clutching her crystal-topped staff appeared. (1,500/1,500)

"Since there are four Amazons in my Graveyard, her Attack Score is now 1,900. And all 1,900 points…"

She thought for a minute.

"Are aimed at _you_!" she laughed, pointing to Roboyarou. "Amazoness Priestess, attack Roboyarou directly with spiritual magic attack!"

Amazoness Priestess fired a beam of green energy, striking Roboyarou directly in the chest! He grunted and staggered back.

His Life Points fell to 5,350.

"Not bad," he said. "But if you think that hurt, you're fooling yourself. Machines can't feel pain – one of the advantages they have over organic life forms."

"Maybe so," muttered Francesca, "but Stan and I have something that machines don't have… We have souls!"

Roboyarou and Robolady looked at them for a few minutes after they made that remark. Apparently, that had hurt them in another way…

Robolady's eyes narrowed.

"Well, you don't have to be so mean about it!" she cried. "Is that your turn?"

"Oh, did I hurt what passes for your feelings?" mocked Francesca. "Maybe next time you'll think twice before taking someone's friend and covering him in metal!

"And yeah, it's your turn…"

Robolady drew.

She took a long look at the Art Attack card on Francesca's side.

"I'll place two cards facedown," she said, throwing them into slots, "and that will end my turn."

Two cards appeared in front of her.

_Odd,_ thought Stan, drawing_. No Monsters at all? This has to be a Trap… But if I took a risk, I could do some serious damage…_

He looked at the card he had drawn.

_The Illusory Gentleman… Not exactly the king of Spellcasters, but he's the best I can summon right now…_

"I summon the Illusory Gentleman in Attack Mode!" he shouted, throwing the card down.

The one-eyed, colorfully dressed, Dark Spellcaster appeared, holding aloft his rod. (1,500/1,600)

"Gentleman, attack Robolady with dark illusion!" he shouted.

The Gentleman cast forth a beam of chaotic colors, that blasted forth and plowed into Robolady! She cringed as it hit her.

Her Life Points fell to 4,450.

_No Traps?_ thought Stan. _Odd again…_

"Make your move, Robo," he said.

Roboyarou drew a card.

"Now I'm going to make a move that old Andy was so fond of making!" he exclaimed.

He discarded a card.

"By discarding my Thunder Dragon, I can draw my other two Thunder Dragons from my deck!"

Two more cards flew out of his deck.

"And now, I'll send them through the Fusion Gate!" he laughed.

The two dragon-like lizards, sparking with electricity, appeared and merged together...

And then a horribly familiar, two headed lizard appeared, roaring from its two mouths! (2,800/2,100)

"Twin-Headed Thunder Dragon…" muttered Francesca. "How dare you use one of Andy's favorite fusions?"

"We play to win," gloated Roboyarou. "Now make your move."

"Gladly," said Francesca with a smile. "Because now that three turns have passed, my Art Attack card can come into effect, allowing me to summon four Monsters with an Attack Score of 2,000 or less from my hand or deck!"

Four cards flew out of her deck, and she placed one down.

"First, my second Amazoness Paladin!"

The Amazon general, dressed in white and holding her blade, appeared. (1,700/300)

"Next, another Amazoness Fighter!"

She put a card down, and another muscular Amazon appeared, clenching her massive fists. (1,500/1,300)

"Next, my second Amazoness Swords Woman!"

She put a third card down, and the scantily clad Amazon holding a huge sword appeared, ready to attack. (1,500/1,600)

"And finally, Amazoness Tiger!" she shouted.

She put the fourth card down, and the fierce tigress wearing her spiked leash appeared and roared! (1,100/1,500)

"With five Amazons on the field," threatened Francesca, "my Paladin's Attack Score is a powerful 2,200, and my Tiger's Attack Score is 3,100, more than enough to take down that dragon and finish you off!

"Tiger, attack…"

"Not so fast, Francesca!" shouted Robolady.

One of her Trap Cards lifted.

"I'll blow your Tiger away and blast away a chunk of your Life Points," she gloated, "with Ring of Destruction!"

A ring of grenades appeared around Amazoness Tiger's neck…

"You're a fool!" shouted Francesca. "When that bomb goes off, I may lose 3,100 Life Points, but so will you!"

"No I won't," chuckled Robolady, "thanks to my other Trap Card…"

Her other facedown card lifted.

"Activate Pikeru's Circle of Enchantment!" she shouted.

White Magician Pikeru appeared next to Robolady, and her scepter glowed.

"Do you feel sad, Stan?" commented Robolady. "Sad knowing that one of your Monsters is helping me? This Trap Card protects me from all the damage caused by card effects for one round!"

The Ring of Destruction went off, and Amazoness Tiger exploded! Francesca fell on her rump, and her Life Points fell to 4,800.

Amazoness Paladin's Attack went down to 2,100, but Amazoness Priestess's went _up_ to 2,000.

"All right," growled Francesca. "I end my turn."

Robolady drew. She chuckled.

"Well, my brother's dragon can make short work of your Monsters until I can make another fusion," she giggled. "Until then, I'll work on weakening your Life Points. I play Tremendous Fire!"

She fit a card into a slot.

"This may cost me 500 Life Points…"

Her Life Points fell to 3,950.

"…but it will cost you each 1,000!"

Bonfires erupted around Stan and Francesca, and they screamed!

Stan's Life Points fell to 3,400, and Francesca's fell to 3,800.

"Your move, Stan," she gloated.

Stan growled as he drew.

_Nuts,_ he thought.

"I'll shift The Illusory Gentleman into Defense Mode, and that will be all," he said.

He turned the card, and the Gentleman knelt.

Roboyarou drew.

"Wow, I haven't had this much fun in ages!" he laughed.

He fit a card into a slot.

"Time to fry again, kiddies!" he laughed. "I play Meteor of Destruction!"

Flames appeared in the ceiling, and two balls of fire crashed down, striking Stan and Francesca.

They collapsed, as their Life Points fell to 2,400 and 2,800, respectively.

"Francesca, are you okay?" asked Stan, struggling to his feet.

"Define 'okay'…" muttered Fran, pulling herself up.

"Twin-Headed Thunder Dragon, attack her Amazoness Priestess!" shouted Roboyarou.

Twin-Headed Thunder Dragon blasted lightning from his twin mouths, and the Priestess was blown away.

Fran's Life Points fell to 2,000.

"Aw, NUTS!" cursed Fran. "In all the commotion, I forgot to move her into Defense Mode! How could I have been so stupid?"

"Fran, get ahold of yourself!" shouted Stan. "Concentrate! Remember, we're trying to save Andy!"

That seemed to move Fran back to her senses a little.

"Ahem!" said Roboyarou, "we're still in a duel here, remember? I'll keep you guessing by placing one card facedown, and ending my turn."

He threw the card into a slot, and they materialized.

"Okay," said Francesca, under her breath. "It's my move…"

She drew a card.

She was surprised by what she had drawn.

"I sacrifice my Fighter to summon Penumbral Soldier Lady!" she shouted.

Amazoness Fighter vanished, and was replaced by the beautiful Warrior of Darkness. (2,100/1,400)

Amazoness Paladin's Attack fell down to 1,900, but Fran didn't seem to care.

"And since your dragon is a creature of Light," commented Francesca, "she can destroy it easily! Penumbral Soldier Lady, slay his dragon with Sword of Shadows!"

Penumbral Soldier Lady leapt up and cleaved the huge dragon in half! It shattered into shards. Roboyarou's Life Points fell to 5,050.

"I guess those facedown cards were just bluffs," said Francesca with a determined look. "Paladin, attack Roboyarou directly!"

Amazoness Paladin leapt up, and brought her sword down on the wicked android. He gasped and fell over. His Life Points fell 3,150.

"Swords Woman!" continued Francesca, "attack his sister's Life Points directly!"

Swords Woman brandished her blade, and charged forward, striking Robolady! She fell over, her Life Points falling to 2,450.

"Your turn, Robo-bitch," she said.

Robolady gave her a glare. She drew.

"I'll play two cards facedown, and that will be all," she said.

She threw two cards into slots, and they appeared before her.

Stan drew.

_Double Spell…_ he thought, looking at it. _Hmm…_

"Hey," he chuckled, "I just got the craziest idea…"

He put the card into a slot, and discarded his Magic Formula.

"I'm playing Double Spell, and using it to duplicate your Tremendous Fire!"

His Life Points fell to 1,900, and bonfires erupted around Roboyarou and Robolady! They screamed!

Roboyarou's Life Points fell to 2,150, and Robolady's fell to 1,450.

_Now, this will be a risk,_ thought Stan, _but I might be able to finish Robolady off!_

"I'm switching The Illusory Gentleman to Attack Mode," he shouted, turning the card.

The Gentleman rose up to attack position.

"Gentleman, attack Robolady now!"

The Gentleman prepared to fire his dark illusion…

"I activate Waboku!" shouted Robolady.

The Trap Card lifted, and the three cowled emissaries rose up to protect her.

"And that's not all," she said, "I also activate… Scapegoat!"

Her Quickplay Magic Card lifted, and four fluffy, multicolored sheep appeared.

"All right," muttered Stan. "Guess we'll have to hack through them the hard way. "I end my turn."

"That's what you think," chuckled Roboyarou, drawing.

He slid a card into a slot.

"I'll refresh all our hands with Card of Sanctity!"

A blue flash lit up the ceiling, and they all drew until their hands were full.

"Now I'll summon… Baby Dragon!"

He put the card down, and the cute-looking infant dragon appeared with a squeak. (1,200/700)

"What are you going to do with that?" asked Stan.

"I'll show you in a minute," chuckled Roboyarou. "For now I reveal my Trap Card… DNA Surgery!"

His Trap lifted, and a huge double helix appeared over the field.

"This Trap transforms all Monsters on the field into any Type I choose, and I choose Dragon!"

Stan's Gentleman, Francesca's Warriors, and even the Scapegoats all became scaly and lizard-like from the transformation.

"What's the point?" asked Francesca.

"I needed to do it for my next fusion!" laughed Roboyarou.

"Bull!" shouted Francesca. "What are you going to fuse?"

"ALL of the Monsters on our side!" laughed Roboyarou. "The Monster I'm about to create can only be unleashed by fusing five Dragons!"

Baby Dragon, and then the four Scapegoats all were sucked into a dark portal…

And then darkness enshrouded the field. A wave of what seemed to be pure evil descended on the four duelists.

Five horrible heads emerged from the portal. The center one was pitch black. To its sides were a scaly green head, and a yellow head in an aura of electricity. To the sides of _those_ were a head made of metal, and a head made entirely of flame!

The five-headed dragon stood aloft, its muscular, pale, hulking body supporting its fierce heads, which roared in bloodlust…

"Meet the incredible **_Five God Dragon_**!" shouted Roboyarou and Robolady together.

(5,000/5,000)

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The Shadow Queen sat up and took notice.

"Five God Dragon?" she exclaimed. "Crump, did you know they could do that?"

"Heh, heh…" chuckled Crump, "well, I don't like to brag…"

The Queen reclined in her chair.

"I am impressed, Crump," she said. "Grodus, take note… once this is over, he's getting a raise."

Crump smiled in delight.

"Um, I'm afraid I don't have any paper, sire," said Grodus, searching his robes.

"Ah, that's okay," said the Queen, offhand. "I'm sure I'll remember it. In the meantime, let's just watch the fun…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Francesca and Andy stared in fear at the sight of the colossal Dragon…

"We aren't scared of your big, bad, Dragon!" lied Stan. "We'll find someway to defeat it!"

"That may be difficult," laughed Roboyarou, "don't forget, since it was created via fusion of both mine and my sister's Monsters, she can control it on her next turn, leaving you no time to shift your Illusory Gentleman into Defense Mode, Stan!"

"And also," added Robolady, "wait until you hear about this creature's effect! It can't be attacked by most Monsters! Creatures of Wind, Fire, Earth, Water, and Darkness can't come near it! Only Monsters of Light are allowed to attack it!"

"And just to make your defeat absolute…" said Roboyarou.

He slid a Magic Card into a slot.

"I'm playing Destroy Defense!" he laughed. "This will keep the both of you from defending for three full turns. Not that we need that long to finish you!

"Time to make your last move, Francesca!"

Francesca thought.

_There's only two Monsters in my whole deck that could possibly help now…_ she thought. _And if I don't get one of them on this draw, we're finished!_

Her hand reached for her deck… She closed her eyes…

_For Andy…_ she thought.

She drew…

She looked at the card.

_Unbelievable…_ she thought. _This gal can take out that Dragon… only problem is, she'll take ME out with it. But maybe it will give Stan one last chance…_

She threw the card down on her Disk.

"I summon… D.D. Warrior Lady!" she shouted. "In Attack Mode!"

A beautiful woman in armor with a glowing sword materialized. (1,500/1,600)

"So, that was the best you could do, huh?" chuckled Robolady.

"I'll have you know," growled Francesca, "that D.D. Warrior Lady is a Monster of Light! That means she's permitted to attack your Dragon!"

"Big deal!" laughed Roboyarou. "Her Attack Points are over three times too weak!"

"Yeah?" responded Francesca, with a sinister grin, "well, she's gonna attack… _anyway_!"

She pointed.

"D.D. Warrior Lady…" she commanded.

The Warrior lifted her sword…

"Fran!" shouted Stan. "NOOOOO!"

"She's nuts!" gasped Roboyarou.

"…attack Five God Dragon!" yelled Francesca.

D.D. Warrior Lady leapt into the air!

Five God Dragon's five mouths belched forth a blast of fire, a gust of wind, a bolt of electricity, a cone of frost, and a beam of pure darkness…

D.D. Warrior Lady was eradicated…

Francesca's Life Points fell to zero…

"HA!" laughed Robolady. "That was the stupidest move I've ever seen!"

Francesca smiled.

"Oh yeah?" she said. "Take a closer look…"

Lightning flashed on the ceiling, and a huge black hole opened! Mythic Dragon howled, as it sucked through and into oblivion!

"Heh, heh," chuckled Francesca. "D.D. Warrior Lady may have lost, but any Monster that she manages to attack is banished to the Different Dimension, gone and removed from play!"

She took off her Duel Disk and set it on the ground.

"I may have had to deplete all my Life Points," she continued, "but your strongest Monster is gone, and now maybe Stan will have a chance!"

Roboyarou and Robolady stared in disbelief where their Dragon had been.

Finally, Robolady spoke up.

"Very clever," sneered Robolady. "But you'll soon find that you didn't help either of your friends at all. And just to make sure you don't try to get away, you can keep Andy company!"

She lifted her arm, and fired a beam of gold that struck Francesca! She struggled as she was lifted off the ground!

Roboyarou and Robolady chuckled, as she was moved to where Andy was. And then, metal started to form around her!

"ACK!" shouted Francesca. "NO!"

She looked at Stan.

"Don't let them win, Stan!" she screamed.

And then, metal covered her face, and she was silent.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"What did I tell you?" laughed Crump. "They've already beaten Fran!"

"What are you talking about?" sighed the Queen. "She lost on purpose!"

"Well, technically, but…"

"Still," said the Queen with a smile, "this has made your two duelists' job much easier. I estimate Stan will be in over his head in just a few minutes.

"It's too bad I'm going to have to let Andy go after this is over. But his spirit should be broken enough to take care of him easily.

"And within the hour, I'll have two nice statues to find a place for…

"What do you think Grodus? Would Francesca look better in the dining room or lounge?"

"Mmm, dining room, definitely," he answered.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Stan looked over at his two titanium-jacketed friends. Rage filled him.

For a moment, his worst fear had been realized…

Francesca had been defeated… And the Shadow Queen had claimed her…

"Francesca…" he muttered in anger. "I _will_ avenge you!"

"I know what you're thinking," said Roboyarou. "You're worried about what's going to happen to Francesca. Well, let me put at least _some_ fears to rest."

He paused.

"I'm not going to lie to you – in all likelihood, she'll remain a titanium-coated statue until the end of time – as will you!

"But you still have a chance to save her Stan, however slim it might be…

"Remember the last part of Rule #2 of a tag team? _Both_ partners must be defeated for a victory to be achieved. So if by some miracle you happen to win this duel, you'll get her back safe and sound.

"Of course, your chances of winning now are a little less than infinitesimally small and a little better than nonexistent."

Stan looked to his side. Francesca's Disk was lying on the floor where she had been standing, and it must still have been working, because Amazoness Paladin, Amazoness Swords Woman, and Penumbral Soldier Lady were still there.

He looked at his hand, and an idea started to come to him – but his next draw had best be something good…

"In fact, the chances of you actually winning are zero," said Robolady. "Because it's my turn…"

She drew.

"…and you'll soon see that Francesca's noble sacrifice was for naught. Know why?"

She put two cards on her disk.

"Because I'm using the Fusion Gate to fuse my Des Kangaroo with Big Koala!"

Two Monsters appeared on her side of the field. The first was a tough looking kangaroo with green fur, boxing gloves, a purple jacket and red sneakers. The second was an enormous koala with blue fur and huge claws.

They swirled into a multicolored blur of green and blue…

A huge form arose out of the appeared…

It was easily thirty feet tall. It looked like a huge, green teddy bear, with a face like a pug or a bulldog and a long tail, wearing the same jacket, sneakers, and boxing gloves as Des Kangaroo! It had a pouch on its stomach with strange objects inside it.

"Meet Master of Oz!" laughed Robolady.

(4,200/3,700)

"Okay, that's impressive…" stuttered Stan.

"Make your move…" said Robolady, evilly.

Stan drew.

"I play Graceful Charity!" he shouted.

He plugged the card into a slot, and the beautiful angel flew out and handed him three cards.

"What a dope," laughed Roboyarou. "Don't you know that our Appropriate card is still in effect?"

Both of them drew two more cards.

Stand handed the angel his Sibling Rivalry and Ebon Magician Curran.

"You two are finished," he said. "I have in my hands the right cards to do you in! You might have noticed that, while Francesca took herself out, three of her Monsters remain!"

"So?" gloated Roboyarou. "You can't control them, even if they were strong enough."

"No, but I can sacrifice them!" exclaimed Stan. "Thus, I sacrifice her Swords Woman and her Paladin to summon Dark Magician of Chaos!"

The two Warriors vanished, and the mighty Chaos mage appeared out of the shadows! (2,800/2,600)

"And I'm not done!" continued Stan. "You may have forgotten that Fusion Gate is a Field Card, meaning I can use it too! Thus, I'm using it to fuse together my Dark Magician and my Buster Blader!"

He put two cards on his Disk. The mighty Dark Magician appeared, followed by the powerful Buster Blader…

And the two of them vanished into their own vortex!

A tall, imposing form appeared…

It looked like Dark Magician in fancy armor, carrying an elaborate sword!

"Bonded together, they form a Spellcaster of unparalleled might!" exclaimed Stan. **"DARK PALADIN!"**

(2,900/2,400)

"Oh, we're so scared," laughed Robolady. "Neither of your Spellcasters comes close to being able to beat Master of Oz!"

"Then you obviously don't know about Dark Paladin's special ability!" replied Stan. "He gains 500 Attack Points for every Dragon on the field, and in every players' Graveyards.

"First there's the Gaia the Dragon Champion in Robolady's Graveyard…

And also, your DNA Surgery card is still in effect! That makes Master of Oz, Dark Magician of Chaos, Penumbral Soldier Lady, The Illusory Gentleman, and even Dark Paladin himself all Dragons, for a grand total of six Dragons!"

Dark Paladin glowed with a blazing dark aura! (5,900/2,400)

"Now I'll just place one card facedown," said Stan, placing a card into a slot, "and I'll turn it over to you, Roboyarou."

Roboyarou chuckled.

"Heh, heh," he chuckled. "Ha, ha… HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA!"

He paused.

"You made a fatal mistake Stan!" he laughed. "Namely, your Illusory Gentleman! You couldn't shift him into Defense Mode due to my Destroy Defense card, and now we don't even have to worry about your Paladin! All my sister has to do is attack your Gentleman, and you lose!"

"So I'll just draw, and pass," he said, drawing. "Sister, finish him off!"

"Gladly," said Robolady making a draw. "Master of Oz, destroy his Illusory Gentleman! Thunder from down under!"

Master of Oz raised his fist, and shot forth a shockwave towards the Illusory Gentleman…

"Activate Spellbinding Circle!" shouted Stan.

His Trap Card lifted, and the attack was halted! Master of Oz roared as it was trapped in the shimmering pentagram!

It's Attack fell down to 3,500.

"A Trap…" gasped Robolady. "He set a Trap…"

"Yes!" said Stan with a grin. "And the Gentleman was my bait!

"And you fell for it…"

The two androids stared in disbelief…

"And now it's my move!" shouted Stan, making a draw.

"Dark Paladin, attack Master of Oz with enchanted dark blade attack!"

Dark Paladin held a finger in front of his face. He traced the finger along his sword, and magical runes danced around the blade.

Then he leapt up into the air, bringing the sword down on Master of Oz! The great Beast exploded, and Robolady's Life Points tumbled to zero!

"Dark Magician of Chaos," shouted Stan, "attack Roboyarou directly with chaos scepter blast!"

Dark Magician of Chaos spun his scepter, and smashed it to the ground, forming a shockwave that threw Roboyarou off of his feet! His Life Points fell to nothing!

The smoke cleared, and the holo-imagers shut down. the two androids were on their knees, sobbing.

"How…" wept Robolady. "How could we lose?"

"Well, you lost!" shouted Stan. "Now release Andy and Francesca NOW!"

Robolady moaned. She raised her hand, and the metal encasing Andy and Francesca shattered.

The two of them fell to the floor. They gasped for breath.

"Stan…" gasped Francesca. "You won…"

Andy slowly got to his feet.

"Yeah, he won," he snarled angrily. "And now I'm going to send these two jerks to the recycling plant! Somebody find a screwdriver!"

"I dunno, Andy," said Stan with a smile. "I think that whatever the Shadow Queen has planned for them would be worse…"

Roboyarou and Robolady moaned.

"Okay, fine," muttered Andy to the two of them. "LEAVE."

The two Duel Monsters got up and started to walk away, hanging their heads.

"Faster!" demanded Andy.

The two of them vanished.

A chuckle was heard from the shadows.

"Well done, Stan and Francesca!" it said.

"Who's that?" exclaimed Andy, rubbing his joins.

Merlee walked out of the shadows…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Fifteen minutes later, Roboyarou and Robolady were on their knees in front of a slightly annoyed Shadow Queen. Grodus was behind her, and Crump was _way_ behind her.

"There was nothing we could do!" begged Roboyarou. "We tried our best!"

"Please don't send us to the Graveyard!" pleaded Robolady. "We can be useful… We can do other things…"

The Queen rubbed her chin.

"Oh, fine," she said.

She turned to Grodus.

"Grodus!" she ordered. "Find something simple for these glorified dishwashers to do. Why not… Say, not a bad idea – put them to work washing dishes or something."

The two Monsters groaned.

"You heard the lady!" ordered Grodus, grabbing them by the shoulders.

The Queen waited for them to be escorted out before she spoke again.

"Crump…" she said.

"Yes?" squeaked Crump.

"It appears your plan didn't work," sighed the Queen.

Crump was more scared than he'd been in years.

"Uh…" he said sweating. "So, what are you going to do to me?"

"Nothing," answered the Queen.

Crump shook like a leaf.

"Well then at least let me…" he started. "Excuse me, did you just say 'nothing'?"

"Yes," replied the Queen, getting up. "Your suggestions may have failed, but you can't ignore the fact that they came closer than anyone else has thus far. It wasn't a bad plan Crump, so I'm willing to let this slide.

"So you can go back to spying on those brats for now."

There was a long pause.

"Well, get going!"

Crump ran out of the room.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

As Andy sat rubbing his joints, Merlee handed him a bottle of ointment.

"Use this," he said. "It will take care of even the worst stiffness within minutes."

"Um, thanks…" muttered Andy.

"As for you two," he sighed, turning to Stan and Francesca, "I guess it's true what they say – history canrepeat itself. Francesca, what you did was a noble act that has not been seen in this land since the time your ancestors set foot in Gearville."

"What?" asked Francesca. "Something like this happened here before?"

"Indeed," replied Merlee. "And it mirrored the duel that you just took part in, in a way. Gearville was originally built to house a powerful holy artifact called the Master Cog. This item was created by ancient wizards called the Lords of Order, and it had the power to grant any wish – but only once.

"The Queen feared this item immensely. She could not use it, because only a being of order could use it, and she was a being of chaos.

"So to keep it from being used against her, she set two of her most powerful henchmen in Gearville to guard it. They knew much about Shadow magic, having been taught by her personally.

"In their quest, the three heroes found out about the Master Cog, and sought to obtain it – one wish was all they needed to banish the Shadow Queen to oblivion. But the two henchmen were not going down without a fight. Two of the Three would have to defeat them in a Shadow Game before they could obtain the Cog.

"Anyway, the Dragon Master knew he was outclassed, so the Warrior Queen and the Dark Sorcerer accepted their challenge. During the Shadow Game, both teams were equally matched – until the two henchmen called upon a terrible unholy power to call forth a horribledemon lordthat seemed unstoppable – much like the Five God Dragon.

"And just like you did Francesca, your forbearer used a special power to destroy the demon in order to save her partner's life – but in order to do it, she had to sacrifice all of her life energy, dying in the attempt.

"Fueled by grief and anger, the Dark Sorcerer defeated the two henchmen, eradicating them. He had won.

"The two remaining heroes had the Master Cog – they now had the power to defeat their enemy… But their friend was dead. They knew that the Cog had the power to grant any wish, even return a mortal soul from death…

"But it could only grant _one_ wish…

"So they had a choice to make; either defeat the Shadow Queen here and now, or restore their friend.

"They decided they couldn't continue without her. They made the second choice, hoping that they could defeat the Shadow Queen some other way."

Francesca took a minute to take this in.

"I guess you're right," she said. "History can repeat itself…"

"Indeed," said Merlee. "Now come, I know the way out of this accursed place."

The gears of Gearville continued to turn, as the visitors made their way out, leaving the huge machine behind.

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**Coming up next:**_

**_It's full speed ahead to Keelhaul Key, but Andy gets sidetracked by a duel on the way. Find out what "Sweet Feast" does, as he goes up against a duelist with a difficult-to-combat deck! It's all in a chapter called "Grave Situation" coming soon._**


	22. Grave Situation

_One long-time reviewer was worried that Andy's next opponent used Fiends. Well, no. The duelist in this chapter uses creatures far more benign than Fiends._

_But see for yourself:_

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**Who can fully fathom the strange mysteries of ancient Egypt?**_

_**It was one of the most advanced civilizations of its time. Before the invention of forged iron tools, its people managed to build such wondrous architecture as the Great Pyramids of Gaza and the Sphinx. **_

_**And, I almost hesitate to mention…**_

_**It is said that there is where the Shadow Games were born.**_

_**Thus, ancient Egypt holds the origins of Duel Monsters, and you'd assume that a great deal of the cards used in the game would reflect upon such a theme.**_

_**I'm about to be thrust into that world in a big way…**_

_**The wonders of Egypt have opened their doors, and I hope I can handle them…**_

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Grave Situation**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

It was one hour after the fateful duel with Roboyarou and Robolady. Stan, Francesca, and Andy hadn't managed to lose Merlee since then. He was following a slight distance behind. Whether it was to watch, guide, protect, or a combination of such, they didn't know.

At any rate, the terrain had changed, and they were walking on a pathway overlooking the beach. From what they could see of the sun, they were now on the north part of Monster Island – they were now on the opposite side of it from Rogueport.

Andy had been humiliated at having been taken prisoner, and he was almost hoping that one of the Queen's goons would attack them again. He'd show him a thing or two. But it seemed that the Queen didn't want to mess with them at the moment.

"Take it easy, Andy," said Stan, "if you want to duel so much, we'll just find another contestant for you to get it out of your system."

"Indeed," said Merlee, coming up. "Tell me, are you f-f-fond of… art?"

"Art?" asked Francesca.

Merlee pointed to a large slab of rock, where someone was writing on it with colored chalk.

They walked up. From behind, they saw the youngster – he was dressed in clothing that seemed to suggest the leather buckskins worn by southwestern Native Americans.

And the picture he was drawing on the rock seemed to confirm it. The drawing consisted of what appeared to be a group of totemic animals, arranged in a pattern.

He turned and noticed them.

"Do you mind?" he snapped.

They now saw him clearly. Although he was dressed as a Native American, he clearly wasn't one. His skin was unmistakably Caucasian, his hair was light blonde, and his eyes were sea green. He seemed about their age.

"I'm sorry," muttered Francesca.

She looked at the drawing.

"You do good work…"

He stared at her.

"I didn't ask," he remarked.

"HEY," yelled Andy. "That's no way to talk to a girl you…"

He stopped, he didn't want to get him angrier, although it was a mystery to him why he was so angry in the first place.

The boy continued putting the finishing touches on his drawing.

"I felt it in my bones the moment I set foot on this island," he said. "This place has evil spirits residing on it, and I just know that they reside behind the Thousand Year Door…"

He put his chalk away.

"The totem spirit signs I'm leaving around might offer some level of balance," he said, "but I'm going to get to that Door, and I'm going to root out that evil… _personally…_"

"Actually…" started Andy.

The boy picked up a Duel Disk and slipped it on his arm.

"…and I just need two more Crystal Cards to qualify," he said. "So which of you is it going to be?"

Andy was a little pissed at this guy's attitude. Maybe he wanted to do good, but he was awfully rude about it.

"I don't duel people who don't give their names, buddy," he said.

"I don't have one," answered the boy. "I gave up my real name a long time ago. If you need to identify me, just call me Chico."

"Chico?" asked Andy.

"Spanish for 'Boy'," whispered Francesca.

Andy just stared at him for a minute.

"All right, Chico, fine," said Andy, "but I don't intend to lose."

"Neither do I," said Chico.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

As Andy started to shuffle his deck, Merlee came up behind him.

"Andy," he warned, "be c-c-careful. I can sense things about duelists, and I sense that Chico is no rookie. He m-m-may be rude, but his Heart is strong. If you are to defeat him, yours must be str-str-stronger…"

"I'll do my best," said Andy.

They stood twenty feet apart on the beach, and loaded their decks into their Disks.

"Ready Andy?" asked Chico. "Prepare to face a force as ancient as civilization itself!"

The holo-imagers shot out of the Disks, and they swung into place. The Life Point counters set to 8,000 apiece.

"LET'S DUEL!" they both shouted.

_I'd best see what I'm up against,_ thought Andy as he drew his first hand.

"You can go first, Chico," he said.

Chico made his first draw, and looked at the card.

Methodically, he opened his Field Slot, and slid a card into it.

"I play Necrovalley," he said.

"Necro-what?" said Andy.

Suddenly, a drastic change came over the beach! The whole area turned into a sparkling desert, with huge canyons on either side. Odd caves were dug into the canyons, and far beyond Chico, the Pyramids and the Sphinx rose into view.

"What's the point?" asked Andy.

"Within this five-thousand year old burial ground," explained Chico, "graves and tombs are considered sacred! Thus, most cards which affect our Graveyards simply do not work in Necrovalley."

_Nuts,_ thought Andy. _Even Monster Reborn?_

"Even Monster Reborn," said Chico, as if he had said it out loud. "In addition, Necrovalley has guardians, and they make up the main force of the Monsters in my deck. These guardians all gain a 500-point bonus to their Attack and Defense Scores while defending this place.

"But rather than summon one now, I chose to summon this sorcerer…"

He took a card from his hand, and placed it on his Disk.

"I summon A Man With Wdjat, in Attack Mode!"

He put the card down, and a tall Egyptian man in a red robe and cowl appeared. He wore a golden amulet, and a strange golden eye was on his forehead. Blue flames wisped from his palms. (1,600/1,600)

"Wdjat?" asked Andy. "Uh… how do you spell that?"

Chico sighed and put his hand to his forehead.

"Does _everyone_ have to ask that?" he groaned. "Look it up later! Geesh! It's your move!"

"Fine!" said Andy drawing.

_Well, what do you know,_ he thought, looking at the card.

He added it to his hand.

"I'll summon The Dragon Dwelling in the Cave in Defense Mode," he stated.

He put the card down, and the rocky, sleepy Dragon appeared. (1,300/2,000)

"And now I'll place _three_ cards facedown!" he exclaimed, throwing three cards into slots.

The three cards flashed into existence behind the Dragon.

"And that's my turn," he said.

Chico stared at him.

"You think you can hide behind Traps?" he said, mockingly. "Nothing can hide from A Man With Wdjat's powerful third eye!"

"Say what?" asked Andy.

Chico drew.

"Once per each of my Standby Phases, A Man With Wdjat can reveal to me the identity of any card you try to hide from me, Andy! So Wdjat, revel to me his card on the far right!"

A Man With Wdjat's third eye glowed, and an image of Threatening Roar appeared over the card.

"Simple enough," said Chico. "To keep you guessing, I'll place a card of my own facedown, and end my turn."

He fit a card into a slot, and it appeared behind A Man With Wdjat.

Andy drew.

He added the card to his hand.

"Well then, Chico," he said, "I'm playing this card… Sweet Feast!"

He played the card, and a cornucopia overflowing with delicacies appeared.

"Sweat Feast?" asked Chico, raising an eyebrow.

"This card is so powerful," answered Andy, "that if I choose to play it, I can't play any other cards on my turn! It takes the Monster on the field with the most stars – both of our Monsters have four – and adds 1,000 Life Points to my score times the number of stars!"

His Life Points shot up to 12,000!

"Also," continued Andy, "I get to draw one card for every star!"

Four cards flew out of his deck, and he caught them.

"Like I said, I can't play any other cards, so it's your turn."

Merlee smiled.

"Where'd you get a card that powerful?" asked Chico, making a draw.

"Long story," sighed Andy.

"Well then," said Chico, "Wdjat, reveal to me Andy's middle card!"

A Man With Wdjat's third eye glowed, and an image of Dragon's Rage appeared over the facedown card.

"Hmm, I'll have to watch what I put in Defense Mode," said Chico. "Now it's time to meet one of the guardians I was taking about…"

He placed a card on his Disk.

"I summon Gravekeeper's Curse, in Attack Mode!"

A nomad in a dark, dusty robe appeared, carrying a crooked staff. He was surrounded by glowing green energy. (800/800) –) (1,300/1,300)

"When this Spellcaster is summoned in _any_ way," commented Chico, "he blasts you directly for 500 Life Points!"

Gravekeeper's Curse spun his staff and fired a beam of magic at Andy, sending him staggering back. His Life Points fell to 11,500.

"Gravekeepers?" asked Francesca.

"I've heard of these Monsters," whispered Stan. "Spellcasters with strange powers… most of them tied to Necrovalley… Andy might be in trouble…"

"Your move," said Chico.

Andy drew.

"Your Curse may get a boost from your Field Card, commented Andy, "but he's still pretty weak! I summon Luster Dragon #1!"

The giant sapphire appeared, and it burst into the beautiful blue Dragon. (1,900/1,600)

"Luster Dragon," shouted Andy, "attack his Curse with sapphire flash blast!"

Luster Dragon shot forth his beam of energy, blowing Gravekeeper's Curse away.

"Not bad," commented Chico, as his Life Points fell to 7,400, "but I assure you that the Gravekeepers have much more powerful members."

He drew a card.

"Wdjat, show to me the last card on his side!" he ordered.

Once again, A Man With Wdjat's third eye glowed, and an image appeared above the card.

"The Dragon's Bead, I see," commented Chico. "Pointless. My deck is rather short on Traps that it could counter.

"Nonetheless, I'm activating my own Trap…"

His Trap Card lifted.

"Rite Of Spirit!" he exclaimed. "This Trap lets me revive one Gravekeeper from my Graveyard! And with only one there, you can guess who's coming back…"

Gravekeeper's Curse appeared in front of him again! Again, he aimed his staff and blasted Andy!

Andy's Life Points fell to 11,000.

"HEY!" shouted Andy. "I thought you said cards that affected the Graveyards didn't work!"

"I said _most_, not all," corrected Chico. "You should have assumed Andy, that this being the Gravekeepers domain, they'd know ways around the rules."

He put a card down.

"And I'm about to show you another one. I sacrifice my Curse to summon Gravekeeper's Chief!"

The Curse vanished, and another nomad appeared, this one with a white robe with black trimmings. He had a black goatee, and carried a golden staff topped with a golden winged snake. (1,900/1,700) –) (2,400/2,200)

"So long as this Spellcaster is on my side of the field," said Chico, "Necrovalley's negative effect on the Graveyards only applies to you, not me. Also, by summoning him, I get to revive one other Gravekeeper from my Graveyard…"

Gravekeeper's Curse reappeared on the field once more. (800/800) –) (1,300/1,300)

"Not again…" moaned Andy.

Gravekeeper's Curse spun his staff and blasted Andy a third time!

His Life Points fell to 10,500.

"OOH!" shouted Andy. "I'm really starting to hate that guy!"

"Gravekeeper's Chief," ordered Chico, "attack his Luster Dragon with ancient magic!"

"I activate Threatening Roar!" shouted Andy.

His Trap Card lifted, and the great beast appeared behind him, letting out his bellow and halting the nomad.

"You knew I had that Trap," muttered Andy. "And yet you tried to attack…"

"Fool," said Chico. "I ordered an attack to get you to waste it. Now I don't need to worry about it any more. Really, you are dense…"

"And _you're_ just plain rude!" shouted Andy. "Didn't your parents ever teach you any manners?"

Chico clenched his fist.

"_Which_ parents?" he asked. "The people I _now_ call my family, or the two slimes who left me to die when I was only six?"

Andy stopped short. Stan and Francesca gasped.

"Stop and look at me for a second, Andy, and think for a minute why I'm dressed like this, and why I put so much trust in the spirits of the natural world. I wasn't born this way – but my cruel parents lead me to a brighter destiny…"

He paused.

"I have a feeling you're going to tell me…" muttered Andy. "And I'm all ears…"

Chico paused again, and then he spoke.

"When I was only six, they took me on a picnic in the Arizona desert, where they abandoned me like a piece of garbage. I don't even know where they are now, and I don't care."

"I had no idea…" muttered Andy. "I'm sorry…"

"You know, a lot of people think that the desert is always hot, but it isn't. At night, it gets bitter cold. After freezing for half the night, I thought I was a goner.

"And then the man who I now call my father found me. He was the leader of a splinter group from a larger community of Navajo. His small group was in charge of an important duty – maintaining their tribe's sacred burial ground. He gave me a place to stay and food, and I was grateful for it. But I knew that I wasn't saved for nothing. There was a reason he found me – a purpose. He always believed that.

"I had a destiny."

_Odd,_ thought Francesca. _This guy might be able to help us… if he wasn't so arrogant…_

"Of course," continued Chico, "the thing is, watching over a burial ground doesn't make much of a profit, so my new father's group did what most Native Americans did to earn money – those who don't run casinos. They kept their lands open to tourists. It was via them that I eventually learned about Duel Monsters. I was intrigued. When I brought the idea up to my father, I was met with surprising approval. He thought a game of strategy might be good for the mind.

"I scrimped and saved to build a deck; I did much more than my fair share of chores in order to earn money to buy cards. Deciding on a Gravekeeper theme came naturally. The Gravekeepers guard tombs – my adoptive father guarded tombs. I duel in his honor.

"I know that I didn't come to this Island by accident. Something here has upset the natural order, and I want to know what it is. I'll get to the Thousand Year Door – and once this evil is defeated, my destiny will be fulfilled.

"And I believe it's your turn."

"Fine," said Andy, drawing.

He switched cards on his Disk.

"I'll sacrifice Luster Dragon #1, for the stronger Luster Dragon #2!"

His first Luster Dragon shattered, and the larger, stronger, emerald Dragon appeared. (2,400/1,400)

"Go!" he shouted, "attack his Gravekeeper's Curse with emerald flash blast!"

Luster Dragon prepared to fire its attack…

Chico discarded a card…

Gravekeeper's Curse was seemingly consumed by green fire, and Chico's Life Points fell to 6,300.

But when the smoke cleared, Gravekeeper's Curse was still there.

"Huh?" asked Andy. "He survived?"

Then a ghostly form appeared behind Chico. It resembled a golden sarcophagus with two glowing eyes behind it.

"I discarded a card called Charm of Shabti," answered Chico. "The power of this item protects all Gravekeepers on my side from death for the rest of the round."

Andy sighed.

"Fine," he said, "your move."

Chico drew.

He placed a card into a slot.

"I'll play Mystical Space Typhoon, to destroy your Dragon's Rage!" he shouted.

The whirlwind whipped across the field, blowing away the Trap Card.

"Now," he said, "I'll place a Monster facedown in Defense Mode…"

He placed the card down, and a concealed Monster appeared.

"I'll also shift Gravekeeper's Curse to Defense Mode," he continued.

He turned the card, and Gravekeeper's Curse knelt.

"Now, Gravekeeper's Chief, attack his Dragon Dwelling in the Cave!"

Gravekeeper's Chief chanted in a mysterious language, and shot forth a beam of golden energy! The Dragon was blown away.

"And with that, I conclude my turn," said Chico.

"This doesn't look good," muttered Francesca.

"Don't worry," assured Stan, "thanks to that Sweet Feast card, Andy has far more Life Points, and more of a hand to use."

Andy drew.

"I'll summon Masked Dragon in Defense Mode," he proclaimed.

He put his card down, and the young Dragon of Fire appeared, folding its wings. (1,400/1,100)

"Luster Dragon, attack his Curse!" he shouted.

Luster Dragon shot forth his blast, and Gravekeeper's Curse was blown away again.

"Boy, that was therapeutic," he said. "Your move."

"Indeed," said Chico, making a draw.

"I'll play Pot of Greed to give me more to work with," he said, playing the Magic Card.

He played the card, and the enchanted jar handed him two more cards.

"Now, I'll flip my facedown Monster into Attack Mode," he said. "Reveal… A Cat of Ill Omen!"

His card flipped, revealing a small, black cat with a golden necklace shaped like a claw. (500/300)

"Since Necrovalley is on the field, A Cat of Ill Omen's flip-effect allows me to search my deck for one Trap Card and add it to my hand," explained Chico.

A card slipped out of his deck, and he took it.

"But I think I'll save it for later instead of setting it now," he continued. "In the meantime, I'll summon another Gravekeeper to the field…"

He put a card down.

"Meet my Gravekeeper's Assailant!"

A dark shadow appeared on the field, and a shadowy assassin appeared out of it. He was dressed in black robes, a cowl, and a mask, and carried a long dagger. (1,500/1,500) –) (2,000/2,000)

Even though his Dragon was stronger, Andy started sweating at the sight of the spooky assassin. What secrets was _this_ guy hiding?

"Assailant," ordered Chico, "attack his Luster Dragon!"

Gravekeeper's Assailant lifted his dagger…

"Are you nuts?" shouted Andy. "He'll be destroyed!"

"I beg to differ!" said Chico, with a smile.

Luster Dragon folded its wings and bowed its head.

"Huh?" said Andy. "It's switching to Defense Mode?"

"When Necrovalley is active, Gravekeeper's Assailant can switch the battle position of his target during an attack!" laughed Chico. "Your Life Points will be spared, but your Dragon dies!"

The Assailant drove his dagger into Luster Dragon's neck, and the huge beast shattered!

"Gravekeeper's Chief, blow away his Masked Dragon!" ordered Chico.

The Chief chanted his spell, and Masked Dragon was blown into shards.

"Well, Andy?" asked Chico. "I know you're allowed to summon a Dragon with a low Attack Score now…"

"Man, this guy is good…" muttered Francesca.

Andy pulled a card out of his Disk, and placed it down. Another Masked Dragon appeared.

"Man With Wdjat, attack the second one with Eye of Wdjat!" ordered Chico.

A Man With Wdjat chanted a spell, and a beam of energy shot from his third eye, blowing the second Masked Dragon away.

Andy drew another card from his deck, and placed a third Masked Dragon on his Disk. It appeared in Defense Mode.

"Well, make your move," said Chico.

"I'll move, all right," muttered Andy.

He drew.

_All right!_ he thought.

He added it to his hand, and took another card. He switched cards on his Disk.

"I'll sacrifice Masked Dragon to summon Des Volstgalph!" he exclaimed.

Masked Dragon vanished, and the huge desert-dwelling Dragon appeared. (2,200/1,700)

"Des Volstgalph attack A Man With Wdjat!" he shouted.

Des Volstgalph fired his sandy breath weapon, and the sorcerer gasped. He was blown to shards.

Chico's Life Points fell to 5,700.

"And when Des Volstgalph destroys a Monster, you lose an additional 500 Life Points!" exclaimed Andy.

Chico's score fell to 5,200.

"Now I'm placing a card facedown, and ending my turn," said Andy. "Just _try_ to figure out what it is this time!"

He placed the card in a slot, and it materialized in front of him.

"Very well," said Chico.

He made a draw. He looked at the card.

"I'll place a Monster facedown in Defense Mode…" he said.

He placed the card, and a concealed Monster appeared.

"Activate… Burst Breath!" shouted Andy.

His Trap Card lifted, and Des Volstgalph blasted an onslaught of flaming energy from its jaws! Chico covered his eyes…

"Yes!" shouted Francesca, "I love that move!"

When the smoke cleared, Gravekeeper's Assailant, Gravekeeper's Chief, A Cat of Ill Omen, and Des Volstgalph itself had been wiped out. The only thing remaining was Chico's facedown Monster.

Chico scowled.

"I end my turn," he said.

Andy drew.

"I summon Koumori Dragon in Attack Mode!" he exclaimed.

He put his card down, and the small Dragon of Darkness appeared. (1,500/1,200)

"Koumori Dragon, attack his facedown Monster!" shouted Andy.

"_Andy, NO!"_ screamed Francesca mentally.

Koumori Dragon shot a wave of flames at the facedown card.

And a beefy, bald man wearing a loose robe and carrying a thin staff appeared on the card. He fended off the flames with his staff. (1,000/1,900) –) (1,500/2,400)

"That was a mistake, Andy," said Chico. "Gravekeeper's Guard has a high Defense even without Necrovalley."

Andy's Life Points fell to 9,600.

"And also," said Chico, "since you flipped him, your Monster is returned to your hand."

Koumori Dragon vanished, spat out of the Disk. Andy caught it.

"All right then," snarled Andy. "It's your move."

Chico drew.

He looked at the Trap Card.

_Hmm,_ he thought. _This will be good for later…_

"I'm shifting Gravekeeper's Guard to Attack Mode," he said, turning the card.

He turned the card, and Gravekeeper's Guard stood up, ready to attack.

"Gravekeeper's Guard, attack Andy directly with power of the guardian!"

Gravekeeper's Guard swung his staff, and fired a blast of dark magic at Andy! Andy cringed as he was hit in the chest.

His Life Points fell to 8,100.

"Impressive," groaned Andy. "Anything else?"

"Yes," said Chico. "I'll set another Monster facedown in Defense Mode."

He set the card, and yet another concealed Monster appeared.

"Your move."

Andy drew.

_Twin-Headed Behemoth,_ he thought, looking at it. _This might be the answer… If his Necrovalley has limits…_

"I summon Twin-Headed Behemoth in Attack Mode!" he exclaimed.

He threw the card down, and the winged, two-headed Dragon appeared. (1,500/1,200)

"Behemoth," shouted Andy. "Attack Gravekeeper's Guard!"

"They'll destroy each other!" shouted Francesca.

"I think that's what Andy has in mind…" answered Stan.

Behemoth shot forth a burst of flame; Gravekeeper's Guard fought it off with his dark spell. There was an explosion, and both Monsters were blown to pieces.

Then, a gust of wind blew over Andy's side, and Twin-Headed Behemoth returned. (1,000/1,200)

"Don't you r-r-remember, Francesca?" noted Merlee. "Twin-Headed Behemoth has to be killed _twice_ to be defeated. And although it was s-s-sent to the Graveyard when it was destroyed, Necrovalley has no effect on cards whose effects activate while actually _in_ the Graveyard. So the Field Card didn't prevent Behemoth from c-c-coming back."

"Your move Chico," said Andy, with a smile.

Chico drew.

He made a forced smile.

"I play the magical Book of Taiyou!" he announced, placing a Magic Card into a slot.

A mystical spellbook with a golden cover and the image of the sun appeared.

"This Magic Card changes my facedown Monster to face-up Attack Mode," he said, "activating its effect."

Another Cat of Ill Omen appeared where the card had been. (500/300)

Another card slipped out of Chico's deck, and he added it to his hand.

"Now, since that wasn't a flip-summon, I'll move my Cat back to Defense Mode…"

He turned the card, and the Cat curled up in a sitting position.

"And now I'll place three cards facedown, ending my turn."

He quickly threw three of his four cards into slots, and they appeared in a flash.

_Three facedown cards? _though Andy. _This could be dangerous…_

He looked at his hand. He drew.

_Lovely, I draw Monster Reborn. This is useless! _

_Well, I've gotta do something…_

"I'll summon Koumori Dragon again…" he started, putting a card down.

The Dark Dragon reappeared.

"I'm activating all _three_ of my Traps!" shouted Chico.

"ALL THREE?" exclaimed Andy.

"Yes!" replied Chico. "Slowly, I've been gathering these special Traps… rare Traps known as Trap Monsters!"

"Trap Monsters?" gasped Stan and Francesca, looking at each other.

The Trap Cards lifted, and purple, heavy smoke started to pour from them…

"These cards are hard to come by, Andy!" said Chico. "I worked my fingers to the bone building stone walls for my father for three months in order to earn the money to buy these three rare cards, but it was worth it! This unique card activates like a Trap, but attacks like a Monster!"

Three shadowy forms appeared on the field.

"I give you… **_Embodiment of Apophis!_**"

The three creatures that appeared on the field were beyond belief. From the waist up, they were human – sort of. They had two heads, one of which was bald and human-like with black skin, and the other, situated behind the human one, was a fierce serpent. The things had no legs, having a snaky trunk from the waist down. Their whole bodies were scaly, and they carried swords. (1,600/1,800 x3)

"Ewww!" gasped Francesca.

Andy nervously reached for his Disk…

"I'll shift my Twin-Headed Behemoth into Defense Mode," he gulped.

Twin-Headed Behemoth folded its wings.

"Koumori Dragon, attack his cat!"

Koumori Dragon shot forth his flame, and A Cat of Ill Omen was burned away.

"That's my turn," said Andy, nervously.

Chico drew.

_I'll save this,_ he thought, looking at the Magic Card.

"Go Apophis!" he shouted. "Attack his Behemoth!"

One of the serpents slashed through Behemoth, shattering it.

"And his Koumori Dragon!" he shouted.

The second one beheaded the Dragon, and it was blown to shards.

"And attack directly!" he yelled.

The third one slashed at Andy with its sword, and he fell over.

Andy groaned. His Life Points fell to 6,400.

"All right," groaned Andy. "Now it's my move…"

He drew.

He added the card to his hand and chose another one.

"I summon Troop Dragon, in Defense Mode," he stated.

He put the card down, and the three Dragon soldiers appeared, kneeling in Defense. (700/600)

_When one is destroyed, I can summon another,_ he thought, _so I guess I'm safe for now._

Chico drew.

"You think you're safe putting that Troop Dragon in Defense Mode?" he asked.

He placed a card down.

"I summon Gravekeeper's Spear Soldier in Attack Mode!"

A new nomad, this one clad in black robes and carrying a fancy spear, appeared in attack position. (1,500/1,000) –) (2,000/1,500)

"I'll bet you think Spear Soldier looks pretty sharp," chuckled Chico, "that's because he is! His piercing blow can damage you even by striking a Monster in Defense Mode! Spear Soldier, attack his Troop Dragon with ancient spear strike!"

The Gravekeeper's spear glowed with dark magic. He lunged forward and blew Troop Dragon to pieces.

Andy's Life Points fell to 5,000.

Andy drew another card from his deck, and placed it on his Disk. A new Troop Dragon appeared.

"Embodiment of Apophis, destroy it!" shouted Chico.

One of the serpents charged, and struck it down.

Andy gritted his teeth and summoned the third one, only to have it destroyed by the second one.

Francesca and Stan watched in horror as the third Embodiment of Apophis slashed at Andy again!

His Life Points fell to 3,400.

"Merlee!" gasped Fran. "Is Andy going to lose?"

"I don't kn-kn-know," said Merlee. "Chico is a powerful duelist. However, his d-d-deck and the strategy he is using right now does have one major w-w-weakness…"

"Weakness?" muttered Stan. "Oh, I get it!"

"What?" asked Francesca.

"Francesca," said Stan, "most of Chico's Monsters are weak without Necrovalley. If Andy could somehow find a way to get rid of the Field, he'd regain control!"

"I just wish he could," sighed Francesca.

Andy got to his feet. He drew.

_Well, well,_ he thought. _What have we here?_

"Lookee what I drew, Chico," he said. "Heavy Storm!"

"NOT THAT!" exclaimed Chico.

"So, those snakes of yours are Traps, right?" asked Andy. "So maybe this Magic Card will wipe them out just like any other Trap! Let's find out…"

He threw the card into a slot…

What happened next could best be described as a sandstorm. Necrovalley quickly turned to dust and eroded, changing the playing field back to the serene beach. The three Embodiments of Apophis also eroded into dust, until nothing was left.

He had lost his Dragon's Bead card as well, but Chico himself said that he didn't truly need it.

Chico started to sweat.

"I've done more than destroy your snakes, Chico," said Andy. "By getting rid of Necrovalley, your Spear Soldier is considerably weakened.

Spear Soldier's stats were now (1,500/1,000)

"And since Necrovalley is gone," continued Andy, I can now play this – Monster Reborn!"

He fit the card into a slot, and the holy symbol appeared.

"I'll use it to bring back my old friend Des Volstgalph!" announced Andy.

Des Volstgalph reappeared with a roar! (2,200/1,700)

"Des Volstgalph, attack his Spear Soldier!" shouted Andy.

The Dragon breathed forth his scorching breath, and Gravekeeper's Spear Soldier was annihilated.

Chico's Life Points fell to 4,200, and then fell again to 3,700.

"Your move," said Andy.

Chico drew.

_Ergh,_ he thought. _Why couldn't I have gotten this guy one round sooner?_

He looked at the Magic Card in his hand.

_Should I use this now? Hmm. Maybe… not yet._

"I'll place a Monster facedown in Defense Mode," he said, placing a card facedown.

Another hidden Monster appeared.

"And it's your move."

_Likely something else with a flip effect,_ said Andy, drawing.

He looked at the card.

_Well, if it isn't my old friend Koops_! he thought. _Might as well use him…_

"I summon Koops the Bashful in Attack Mode!" he exclaimed.

He put the card down, and the shy-looking anthropomorphic turtle appeared. (1,800/500).

He waved to Des Volstgalph, who acknowledged him with a growl.

"Des Volstgalph, attack his facedown Monster!" shouted Andy.

Des Volstgalph attacked.

A female nomad in a tight black robe appeared on the card. She cringed as she was blown away.

Chico's Life Points fell to 3,200.

"That was my Gravekeeper's Spy," said Chico. "And since you flipped her, I get to Special Summon any Gravekeeper from my deck with an Attack Score of 1,500 or less…"

A card slipped out of his deck…

"So I'll summon another Gravekeeper's Curse, in Defense Mode!"

Another Curse appeared. (800/800)

Andy screamed as he blasted him with his spell again, and his Life Points fell slightly to 2,900.

"Okay, it's now official!" shouted Andy. "I _hate_ that guy! Koops, attack the Curse with Power Shell!"

Koops retracted his head and limbs into his shell, and shot forward, blasting Gravekeeper's Curse out of existence.

"Your Monster moves awfully fast for a turtle," commented Chico.

"What?" asked Andy. "Was that a compliment?"

"Eh, I don't even know anymore," sighed Chico.

"Then make your move," said Andy.

"Fine," said Chico, drawing.

_Time to use this…_ he thought, taking another card.

"I play Swords of Revealing Light!"

He played the card, and the blazing energy swords shot forward, surrounding Andy.

"That will be all for my turn."

"Ugh, fine," said Andy.

He drew.

"In that case, I pass for this turn."

But he really didn't like passing right now. With seven cards in his hand, that meant he had to make a discard. He discarded his Super Rejuvenation.

_This had best be a Monster that I can summon,_ thought Chico.

He drew.

"I summon Gravekeeper's Vassal in Defense Mode," he said.

He put the card down, and a small, sneaky, weasly man clad in rags appeared. (700/500)

"That will end my turn," he said.

"Oo-kay," said Andy, drawing.

He looked at the card.

"I pass again…"

He discarded his Polymerization.

Chico drew.

"I summon Gravekeeper's Cannonholder, in Defense Mode," he said.

He put another card down, and yet another nomad appeared, this one wearing loose black robes, and carrying what appeared to be an ancient cannon or bazooka of some sort on his shoulder. (1,400/1,200)

"Huh?" asked Andy. "What does he do?"

"With Cannonholder on the field," explained Chico, "I can sacrifice a Gravekeeper, other than himself, and inflict 700 points of direct damage to my opponent."

"Aw geeze," muttered Andy.

"So I _could_ sacrifice my Vassal right now," continued Chico, "but rather than do so, I'll end my turn there."

Andy looked at him strangely for a minute or two.

_Well that's odd,_ he thought, drawing.

"I don't like this, Stan," said Francesca. "Chico is definitely planning something, and it can't be good news for Andy."

"I know," muttered Stan. "But there's precious little we can do about it…"

"Ugh, I pass again," grunted Andy.

He discarded his Warrior Dai Grepher. The Swords vanished.

"Then it's time to truly take control of this duel!" shouted Chico, making a draw.

He placed a card down on his Disk.

"I sacrifice both my Gravekeepers…" he said.

The Vassal and the Cannonholder vanished.

"To summon Mystical Knight of Jackal!"

A bright light shone on his side, and a tall form stepped out. It was a tall, brown-skinned man, with the head of a fierce jackal. He wore a green breastplate, kilt, shoulder guards, gauntlets, and headdress, a blue cape, and held golden punch daggers in both hands. He shone with a blinding brilliance! (2,700/1,200)

"And just in case," he said, I'll play Gravekeeper's Blessing," he said.

He slid a card into his Disk, and a beautiful priestess in a white robe appeared over the field, and chanted a spell.

"This Magic Card restores my Life Points by 200 for every Gravekeeper in my Graveyard," explained Chico. "And I count eight."

His life points went up to 4,800. Des Volstgalph's Attack Score went up to 2,400, but that wasn't enough…

"Now my Jackal," commanded Chico, "attack his Des Volstgalph!"

Mystical Knight of Jackal raised his daggers, and they blazed with golden fire! He flew forward, and plunged them into the Dragon, blowing it to pieces!

Andy's Life Points fell to 2,600.

And then, a card formed on the top of Andy's deck.

"Huh?" said Andy, puzzled.

"I should tell you about Mystical Knight of Jackal's effect," said Chico. "Whenever he destroys a Monster… well, make your draw, and see for yourself."

Andy drew.

The card was Des Volstgalph.

"See?" said Chico, with a smile. "Whenever he destroys one of your Monsters, that Monster's cardis 'spun' tothe top of your deck!

"You probably can realize the strategy behind this Monster – he can keep you from drawing any new cards! There are relatively few Monsters that I know of that can be summoned with one sacrifice that can defeat a Monster with this high an Attack Score, so unless you have a Magic or Trap Card in your hand right now that can defeat Mystical Knight of Jackal…

"…you might as well surrender."

"Oh no…" said Francesca, almost ready to cry.

But Andy just gave a slight smirk.

"Actually Chico, I'm not only going to take out your Jackal, but I'm going to win the duel right now. And the Monster I'm going to summon to do it doesn't need a sacrifice at all!"

"WHAT?" said Chico, shocked.

Andy put a card down.

"I summon Spirit Ryu!" he shouted.

The strange, spiritual Dragon appeared next to Koops. (1,000/1,000)

"Ah heh,"chuckledChico nervously. "You need at least two more Dragons in your hand for that to work…"

Chico was sweating – he knew that Andy had at least one – Des Volstgalph.

"Accounted for," said Andy. "There are benefits to keeping a large hand. I have _five_ Dragons!

"Spirit Ryu, attack his Jackal with sonic flash attack!"

He discarded five of his six remaining cards, and images of Des Volstgalph, Cave Dragon, Spear Dragon, Grey Wing, and Red Eyes Darkness Dragon appeared behind him! Spirit Ryu's Attack Score shot up to 6,000, and he shot forth a wave of sonic energy, ripping Mystical Knight of Jackal apart!

Chico could only stare, as his Life Points fell to 1,500.

"Now Koops," shouted Andy, "attack directly with Power Shell, and finish this!"

Koops retracted into his shell and zoomed forward, striking Chico in the stomach! He gasped and fell over.

The duel was over.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Well," said Chico, handing over a Crystal Card, "I may have failed this time, but I swear on the spirits of my adopted people that I will make it to the Thousand Year Door, and I will put an end to the evil that resides there. I won't fail in that regard."

"Chico," said Francesca. "Hold up. We didn't get a chance to tell you, but we know about the evil on this island, and we're trying to fight it too."

Chico looked at her.

"Do tell," he said.

"Why don't you come with us?" suggested Stan. "We'd make good team. There's power in unity, you know."

Chico chuckled.

"Sorry," he said, "I appreciate the offer, but I've worked alone all my life. No one has ever helped me except my adoptive father and his tribe, and I never wanted anyone else's help. I'm not about to change my ways now. If you're truly working towards the same goal as I am, we'd likely drag each other down…"

"But..." started Andy.

"Still, I can tell you're good duelists," noted Chico, "so I'll part with… advice. No matter how bleak it seems, no matter what obstacles life throws you, don't lose hope. Have faith in your skills and your abilities, and mostly in yourself.

"You will prevail."

He slung his satchel over his shoulder and started to walk off. Andy almost ran after him.

"Let him g-g-go, Andy," said Merlee. "I think we will likely see him again. But he must f-f-follow his own path."

He sighed.

"And I'm afraid I m-m-must leave you now as well," he added. "I can shield myself from the Queen's s-s-sight temporarily, but not forever.

"Keep following the beach. The t-t-town of Keelhaul Key is less than a mile away. And good luck…

"Especially you, Francesca."

He started to walk away.

"What do you mean, especially me?" she asked.

But he was gone.

The three teens sighed.

"You've got six cards, Andy!" exclaimed Francesca. "Only one more, and you'll be allowed in the Thousand Year Door!"

"I know," muttered Andy. "But what then?"

**0**

**0**

**0**

**GRAVEKEEPER'S BLESSING (Magic Card) **

Card Specs

**Type: **Magic  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description: **Image of a female priest in a white robe chanting a spell. Restore your Life Points by 200 for every Monster Card with the name "Gravekeeper's" in it in your Graveyard. This card is unaffected by "Necrovalley".

_Note: "Gravekeeper's Blessing" was used in "City of Souls"_

**0**

**0**

**0**

**SWEET FEAST (Magic Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Magic  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description: **Image of a cornucopia overflowing with gourmet delicacies. If you use this card, you may not play or set any other cards during the turn you play this card. Increase your Life Points by 1,000 times the level of the Monster currently on the field with the highest level, and draw a number of cards equal to the level of the same Monster.

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**Coming up next:**_

**_The team arrives in Keelhaul Key, only to be attacked by… pirates! (Didn't see that coming.) And their leader is none other than Maria, the Shadow Spawn of Water! Francesca duels against this watery witch, and what happens during the course of the conflict might be unexpected. Don't miss "Jolly Roger", coming soon._**


	23. Jolly Roger

_Someone asked me if any of the Companions would be made into Fusion Monsters._

_Answer: I cannot reveal all the secrets of the Magnificent Seven. But they have a lot of secrets._

_So enjoy the next chapter. By the way, any similarities to the story in the beginning and that of the intro to a popular anime is intentional._

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**When your parents taught you how to swim, they likely told you many times:**_

"_**A little water can't hurt you."**_

_**They were full of it.**_

_**Water can be dangerous, and I don't mean just the dangers of drowning. Most dangerous weather conditions involve water, and the seas are full of lethal animals.**_

_**And in the game of Duel Monsters, the Water Attribute has many deadly creatures, as well as many Magic and Trap Cards designed to help them. A duelist that I've heard of named Mako Tsunami knew that well. **_

_**The Amazons were a strong people, but their experience with water was limited to simple fishing. The sea was a frightening place for them that they didn't dare challenge.**_

_**But now I have to lead them in facing that fear – even though they are the exact opposite…**_

…_**of fish out of water.**_

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Jolly Roger**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

Their watches said 4:30 PM.

As the team saw buildings starting to appear along the beach, they also heard polka music.

Eventually, they saw the source of the music. As they wandered into the small town, made of wooden buildings close to a dock, an old man was sitting next to a large statue playing an accordion.

They stopped for a minute to listen. Then they turned to the statue.

It was a very old bronze statue, depicting a tall, handsome man in an elaborate pirate outfit.

The man with the accordion finished his song and spoke up.

"You're interested in Cortez, aren't ye?" he asked.

"Who was he?" asked Francesca.

The man chuckled.

"Only one of the greatest pirates ever to sail the Spanish main one thousand years ago!" he exclaimed. "He used this island as his base."

He paused.

"Cortez was a fearless pirate, and one of the most successful," he continued. "He had everything… Glory, fame, power… women…"

He chuckled.

"And boy, was he rich! He plundered lands wherever there was a port, acquiring treasure beyond imagining!

"But eventually, his life of piracy came to end – when he was caught. The authorities apprehended him… but they didn't find a single coin of all the treasure he had stolen."

"Weird…" pondered Andy.

"Ye don't know the weirdest part yet," continued the man. "It seemed like the whole world turned out to witness Cortez's execution. Before he was hung from the gallows, the executioner asked him if he had any last words. And he said, 'Why yes, yes I do.'

"And he told the whole crowd:

"'Ladies and gentlemen, you might be wondering what became of all the treasure I acquired in my long career. Well, I hid it – all of it in one place, and it's yours for the taking. If you find it and claim it for yourself, I assure you that you and your children will be rich for the rest of your lives.

"'But if you want to claim even a brass ring of it, you'd best be prepared to duel.'

"And in one thousand years, Cortez's treasure has never been found, nor has anyone discovered what he meant by 'duel'."

Stan shrugged.

"Well," he said, "do you know where we can get a bite to eat around here?"

The man pointed to a large building which looked like a restaurant.

"Take my advice," he warned. "Stay away from the oysters."

"We'll keep that in mind," answered Stan.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

A lot of people were around when they exited the restaurant.

"You must really like grilled swordfish," commented Andy to Francesca.

"Yeah," answered Fran. "Say, you know the best way to grill a swordfish?"

Andy shook his head.

"Ask him a lot of tough questions!" laughed Francesca.

Andy and Stan moaned.

"You think that crazy story about Cortez is real?" asked Andy. "Treasure beyond imagining that you'd have to win in a duel?"

"Dunno…" muttered Stan. "Maybe…"

Then there was a loud explosion coming from the surf… Like a cannon fire!

They saw a ship appear out of the haze, and before they could take this in, an object the size of a medicine ball came hurtling towards the shore!

The object landed and exploded, sending townsfolk screaming!

The three teens got a look at the ship. Its sails had the image of skulls and crossbones painted on them!

"PIRATES!" shouted Andy.

"And they're blasting Mega Thunderballs at us!" screamed Francesca.

"That's not just a pirate ship…" said a woman in fright. "That's the _Sea Witch_!"

"The who?" asked Andy.

There was no time for explanations. The ship was coming closer…

Stan activated his Disk, and slid a card into a slot.

A group of cannons boomed from the ship, blasting another volley of Thunderballs!

"NEGATE ATTACK!" shouted Stan.

He activated his Trap, and the Thunderballs detonated against an invisible shield.

"That only lasted once," said Francesca in fear. "We can't fight a whole ship!"

The ship closed in. Green bursts of energy flew forth from it.

They materialized into humanoid forms.

"Yeah?" answered Andy. "Well maybe we can fight off the crew…"

The creatures loomed in front of them. They were fiendish, fat, green humanoids, dressed in expensive clothing laden with jewelry. They held cutlasses in their right hands, and what looked like Pots of Greed in their left. (1,000/1,800)

"Those are Goblins of Greed!" exclaimed Francesca.

"Who else did you expect to be manning a pirate ship?" snarled Andy, drawing a card.

He threw it on his Disk.

"Go, Divine Dragon Ragnarok!"

The wise, cloudy dragon appeared. (1,500/1,000)

Fran pulled out a card.

"Beautiful Headhuntress, go!" she shouted.

The young woman in her kimono, carrying an executioner's cleaver appeared. (1,600/800)

Stan threw a card down.

"Neo the Magic Swordsman, go!" he shouted.

The sorcerer carrying a glowing magical blade appeared. (1,700/1,000)

"Attack!" they shouted at once.

Divine Dragon Ragnarok blasted a beam of light, obliterating a group of the goblins! Beautiful Headhuntress slashed with her cleaver; she beheaded two in one blow, and they shattered! Neo drove his sword through two others, blowing them to pieces.

The _Sea Witch_ started to pull into the harbor…

The Goblins of Greed started to flee towards the ship.

"Ha!" laughed Francesca. "Looks like they're running scared!"

Then a hideous creature burst out of the surf! The best way to describe it was a scaly, humanoid frog, with vicious claws and teeth! (2,400/2,000)

"No…" shouted Andy. "They were waiting for backup!"

"An Amphibian Beast?" shouted Francesca. "No fair!"

The aquatic Monster pounced! It slashed though Divine Dragon Ragnarok, and the Dragon was blown apart. It clawed at Neo, and he was shattered.

Amphibian Beast looked Beautiful Headhuntress in the eye… She squeaked in terror…

It pounced on her, tearing her to shreds!

"Good work, me pet," said a female voice.

They all looked, and saw someone descending from the ship to the dock. It was a teenage girl about seventeen years old, decked out in pirate clothing. She had everything – the seventeenth century buccaneer clothing, the jewelry, bandana, a cutlass by her hip… She even wore an eyepatch over her left eye.

She pat the Amphibian Beast on the head.

"Brave duelists ye be," she chuckled, "but yer Monsters be no match fer mine."

"Who are you?" asked Francesca. "You sure don't look like a pirate…"

"Why?" asked the girl. "Because I be a beautiful young girl?"

"No," said Francesca, rolling her eyes, "mainly because you don't have a parrot on your shoulder."

The Goblins all chuckled.

Meanwhile, the townsfolk all cowered in fright. Obviously they had seen this individual before.

"Yer a spunky one Francesca," said the girl. "Obviously ye don't know who yer up against. I'm one of the Shadow Spawn! Maria, Spawn of Water!"

She pointed.

"And we're gonna duel right now, unless ye want me crew to make the folk of this here town walk the plank!"

"You wouldn't…" muttered Francesca.

"She would!" stammered a frightened man behind her. "She's crazy!"

"All right Maria," snarled Francesca. "Call off your goons and we'll duel… Your four siblings weren't so tough – I'm willing to bet you aren't much tougher!"

_I don't need ta be tough ta beat ye, Francesca,_ thought Maria. _This duel is already as good as mine._

She closed her right eye… And saw herself, just as Francesca was looking at her.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Ten minutes later, the two of them were standing on the beach. Maria with her back to the ocean. Stan and Andy were behind Francesca, and the townsfolk were all watching from a safe distance.

Maria chuckled. "Now this be a treat!" she laughed. "I could use a good audience while I pummel you!"

"Don't get your hopes up," warned Francesca.

"I could be sayin' the same ta you," dared Maria.

She drew her sword and pointed it at Francesca.

"Prepare ta meet Davy Jones!" she threatened.

"Put that away before you poke your _other_ eye out!" ordered Francesca.

Maria chuckled and sheathed it.

She raised her left arm, and it was engulfed by water. Slowly, the blob of water formed into a shiny green Duel Disk.

"Very pretty," mocked Francesca. "Let's get this over with…"

The holo-imagers shot out of their Disks, and they snapped into position.

"DUEL!" they both said.

They both drew five cards.

Francesca studied her hand.

_Oh, nice cards, Francesca,_ thought Maria, with an inward chuckle.

She grinned.

_Foolish damsel, did ye really think that someone as powerful as the Shadow Queen would let her daughter suffer the loss of an eye? What ye don't know is, this patch has a spell of clairvoyance on it – and I can use it to see though anyone else's eyes, even yours…_

_So there's nothing ye can hide from me…_

She drew her first card, and looked at her hand.

_And seein' as the Monster you'll most likely send out first will be yer Amazoness Paladin, I'll be prepared!_

"Here we go, ye Amazon maiden!" she laughed. "I'll set a Monster in Defense Mode, and end my turn!"

She threw a card down, and a hidden Monster appeared on the sand.

"That's a pretty weak opening move," snarled Francesca, drawing.

She looked at the card, and then reached for Amazoness Paladin.

_That's it,_ thought Maria.

"I summon Amazoness Paladin, in Attack Mode!" shouted Francesca.

She threw the card down on her Disk, and the beautiful Paladin appeared. (1,700/300) –) (1,800/300)

"ATTACK!" shouted Francesca.

Paladin lifted her sword, and ran forward… A short figure appeared on the card. It was a sinister looking penguin dressed in a tuxedo and a dumpy top hat. (900/1,800)

"What the heck?" said Fran, in surprise.

"A penguin?" asked Stan.

"Meet my Nightmare Penguin!" laughed Maria. "A flightless bird, but one with style! Since its Defense equals yer Paladin's Attack, that battle was a draw – and since ye flipped it…"

Paladin vanished, and her card slipped off of Francesca's Disk.

"…her card is returned to yer hand!"

"Ooh, fine!" grunted Francesca. "Make your move…"

"This isn't good…" muttered Andy.

Maria drew.

"In that case," she chuckled. "I'll shift it into Attack Mode…"

She turned the card, and it rose up.

"…and its other effect grants all Water Monsters, itself included, 200 extra Attack Points!"

(1,100/1,800)

"Go, Nightmare Penguin!" she shouted. "Put Francesca on ice!"

Nightmare Penguin squawked, and shot forth a beam of ice from its flippers! Francesca cringed as she was frozen in a block of ice!

"Francesca!" screamed Andy.

The ice shattered, and Francesca fell to her knees. Her Life Points fell to 6,900.

She drew a card.

"You want to play dirty?" she asked. "Then let's get dirty!"

She placed a card down.

"Amazoness Chain Master in Attack Mode!" she shouted.

Chain Master walked forward, casually swinging her chain. (1,500/1,300)

"Chain Master, carve up that bird with chain rend!" shouted Francesca.

Chain Master twirled the chain and threw it, smashing Nightmare Penguin to bits!

Maria's Life Points fell to 7,600.

"Heh, heh, not bad…" chuckled Maria.

"Make your move…" dared Fran.

Maria drew.

_Yes,_ she thought. _Just the card I need to bring out my signature combo…_

She opened her Field Slot.

"I play… A Legendary Ocean!" she shouted, throwing a card into it.

The results were dramatic. A huge tidal wave appeared in the ocean behind Maria!

"RUN!" screamed Andy.

Francesca braced herself, as the great tsunami crashed into the shore, swamping the entire beach. When she opened her eyes again, she and her opponent were waist-deep in water, and a beautiful aquatic palace was behind Maria.

Amazon Chain Master looked around nervously, as if the water made her uncomfortable…

"Next," continued Maria, "I'll freeze yer Amazon in place, with Swords of Revealing Light!"

She threw the card into a slot, and a blast of Swords shot forward, trapping Francesca and Chain Master!

"That oughta hold ye fer awhile!" laughed Maria, taking a third card from her hand. "Next, I'll summon this little guy in Attack Mode… Gigobyte!"

She threw a card down, and a _little_ Monster appeared. It was an adorable lizard man, about two feet high, with scaly skin and small claws with pointed teeth. (350/300)

"And," continued Maria, "since he's a Water Monster, my Field Card grants him a little bonus!"

(550/500)

"What?" laughed Francesca in surprise. "That little guy isn't dangerous! He's actually kind of cute!"

"Aye, cute he be," answered Maria, "and his soul be pure and innocent. But fate has played a cruel trick on him, for destiny has foretold that his future will be full of darkness and evil!"

Francesca gave her a look.

"A cute kid like that?" she said, chuckling.

"Aye," said Maria, "and to help him along, I be playin' this Magic Card…"

She fit a card into a slot.

"Dark Evolution!"

The card showed itself, and Francesca didn't like it. It showed four shadowy creatures lined up on a stormy beach, each one bigger than the previous one, each with glowing red eyes.

"What does that do?" she asked.

"Nothing yet," said Maria. "It's yer move."

"Dark Evolution?" whispered Andy. "Stan, have you ever heard of this card?"

"Never…" whispered Stan back. "I'd wager it must be something powerful…"

Fran drew.

"I'll summon Amazoness Paladin again," she said, placing the card down.

Amazoness Paladin reappeared. She too looked a little nervous. It was clear that the Amazons didn't like the ocean that much. (1,700/300) –) (1,900/300)

"That's my turn," she said.

"Good," smiled Maria, drawing.

She paused. The sky above A Legendary Ocean turned slightly dim, and the Dark Evolution card glowed in a shadowy aura.

"Now," laughed Maria, "the first stage of the Dark Evolution has begun!"

A card slipped out of her Disk, and she switched cards.

"It lets me sacrifice Gigobyte to summon Gagagigo from my deck!"

Gigobyte glowed, and he grew into a five-foot tall, adult lizard man, with more dangerous looking claws and a serious expression. (1,850/1,000) –) (2,050/1,200)

"As ye can see," chuckled Maria, "that cute child is now grown up. He strives to do good with his strength, but evil forces try to tempt him to the darkness. What path will he choose?

"Let me help him decide! Gagagigo, attack Amazoness Chain Master with reptile claw!"

Gagagigo leapt forward and slashed at Chain Master! She groaned, and shattered into pixels.

Francesca's Life Points fell to 6,350, but she smiled.

"I was hoping you'd do that," she said with a smile, "because now I'm using Chain Master's effect!"

Maria grinned.

_I knew she would…_ she thought.

"I may have to spend 1,500 Life Points…" said Francesca.

Her Life Points fell to 4,850.

"…but now I get to look at your hand and take a Monster Card from it!"

"Heh, heh, help yerself, Francesca!" laughed Maria.

She threw her hand of four cards towards Francesca, and they floated up in front of her.

Francesca looked at them, but unfortunately, there was only one Monster among them.

"Mermaid Knight?" she said, taking it.

"Uh huh," chuckled Maria. "Too bad she's no good to ye!"

Fran read the text on the card:

_As long as "Umi" remains face-up on the field, this Monster can attack twice during the same Battle Phase._

Francesca was disappointed to say the least. She knew that A Legendary Ocean was considered the same as Umi. But even with the 200-point bonus to her Attack Score that the Field Card would grant, this creature wouldn't be strong enough to defeat Gagagigo.

_Well, it's better than nothing,_ she thought, adding it to her hand.

"And by the way," said Maria, as the cards floated back to her. "It's yer turn."

Francesca drew.

"I'll play Pot of Greed!" exclaimed Francesca, placing the card into a slot. "I figure this should be your favorite card, huh barnacle-brain?"

The jar handed her two more cards.

_What?_ thought Maria. _Emergency Provisions? She has that?_

"Okay, Maria," said Fran, "I'm moving my Paladin to Defense Mode…"

Amazoness Paladin knelt.

"Now I'll summon this gal in Attack Mode… Amazoness Fighter!"

The tall, muscular Amazon appeared in a flash, but even she looked nervous in the sea environment. (1,500/1,300)

"Now, I'll place these three cards facedown," said Francesca, throwing three cards into slots.

Three cards materialized.

"And now, Emergency Provisions!" she exclaimed, placing another card in a slot.

A huge mouth appeared and swallowed the facedown cards. Francesca's Life Points went up to 7,850.

"I'm in the lead now, Miss Privateer," she said.

"Barely," scowled Maria.

She drew a card.

"…but not fer long, landlubber, because the second stage of Dark Evolution is about to start. I hope ye be getting' yer sea legs, because it's about to turn ugly!"

A card slipped out of her Disk. The sky grew darker, as she switched cards. The Dark Evolution card glowed.

"I can now sacrifice Gagagigo to summon Giga Gagagigo from my deck!" she exclaimed.

Gagagigo grew further – no not grew, _mutated._ His skin turned scaly brown, dark green, and sliver, and he appeared hunched over. His claws and teeth grew, and spikes jutted out of his body at the joints. He was now about fifteen feet tall, and fiercer than ever. (2,450/1,500) –) (2,650/1,700)

"Man!" shouted Andy. "She said it would get ugly, and _that_ is pretty ugly!"

"Now," chuckled Maria, "in order ta fight tremendous evil, the creature has strengthened himself using forbidden power! The power he's used is evil itself, but he thinks he can control it…

"The fool… Giga Gagagigo, attack her Fighter with blast breath!"

The huge Reptile blasted forth a cloud of poisonous gas! Amazoness Fighter screamed, and she was blasted away!

"Lucky fer you, ye don't take any damage," chuckled Maria. "But make yer move."

Francesca growled, and drew.

She looked at the card.

_Ah heh,_ thought Maria. _Seems ye just drew Mirror Force!_

"I'll place one card facedown," stated Francesca, placing a card into a slot.

_Seems ye just PLAYED Mirror Force!_ chuckled Maria in her mind.

"And I end my turn," said Francesca.

The Swords of Revealing Light vanished.

Maria drew a card.

"And now," she said, as the sky became pitch black, "the final round of Dark Evolution arrives!"

The water of A Legendary Ocean became choppy, and lightning flashed in the sky!

The Dark Evolution card burned away, as yet another card slipped out of Maria deck, and she switched cards.

"Now, I can sacrifice Giga Gagagigo for the final form!" she shouted. "Gogiga Gagagigo!"

The Monster on the field started to grow at an alarming rate! Its (calling it a "he" was no longer appropriate) skin turned scaly red, and its claws turned to the size of swords! It was now almost thirty feet tall! (2,950/2,800) –) (3,150/3,000)

Everyone present, Amazoness Paladin included, gasped in fright!

"That thing is _gihugic_!" shouted Stan.

Maria chuckled.

"In his quest to gain power," she laughed, "the creature has become a mindless, soulless, engine of destruction, far removed from the innocent and tranquil child it once was… It can't even remember the time it was innocent – it only craves more power, and leaves a path of death in its wake as it seeks it!"

Francesca stood ready.

_Come on, you big lug,_ she thought, _I've got a Trap all set for you!_

"But ye know?" shrugged Maria. "Why attack now? I'll just leave ye to shiver in fear fer a round or two… It's yer move."

_Huh?_ thought Francesca. _No attack? Is she worried about my facedown card?_

She drew.

_Mystical Space Typhoon, I see…_ thought Maria_. I think I can use that ta me advantage…_

Francesca put a card down.

"I'll summon Beautiful Headhuntress in Defense Mode," she said.

The beautiful executioner in her kimono appeared and knelt, shielding herself with her cleaver.

"Make your move, sea slime," she remarked.

"Make fun of me all ye like," said Maria drawing. "We'll see how much ye'll be insultin' me once yer keel-hauled!

"I'll place two cards facedown, and that'll be all," she remarked.

She threw two cards into slots, and they appeared in front of her.

_Still no attack…_ thought Francesca. _Something's seriously wrong here…_

She drew.

"I'll summon Amazoness Blowpiper in Defense Mode," she stated.

She placed her card down, and the young savage armed with a blowgun appeared, again in a kneeling position. She was as nervous as her sisters. (800/1,500)

"Now I'll play Mystical Space Typhoon!" she said, throwing a card into a slot. "Say bye-bye to THAT card!"

The cyclone blew across the field; the Trap was revealed to be Seven Tools of the Bandit, and was smashed to bits.

_Yes!_ thought Francesca.

"Ha, ha!" laughed Maria. "Looks like a cold gale is about ta strike this ocean! Ye may have destroyed me Trap, lassie, but that lets me activate the other one!"

Her other card lifted.

"Driving Snow!"

A fierce blizzard erupted over A Legendary Ocean! Francesca's Mirror Force card was blown away and smashed to bits!

"Well," laughed Maria. "So much fer yer Trap Card…"

Francesca gulped.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Meanwhile, the Shadow Queen was watching with glee.

"Oh, Maria," she mused, "you sure have a flair for the dramatic! I haven't seen Francesca this scared since she set foot on this island!"

She chuckled.

"And you sure know how to play the part, what with the headpiece and the cutlass, and the eyepatch, and the…

"Wait a minute…"

She looked closer.

"Eyepatch?"

Her eyes fixated on Maria.

"OOOHH!" she shouted. "When I get a hold of her, I'm going to permanently imprint the image of my hand in her behind!"

She got up and rushed out of the room…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Let's continue, shall we?" chuckled Maria.

She drew a card. She looked at it with a sinister eye.

"Due to the effects of A Legendary Ocean," she explained, "all Water Monsters are downgraded one star-level, allowing me to summon a five-star Monster directly to the field!

"So I summon this Monster in Attack Mode! Prepare ta meet the lord of A Legendary Ocean!"

She placed a card down.

"I don't see any Monster…" said Francesca nervously.

"That's because he hides under the surface, until the time is right to strike!" laughed Maria.

A shadow appeared under the surface… Something was definitely swimming around below.

_Eeesh…_ thought Francesca. _For some reason, I can't get the theme score to _Jaws_ out of my head!_

Finally, the creature broke surface. It was a powerful, muscular man, riding a huge shark! He carried a wicked harpoon!

"Meet **_The Legendary Fisherman_**!" shouted Maria.

(1,850/1,600)

The Legendary Fisherman closed in on Fran's Warriors astride his mount…

"Go!" shouted Maria. "Attack her Blowpiper with Spear of the Sea!"

The Fisherman hurled his harpoon, skewering the Amazon! She gasped, and shattered.

"Gogiga Gagagigo, attack her Beautiful Headhuntress with Mega Breath!"

The giant Monster exhaled a huge cloud of poisonous smoke, blasting Beautiful Headhuntress out of existence.

"Before ye even try," chuckled Maria, "a word of advice… The Legendary Fisherman can't be attacked while in his home domain, nor can he be affected by Magic Cards. The sea itself will protect him!

"And now its yer move…"

"Oh…" said Stan with a shudder. "Francesca's in trouble!"

Andy looked in despair.

_Please Fran, you've got to win!_ he thought, _you've GOT to!_

Francesca shakily drew…

_Huh?_ thought Maria. _I've never seen that Monster before…_

Francesca looked at the card.

_This guy can't help now,_ she thought. _I'll save him for later – if there IS a later!_

She put a card down.

"I'll summon another Amazoness Fighter…" she said.

Her second Fighter appeared, and this one looked more worried that the last. (1,500/1,300)

"Why don't ye just give up, Fran?" chuckled Maria. "Ye can't win!"

"Never!" shouted Francesca.

"Defiant to last, eh?" laughed Maria, drawing.

She placed a card down.

"I summon Terrorking Salmon, in Attack Mode!" she shouted.

A huge salmon, the size of a shark and with razor sharp teeth burst up from the waves! (2,400/1,000) –) (2,600/1,200)

"No!" screamed Andy. "She summoned _another_ five-star Monster with no sacrifice!"

"Shiver me timbers!" laughed Maria. "This'll be like shooting fish in a barrel!"

She drew her cutlass and pointed with it.

"Legendary Fisherman!" she shouted, "skewer her Fighter!"

The Fisherman leapt out of the water and hurled his harpoon, spearing Fighter through the heart! She was blown apart.

"Terrorking Salmon, attack her Paladin!"

The Salmon roared and swam forward. Amazoness Paladin screamed as she was swallowed in one gulp!

Francesca was about ready to cry… Her favorite Monster… eaten…

But Maria wasn't done…

"Gogiga Gagagigo," she ordered, "attack directly with Mega Breath!"

The giant Monster belched his vicious gas over Francesca! She screamed and fell on her behind…

Her Life Points plummeted to 4,700.

"Ha, ha, ha, ha!" laughed Maria. "Next turn, you lose!"

_I hate to say it,_ thought Fran, _but she might be right… unless the next card I draw is something great, I'm gonna be wiped out…_

And then, a dark shadow started to form above the playing field. It grew, turning into a man sized blot of pure darkness. Everyone, Maria included, seemed to be surprised.

It took form…

"Look!" shouted Stan, now even more afraid. "It's the Shadow Queen!"

It was indeed the Shadow Queen. She was hovering ten feet over the air…

And a look of pure anger was on her face.

"Okay!" she shouted. "Enough! Stop the duel! This is over starting NOW!"

"WHAT?" shouted Maria. "But mom… wait… I was just about to win! I was just about to defeat this loser…"

"You don't deserve to win, Maria!" scolded the Queen. "I know about your underhanded 'strategy'. Do you really think you could have hid it from me?"

"Underhanded?" asked Francesca. "This gal's been cheating?"

"Unfortunately, yes," snarled the Queen. "Her patch is enchanted with a spell of clairvoyance. It allows her to see through the eyes of another – so she's been looking at your hand of cards this entire time.

Fran looked at her opponent.

"Gee, Maria, that was low," she said.

The Queen floated up to Maria.

"I told you a thousand times, Maria," she growled, "these duels have to be won _fairly_ if I'm ever to escape from this hellhole! What do I have to do to drive it into you? _Spank_ you?"

Maria trembled.

"You're coming with me…" growled the Queen, with her eyes glowing.

"Mother, no please!" begged a terrified Maria.

"Um, excuse me?" asked Francesca.

"But out, Francesca!" shouted the Queen. "This doesn't concern you right now! This is between me and my daughter…"

Francesca paused. Far be it from her to stop an angry parent from disciplining a misbehaving child.

But still…

"Look," said Francesca, "if I can just get a word in edgewise…"

"Oh, what is it?" huffed the Queen, putting her hands on her hips.

"Look," repeated Francesca, "I really don't like the idea of having to accept a forfeit. If Long John Stupid over there agrees to lose the eyepatch and play fair, I'm willing to let the duel conclude…"

Everyone appeared shocked, including the Queen.

She closed her eyes for a moment. She chuckled

"Well fine," she said with a smile. "If that's truly what you want, who am I to stop you?"

She gestured, and Maria's eyepatch vanished.

"The stakes of this duel are still in place," continued the Queen. "I hope you realize what you've done!"

She vanished into the shadows.

"Yer a fool!" laughed Maria. "Ye just gave up a chance fer an easy win! I can crush ye easily now!"

"We'll see," said Francesca, with a grin, "just remember, with mommy watching, you can't cheat!"

_I already know her four cards in her hand now are anyway,_ thought Maria, _although one of them I've never seen before… I'd like to see her try to turn this around…_

"Francesca must be outta her gourd!" cried Andy as Francesca made her draw. "How is she gonna defeat those three Monsters?"

"We have to hope," muttered Stan.

_I gotta be crazy…_ thought Francesca, looking at the card_. If this doesn't work, I'm history…_

_But if there's one thing that Francesca Benedict DOESN'T do, it's win by forfeit. I'd rather lose…_

She was about to fit the card into the slot when she paused. She shivered.

_Wonder if it's not too late to change my mind?_ she thought, nervously. _Aw, the heck with it…_

Francesca fit the card into a slot.

"I play Graceful Charity!" she shouted.

The angel flew out of her deck and handed her three cards. She looked at them.

She chose two cards and gave them to her. They were whisked into the discard slot.

_Crud!_ thought Maria. _Those three new cards may be anything!_

"I'll place one card facedown," exclaimed Francesca.

She threw a card into a slot, and it formed in front of her.

"And now I'll summon my second Amazoness Paladin in Attack Mode!" she shouted.

She placed another card down, and Amazoness Paladin reappeared. (1,700/300) –) (1,800/300)

Francesca waved her hand to signal the end of her turn.

"Huh?" said Maria in shock. "I think yer bluffing!"

Francesca just stared at her.

"Yeah, well even if you aren't," snarled Maria, "what harm could one Trap do? Legendary Fisherman, ATTACK!"

The Legendary Fisherman sped forward, and hurled his harpoon!

"ACTIVATE WABOKU!" shouted Francesca.

Her Trap lifted, and the robed Priestesses arose to block the attack!

"Fine," snarled Maria. "I'll get her next time!"

"We'll see," said Francesca, drawing.

She looked at the card.

She added it to her hand, and put another card on her Disk.

"Now I summon this guy in Attack Mode!" she shouted. "Meet one of my ancestor's Companions… **_Yoshi the Loyal Steed_**!"

A large form appeared next to Amazoness Paladin. It was a lizard, about the size and shape of a horse. He had a rounded snout, green scales, a tuft of orange hair on his head, and a big smile. (1,600/1,000)

"A Dragon?" asked Maria.

"No, a Dinosaur," answered Francesca. "And he's going to help win the match!"

"HA!" laughed Francesca. "What can a Monster that weak do?"

And then, she looked in surprise, as Yoshi lowered himself, and let Amazoness Paladin climb onto his back!

"Surprised?" asked Francesca. "Yoshi here is a Union Monster, who I can Equip to any Warrior or Spellcaster. And he can serve the Amazons well – like most primitive people, the members of their tribe are natural equestrians!"

"He doesn't seem to have helped yer Amazon any!" stated Maria.

"Maybe not yet," replied Francesca, "but I also have a Magic Card…"

She plugged a card into a slot.

"Amazoness Spellcaster!"

The aged, female witchdoctor appeared behind Paladin and Yoshi, and chanted her spell…

"Now," said Francesca, with a smile, "the original Attack Score of your Gogiga Gagagigo and my Paladin will switch for the rest of the round! They'll still gain their bonuses… not like it matters!"

**Amazoness Paladin:** (1,800/300) –) (3,050/300)

**Gogiga Gagagigo:** (3,150/3,000) –) (1,900/3,000)

"Eek…" gasped Maria.

"Paladin…" ordered Francesca, "slay her Gogiga Gagagigo!"

Amazoness Paladin raised her sword, and charged forward on the mount, driving the sword into the belly of the great beast! Gogiga Gagagigo bellowed, and then toppled, falling into A Legendary Ocean with a tremendous splash before shattering to pieces!

The darkness in the sky cleared up, and the setting sun returned.

Maria's Life Points fell to 6,550.

"And now, Yoshi's special effect kicks in!" said Francesca with a smile. "When a Monster destroys an opposing Monster while riding him, that Monster gains 400 Attack Points for as long as she remains mounted!

"I'll place a card facedown, and end my turn."

She fit a card into a slot, and it appeared behind the mounted Paladin.

Amazoness Paladin's Attack went back to normal, and then rose 400 points, to 2,200.

"So what?" shouted Maria, drawing. "My Terrorking Salmon is still stronger!"

She pointed.

"Salmon, attack that Paladin again!"

Terrorking Salmon swam forth…

"I sure is harder when you can't see what I'm doing, is it?" asked Francesca. "I activate Amazoness Archers!"

Her Trap Card lifted, and a squad of Amazons appeared, firing a blizzard of arrows at Maria's side!

"This Trap will reduce both your Monsters Attack Scores by 500 points," laughed Francesca, "AND force them to attack Paladin!"

Terrorking Salmon's Attack Score fell to 2,100, and it charged! Amazoness Paladin swung her sword, and sliced it into lox!

Maria's Life Points fell to 6,450, and Amazoness Paladin's Attack rose further, to 2,600.

The Legendary Fisherman's Attack fell to 1,350… he swam forward…

"Your Fisherman may be immune to Magic Cards," laughed Francesca, "but not to _Traps_! And while I can't attack him, striking back after he makes a failed attack is a different story!"

Amazoness Paladin drove her Sword across the ocean king, and he and his aquatic mount were blasted into pixels.

Maria's Life Points fell to 5,200, and Amazoness Paladin's Attack Score rose to 3,000.

"Wow!" shouted Andy. "This is the biggest turnaround I've seen since your duel with Kurtis, Stan!"

"Yeah, and now Maria is in trouble!" exclaimed Stan.

"Make your move…" dared Francesca.

Maria's hand shook as she drew.

The card was an Amphibian Beast. It was a six-star Monster, so she couldn't summon it even if it was strong enough. She snarled.

"Aw, disappointed in your draw, Maria?" asked Francesca.

Maria put a card down.

"A Monster in Defense Mode!" she growled.

The facedown Monster appeared.

"That all?" chuckled Francesca.

"YES!" shouted Maria.

Francesca drew.

_Just what I needed…_ she thought.

"I'll play Monster Reborn!" she shouted. "And I'll bring my other Amazoness Paladin!"

The first Paladin, looking the same as the first – only not mounted – appeared. (1,700/300) –) (1,900/300)

The mounted Paladin's Attack rose to 3,100.

"And now," continued Fran, placing her last card down, "I'll summon a Monster you might recognize… go Mermaid Knight!"

A beautiful mermaid with flowing maroon hair, wearing armor and holding a shield and a sword appeared, with a fierce look on her face. (1,500/700) –) (1,700/900)

"Aw no…" muttered Maria.

"Since this was your Monster," said Francesca, snidely, "you probably know that she can attack twice! Mermaid Knight, attack her facedown Monster!"

Mermaid Knight swam forward, and another Gagagigo appeared on the card. He was cut down.

"Now attack directly!" shouted Francesca.

Mermaid Knight slashed at Maria with her sword, and she staggered back.

Maria's Life Points fell to 3,500.

"You!" shouted Francesca to the Paladin on foot, "attack directly!"

The first Paladin dashed across the waves, and struck the young pirate! She grunted as her Life Points fell to 1,600.

"Best abandon ship, mate," gloated Fran, "you've been scuttled!"

She pointed.

"GO!"

The mounted Paladin charged forward on Yoshi, and ran Maria down!

Her Life Points fell to nothing…

As the holograms vanished, she fell to her knees.

"Curse you, ye scurvy dog!" she cursed. "I won't forget this! I will get even!"

And then she melted into a puddle of water, which evaporated.

Francesca sighed in relief.

"Well, she's gone…" she muttered.

Andy turned his head.

"Yeah, but she left something behind!"

They all turned and saw the pirate ship…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The three teens boarded the _Sea Witch_, ready to draw a card if any more Goblins showed up. But the craft was deserted.

"Think she left any treasure on board?" asked Stan.

"There's always hope," suggested Andy.

But a search of the ship didn't turn up much. There were a few pieces of strange machinery, but most of the craft seemed to be powered by magic that had been rendered inert when Maria left. They were about to give up, when finally, they found a small chest in a room that was apparently the captain's quarters.

Fran looked at it. It seemed to be locked, but easy enough to open. She took a hairpin from her hair and fiddled with the lock…

The chest opened, and inside was a Duel Monsters card.

Francesca took it.

"It's a Trap Card called 'Showstopper'," she said, reading the description. "And quite a powerful one too…"

"The seventh Enchanted Card…" muttered Stan. "You'd best keep it, Fran. You deserve it after all this."

Fran shuffled it into her deck.

"Well," she said, "it's getting late, and all I want to do is sleep right now…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Maria appeared in the dark cavern, the same one where four of her siblings were being restrained. She shook in fear.

"Bravo…" said a voice in front of her.

She gulped as her mother came into view.

"This was the most abysmal failure yet, Maria," snarled the Queen. "Francesca practically handed victory to you… _and yet you lost anyway_!"

"Mom, I…" muttered Maria.

"What?" shouted the Shadow Queen. "First you cheat, then you make a fool out of yourself by losing after you had the advantage! You did something that _none_ of my servants have ever managed to do – you made me look bad _twice_ in under an hour!"

Her Disk flipped into position…

"Mercy, please…" begged Maria.

The Queen stared at her.

"You'll take your punishment just like _they_ did!" she said, pointing to her siblings.

She threw a card into a slot.

"Mask of Restrict!"

Maria screamed as a bolt of energy flew towards her, and the iron mask of doom latched to her face!

She moaned, before her body went numb, and she fell to her knees.

"Unbelievable…" muttered the Queen, as she left the chamber.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

It was eight o'clock. The owners of the local inn were glad to put the three teens up for the night.

Francesca went to bed early. As soon as she fell asleep, she heard a voice calling to her…

"Fran!" said the voice. "I knew you could do it! Just like old times…"

She opened her eyes, and was staring face to face with Yoshi.

"How ya doin'?" he said. "It's great to be back in business again! You pounded that bimbo good!"

"Heh, I couldn't have done it without your help," said Francesca, with a nervous chuckle.

"Well, like I said," replied Yoshi, "I wanted to get a chance to talk to ya. I was a little closer to your ancestor than the other Companions were to any of the Three Heroes…"

"How come?" asked Fran.

"I wasn't just recruited by her," answered Yoshi. "She _hatched_ me! From the moment I was born, I was a Companion, and I was _her_ mount!

"Too bad I'm just a card now… We could have made the same great team as I did with her back then…"

He paused. He chuckled.

"But for now," he said with a grin, "how about I give you a ride, for old time's sake?"

He bent down, and motioned for Fran to get on his back.

"Uh, well, I'm not very good at riding…" confessed Fran.

"No sweat, cupcake," replied Yoshi. "It isn't like this is the waking world, y'know. C'mon! It'll be fun!"

"Well, okay…" muttered Fran.

She climbed on Yoshi's back.

"Now let's giddyap!" he laughed.

As she rode on the Duel Monster's back, Francesca had to admit one thing…

It _was_ fun.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Meanwhile, Stan and Andy were drinking root beer in the bar in the inn.

"Stan?" asked Andy.

"Yeah?" he replied.

"You have to admit, we're facing some heavy things here," said Andy. "Aren't you scared at all?"

"Course not," answered Stan. "I'm not afraid of anything…"

He paused.

"Okay, that's a lie…" he admitted. "There's one Monster in all of Duel Monsters that I'm afraid of…"

He sighed.

"It all dates back to the first tournament I was in," he mused. "I got pretty far… until I reached the final round…

"I thought my opponent had a strange strategy. All of his cards kept me from making a single attack… and in the meantime, he was using cards to make extra draws and search for cards…

"I should have recognized it… but I didn't see it coming until he brought it out…"

"Exodia?" asked Andy.

Stan nodded.

"My most painful and frightening Duel Monsters experience ever…" he sighed. "To this day it gives me nightmares…"

He paused.

"Well," he sighed, "I guess I'll go to bed…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

While taking off his shoes, Stan closed his eyes for a second.

And a vivid memory of the match he had described to Andy flashed in his mind…

"_**EXODIA… OBLITERATE!"**_

His eyes opened wide.

He heard a familiar voice in his head...

He reached into his pouch and took two cards out of his side deck.

He took his deck out of his Disk, and shuffled them into it.

_Just to be safe,_ he thought.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**DARK EVOLUTION (Magic Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Magic/Continuous  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description: **Image of four shadowy shapes, each one larger than the last, on a dark beach. You must play this card immediately after summoning, Flip-Summoning or Special Summoning "Gigobyte". On your second turn after playing this card, offer this "Gigobyte" as a Tribute to Special Summon "Gagagigo" from you hand or deck. On your turn after playing this card, offer this "Gagagigo" as a Tribute to Special Summon one "Giga Gagagigo" from your hand or deck. On your fourth turn after playing this card, offer this "Giga Gagagigo" as a Tribute to Special Summon one "Gogiga Gagagigo" from your hand or deck, and then destroy this card. If this card is destroyed before your turn after playing it, destroy whatever Monster you used it to summon. If any Monster summoned by it is destroyed, destroy this card.

**0**

**0**

**0**

YOSHI THE LOYAL STEED (Monster Card)

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Dinosaur/Union  
**Attribute: **Earth  
**Level: **4  
**ATK: **1,600  
**DEF: **1,000

**Card Description: **This slick and fast-talking member of the Seven Companions was always good for a morale boost. Once per turn, during your Main Phase, if you control this Monster on the field, you can Equip it to any of your WARRIOR- or SPELLCASTER-Type Monsters as an Equip Magic Card, or change it back to a Monster in face-up Attack Mode. When a Monster Equipped with this Monster destroys an opposing Monster, increase the ATK of the Equipped Monster by 400 for as long as this card remains Equipped. (One Monster can only be Equipped with one Union Monster at a time. If the Monster that this Monster is Equipped to is destroyed in battle, this Monster is destroyed instead.)

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**Coming up next:**_

_**How do you stop Exodia from charging? The answer is more complicated than "take away his credit cards." **_

**_Coming up next, Stan faces his worst fear all over again, in a midnight duel against a creepy opponent. And more of his deck is revealed as well. It's all coming up in "Unchained Power", coming soon._**


	24. Unchained Power

_**Ever since my first tournament, I've been scared to death of one particular Monster…**_

_**A Monster made up of five cards, with an Attack Score that's literally infinite. Once it's summoned, the duel is over, and the painful sting it leaves on the poor duelist on the receiving end doesn't go away for awhile. **_

**_If it's any consolation, the five cards are pretty rare. Ninety-nine percent of all duelists don't own even one. But the few who own all five are forces to be reckoned with. _**

_**The thought of having to face this creature again, let alone with odds such as this, has always terrified me…**_

_**Still, the guy who left me a lot of the cards in my deck, my great uncle Julius Taft Mason didn't speak to me much – he didn't speak to anyone much when it wasn't business – but once we did talk, and he gave me a word of advice…**_

_**He said, "Nephew, only a weak man runs from his fears. A strong man faces up to them. If I had run from my fears when I was young instead of facing them, I'd have never been a tenth as rich and successful as I am now!" **_

_**Uncle Julius was a snob, but he had a point. **_

_**Time to face up to my fears… Time to challenge a force that once toppled the great Seto Kaiba…**_

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Unchained Power**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

The Shadow Queen watched Stan as he slept in his bed.

She frowned, and turned her attention back to the special deck of cards she had been sorting through.

"Axe Raider?" she mused. "Nah, too messy. Mazera DeVille? Hmm… No, scary, but a lousy duelist. Magician of Faith? No, not a bad duelist, but not scary. Immortal of Thunder? Naw, too situational…"

Sir Grodus came up behind her.

"If I may make a suggestion, my Queen," he said. "I overheard Stan's conversation with Francesca a while ago, and perhaps _that_ Monster would do the job well."

The Queen looked at the card.

"Hmm," she said with a smile. "Eh, why not? It can't do any worse than the others we've sent out…"

She took the card and tossed it into the violet flames. They burned green.

A pair of red eyes appeared in the fire.

"Go!" shouted the Queen. "Take care of that brat!"

A low laughter was heard, as a dark shadow fled from the mountain.

The Queen took another card from her deck and tossed it into the fire as well.

"And this will be good to get his attention," she added.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Stan was asleep on his bed. He was dreaming that he was back home in New York, kissing Colette tenderly.

A form materialized next to him.

Stan awoke as something tugged at his ear.

"Huh?" he moaned. "It's Sunday, mom…"

He slowly got up, and his eyes adjusted to the dim light…

He saw a small form hovering in front of him. It was a small green ball, with wings on its back, tiny arms and legs, and a big smile on its face. (1,300/1,100)

"What the hey?" muttered Stan. "Shining Friendship?"

The little Fairy squeaked, and tugged at his arm.

"What, you want me to come with you?" he asked. "Sorry pal, I have a strict policy about following strange Monsters."

Shining Friendship's "head" drooped. It started to sniffle…

"Aw come on," groaned Stan, "don't…"

The Fairy started to cry – loudly.

"Oh, all right!" shouted Stan. "Stop already! You're ruining my pajamas! Just let me get dressed…"

A few minutes later, he pulled some clothes on.

Shining Friendship pointed to the Duel Disk on the table.

"Fine," said Stan, "I'll take it, but if you're leading me into something bad, I'm going to blast _you_ before I blast whatever it is!"

Shining Friendship flew out the door to the room and down the stairs. Stan followed it.

The Fairy led him southward, into the woods away from the shore.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Meanwhile, Francesca had woken up. Her ride with Yoshi had ended, and now she was looking out the window at the stars.

_So peaceful,_ she thought. _Hard to imagine that this place is under the shadow of a witch…_

She looked down, and noticed Stan being led away by Shining Friendship.

_What?_ she thought.

"Stan!" she shouted. "Stan, come back!"

He was out of sight before he could hear her.

"Nuts," she thought.

She grabbed her clothes, and ran out of the room.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"So where are you taking me?" asked Stan.

Shining Friendship squeaked.

"Sorry, I don't speak your language," sighed Stan.

They came to a short plateau, with stone steps leading up to the top. Shining Friendship floated up, and Stan walked up the steps.

He didn't like what he saw already. The top of the plateau seemed to be a derelict cemetery, with broken headstones and misty fog covering the ground. The moonlight gave it an eerie look.

He looked at a tombstone:

**R.I.P.**

**PATCHEYE PETE**

"Some sort of pirate's cemetery…" he muttered.

Shining Friendship squeaked in fear…

"What's wrong?" asked Stan.

"Pathetic creature…" hissed a voice. "Well, at least it got you here…"

A beam of black energy shot forward, and blew Shining Friendship into pixels!

"WHA?" shouted Stan.

"Heh, heh," hissed the guttural voice. "Stupid weakling Fairies. They'll fall for anything…"

"Who are you?" demanded Stan.

A spooky shape arose from in front of him. It looked like a hunched over, fiendish figure with purple fur, and a jackal-like head. Its eye sockets glowed red briefly before going out.

"Check that… _what_… are you?" gasped Stan.

"Don't you remember Andy's duel with Sean, Stan?" chuckled the Fiend. "I'm The End of Anubis! And tonight will see the end of Stan Mason!"

"Yeah, right," muttered Stan, turning away. "I've got better things to do than mix up with you… Why don't you go chase cars or something…"

He started to walk away…

But as soon as he reached the edge of the cemetery, a fierce pain erupted in his head! The pain seemed to make his brain swell!

"You no doubt have discovered the properties of my lair," chuckled the Fiend. "Trying to leave unless I will it will give you a nasty headache. If you want that pain to go away, you'll have to come back…"

Stan stopped, and stepped back into the cemetery. The pain vanished.

The End of Anubis would have smiled if it had a mouth. It waved its arm, and a Duel Disk appeared on it.

"If you want to leave here at all," it hissed, "you must defeat me… if you can."

"If I must," muttered Stan.

He shuffled his deck…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Andy, wake up!" shouted Francesca.

"Mmm, Stan, go away…" muttered Andy.

He lifted his head.

"Oh, Francesca," he said, rolling over.

He got up in surprise.

"Francesca?" he exclaimed.

"Andy!" she shouted. "I just saw Stan wandering in the woods – some Fairy was leading him somewhere…"

"Fairy?" asked Andy.

"Yeah," muttered Fran. "Petite Angel… or it might have been Happy Lover or something. Anyway, it's happening again!"

"Oy vey…" muttered Andy. "We have to find him before he gets forced into another crazy duel…

"Turn around…"

Francesca turned, as Andy got out of bed.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The holo-imagers glowed on the ground; the Duel Disks lit up.

"All right, Lassie," said Stan, as they drew their first hands, "I'm sending you on one-way trip to the pound!"

"Heh, heh," hissed the creature. "I'll bet you've run out of dog jokes already!"

"So what should I call you then?" asked Stan. "'Anubis', or just 'End'?"

"'End' will be fine," it replied. "And since it's only fair, I'll let you go first!"

Stan drew his first hand.

_Not bad…_ he thought, looking at it.

"To start," he said, "I'll summon Gemini Elf in Attack Mode!"

He put the card down, and the two twin elves appeared, spinning in the air before making a landing. (1,900/900)

"Amusing," said End, making a draw. "They should look into ballroom dancing…"

It fit a card into its Disk.

"I'll place two cards facedown on the field," it said.

The facedown cards appeared.

Then it placed a Monster Card down.

"Now I'll summon this in Defense Mode," it continued. "Bokoichi the Freightening Car!"

He put down the card, and a weird Monster appeared. It was a huge freight card with an ugly, fiendish face in the front. (500/500)

"That's weak!" exclaimed Stan.

"Really?" chuckled End. "Well, I'll end my turn…"

Stan drew.

_He… it… must want me to attack it,_ he thought. _His facedown cards worry me, but I could hurt it badly if I took a chance…_

He put a card down.

"I summon Neo the Magic Swordsman in Attack Mode!" he shouted.

He put the card down, and the sword-wielding mage appeared. (1,700/1,000)

"Now Neo!" shouted Stan. "Attack…"

"I activate my Trap!" shouted End.

His card lifted.

"Wall of Revealing Light!"

"What? Not that!" shouted Stan, as a bright light lit up the arena.

"Yes that!" laughed the Fiend. "I'm giving up three thousand of my Life Points…"

His Life Points fell to 5,000.

"And exchange for that, no Monster of yours can attack unless it has an Attack Score higher than 3,000! Assuming you even have one that strong in your deck!"

Stan frowned.

"I'll also activate my other Trap Card," continued End.

His other Trap lifted, showing three grinning Ojama Yellows.

"It's called The League of Uniform Nomenclature," explained End. "When I have a Monster of two stars or less on the field, this card lets me summon all other copies of it from my deck!"

Two cards slipped out of his deck, and it placed them down. Two more Bokoichis appeared.

"I'm afraid that three times nothing is still nothing!" exclaimed Stan.

"We'll see," answered End. "It's my move now..."

End drew a card, and added it to its hand.

"I'll place a Monster facedown in Defense Mode, and that will be all," it said.

It placed the card down, and a facedown Monster appeared to the left of the Bokoichis.

Stan drew again.

"I'll summon The Illusory Gentleman in Attack Mode," he announced.

He put the card down, and the cyclopsed Spellcaster in colorful clothes appeared. (1,500/1,600)

"Your move," he sneered.

End chuckled as he drew.

"Well then," it said, "I'll switch my facedown Monster into Attack Mode!"

The card flipped, and an imposing form appeared. It was a huge steam locomotive, with a frightening fiendish face on the front! (1,400/1,000)

"Meet the ultimate engine that could, Dekoichi the Battlechanted Locomotive!" exclaimed End.

Dekoichi glared at Stan…

"When Dekoichi is flipped, I get to draw one card," chuckled End. "And for each Bokoichi on the field when that happens, I get to draw an extra one! So I can draw four cards!"

Steam bust from Dekoichi's smokestack, and four cards flew from End's deck.

End chuckled again, and fit a card into a slot.

"Now I'll play… Dark Hole!"

Stan gasped as a vortex opened above the field. His Spellcasters screamed as they were sucked into the void, along with End's train set.

"And finally," continued End. "A Monster in Defense Mode."

It set the card, and another hidden Monster appeared.

Stan was disgusted. Dark Hole was a card that only spoiled brats with no honor actually used.

"Dark Hole," sneered Stan. "Only rotten amateurs use that cheesy card anymore!"

"I'm no amateur," hissed End. "Now move."

Stan drew.

"I'll summon Skilled White Magician in Attack Mode!" he shouted.

He put the card down, and the magician of Light appeared, brandishing his staff.

_Got to find some way to take out that Wall…_ he thought.

End drew.

"Now I'll flip my Monster into Attack Mode," it hissed. "Reveal… Big Eye!"

The card flipped, and a muscular Monster appeared. It had red skin, and its face was one big eye. It had eyes all over its body, and wore a pair of green trousers. (1,200/1,000)

"Gross," commented Stan.

"When this Monster is flipped," hissed End, "I can see the top five cards in my deck and rearrange them any way I please!"

The five cards on the top of its deck floated off and lined up in front of it.

It was hard to see the expression on the Fiends face, but it looked somewhat disappointed. It made a few adjustments, and they floated back.

"Your move," it hissed.

_This is really suspicious,_ thought Stan. _Something just isn't right. He hasn't even tried to make an attack yet!_

He drew.

"I summon Skilled Dark Magician in Attack Mode," he said.

He put the card down, and the Dark twin of Skilled White Magician appeared next to him. (1,900/1,700)

"And that's all I can do," he said.

End drew.

"I pass for this turn," it said.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Andy and Francesca were wandering through the forest.

"Why didn't we bring a flashlight?" moaned Andy.

"This is bad," said Fran. "Stan could be anywhere in this… jungle…"

She thought for a minute.

She reached into her shirt, and took the pendant that was around her neck.

Somehow, it was gently tugging at her.

"Andy!" she whispered. "The pendants! They can find each other!"

Andy looked at his. His was gently tugging too.

"Our ancestors were geniuses!" he exclaimed.

They followed the tugging, and after five minutes, came into view of the huge plateau.

The glow from the Fiend's Wall of Revealing Light lit up the top.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Stan eyed the field. Slowly, he was getting nervous…

He drew a card.

"I'll summon Mystical Elf in Defense Mode!" he called out.

He placed the card down, and the peaceful elf appeared in her kneeling position. (800/2,000)

"That's all for me," he said.

End drew. It looked at the card, and added it to its hand. It chose another card.

"Just in case you get by my Wall," it said, "I'll sacrifice my Big Eye for Total Defense Shogun!"

It switched cards on its Disk, and Big Eye shattered. In its place rose a huge man in armor and a red cape, holding a giant sword and shield, with two more huge swords on its back. He immediately crouched into Defense Mode. (1,550/2,500)

"And by the way," continued End, "this Monster can…"

"I know what he can do!" snapped Stan. "He can attack when he's in Defense Mode. I don't need you to tell me how to play Duel Monsters!"

End sneered.

"It's your move," it said.

Stan paused for a minute.

_It's done nothing but manipulate its draws and defend since this duel started,_ he thought. _I think I know what it's up to…_

He drew a card.

He looked at the Monster on the card.

_Well, well,_ he thought. _This gal should help make sure if I'm right…_

He switched cards on his Disk.

"I sacrifice my Mystical Elf…" he said.

Mystical Elf shattered.

"…to summon… Mind On Air in Defense Mode!"

A spooky creature arose out of the darkness. It was a female with blue skin and braided hair, dressed in a slick black leotard. Most intimidating was the fact that the top half of her skull had been replaced by a glowing white dome made of something resembling glass. (1,000/1,600)

"What?" said The End of Anubis in surprise. "You had to make a sacrifice to summon a Monster that weak?"

"Mind On Air is physically weak for a six-star Monster, yes," admitted Stan, "but she has a powerful effect!

"See, all Spellcasters are telepathic, and Mind On Air is the best telepath of them all! No matter how hard you try to conceal your thoughts, she can read your mind without fail, and see the cards in your hand. And then she can show them to me!"

The End of Anubis gasped as the psychic's eyes glowed.

"Mind On Air," ordered Stan, "show me what he's got in his hand!"

The dome on the Spellcaster's head glowed, and the images of six cards appeared above her…

They were another Wall of Revealing Light, Gear Golem the Moving Fortress, Witch of the Black Forest, Avatar of the Pot, and…

The last two were Exodia the Forbidden One and Left Leg of the Forbidden One!

Stan gasped!

And then his eyes narrowed.

"So that's it, spooky," he sneered. "You've been keeping me from attacking and drawing cards until you could draw all five pieces of Exodia the Forbidden One!"

The End of Anubis laughed out loud.

"Yeah, you figured it out," it snickered. "The Shadow Queen picked me to take you down because she heard you had a… _history_ with Exodia…"

It chuckled.

"You think you can stop me just because you know?" it said. "No one has ever defeated Exodia!"

"I'll tell you the name of one guy who has," snarled Stan. "Yugi Mouto."

End laughed again, even louder.

"You're talking about that loudmouthed Rare Hunter he dueled in Battle City with an ego the size of Wisconsin, right?" it asked. "That guy was a jerk! Imagine, putting three copies of each Exodia piece in his deck! He crammed fifteen spaces of a forty-card deck with one part of his strategy, leaving precious little space for other cards he needed to bring out the ultimate Monster!

"Well Stan, I'm smarter than that idiot! My deck is much better constructed, and I can bring out the beast much easier!"

"Well I just made it harder," replied Stan. "Mind On Air will show me every card you draw, and every card you play, so there's no way for you to surprise me.

"I'll end my turn. Make your move…"

"STAN!" yelled a voice.

Francesca and Andy ran up behind him.

"We're too late," sighed Andy.

He saw Stan's opponent.

"Good God," he gasped, "that's the thing that Sean used against me! What did he call it?"

"The End of Anubis, Andy," said Stan, pointing to Mind On Air's projection. "And as you can see, it means business…"

They looked, and shuddered.

"But… How can you see its hand?" asked Francesca.

"Um…" muttered Stan.

He didn't feel like giving the whole speech again.

"That creepy female Monster I have right there lets me see his hand," he replied, "that's the short version."

"Big deal!" said End.

He drew, and another card came into view.

The Right Arm of Exodia!

"Eek!" squeaked Francesca. "Now he has three!"

"Exactly," chuckled End. "I'll place this Monster facedown and end my turn…"

Stan drew.

_I've got to do something fast…_ thought Stan, looking at the card. _But it seems I got him so angry that he forgot about his own Trap…_

"I know that's Witch of the Black Forest, pal," he stated. "Mind On Air can show me when a card is no longer in your hand. You were obviously hoping that I'd attack it so you could get the fourth piece. Well didn't you remember? I can't attack it!"

End drew back in surprise.

"Not with a Monster anyway…" he said, placing a card into a slot.

"I activate Nobleman of Crossout!"

The armored knight appeared, and plunged his sword into the facedown card! The Witch appeared, and shattered!

End growled.

Skilled White Magician and Skilled Dark Magician absorbed the energy, and their staffs glowed copper.

"It's your move now…" snarled Stan.

End drew.

The card was Sangan.

"See this, Stan?" laughed End. "Well, I summon it in Attack Mode!"

He put the card down, and the furry, three-eyed Fiend appeared. (1,000/600)

"Attack his Skilled White Magician!" shouted End.

Sangan leapt at Skilled White Magician. The Mage blew the Fiend away, and End's Life Points fell to 4,300.

A card slipped out of End's deck. Andy and Fran watched in horror as Mind On Air revealed it to be The Right Leg of the Forbidden One…

"That will end my turn…" gloated End.

Stan was sweating now… He drew…

He was startled when he saw the card. It was one of the two cards he had added to his hand when he went to bed!

He threw it into a slot.

"I play… CARD DESTRUCTION!" He shouted.

The End of Anubis gasped!

"Now we have to discard both of our hands and draw new ones," chuckled Stan. "So sorry if I ruined your plans…"

Andy and Francesca cheered.

End discarded its hand, and drew six new cards.

Mind On Air revealed that the first card he drew was the Left Arm.

"Ooh, so close!" mocked Stan.

"Don't get so comfy, Stan," growled the Fiend. "I guarantee, you haven't seen the last of Exodia…"

Stan took a minute to study End's new hand ofsix cards. Along with the Left Arm there was Giant Soldier of Stone, Big Shield Gardna, Monster Reborn, Penguin Soldier (_Why the heck does he need that?_ thought Stan.) and Mystical Space Typhoon.

He looked at his two Skilled Magicians. Due to Card Destruction, their staffs were now glowing silver.

"Yeah, I know," he finally replied. "You Exodia duelists have a Trap called Backup Soldier that lets you recover three weak Monsters from the Graveyard. But I happen to know that Backup Soldier only recovers Normal Monsters, and the Head is an Effect Monster!"

"Look who knows so much!" mocked End. "Finish your move!"

"Fine," growled Stan. "I'll summon Goombella the Scholar in Defense Mode."

He put the card down, and the first member of the Companions appeared in front of him. (500/2,000)

"And her effect is almost as good as your Big Eye's effect!" he exclaimed, as Goombella hopped on his shoulders.

The first four cards floated off of his deck, and he eyed them.

He smiled, and made a few rearrangements. Goombella hopped back into position.

"Now you can move," he said.

"What do you think that Fiend is up to?" asked Fran.

"Don't know," answered Andy. "But he'll have a hard time recovering _four_ Monsters from the Graveyard…"

End drew. The card was Electric Snake. The Fiend grumbled…

"I'll place a Monster facedown, and end my turn."

He set a card, and a facedown Monster appeared. Then he discarded one card. (Mystical Elf).

_That's his Penguin Soldier!_ thought Stan. _When he flips that, he can return two Monsters on the field back to their players' hands!_

He looked at his two Magicians. Both had golden staffs, so he could use their effects…

But he wasn't stupid enough to do so just now.

He drew and looked at the exotic-looking Monster on the card.

"I'll pass this turn," he said.

"Good," said End, in a tone that Stan didn't like.

He drew. The card was Battle Footballer.

"Now watch and learn…" said the demon.

It fit a card into a slot.

"I'll play Monster Reborn, to summon the head of Exodia to the field…"

He played the card, and the disembodied head of The Forbidden One appeared, floating in mid-air. (1,000/1,000)

"Now, I'll flip-summon my Penguin Soldier!" he exclaimed.

The card flipped, and a cute penguin carrying a sword leapt into view. (750/500)

"Now," it continued, "the head returns to my hand! And since I'm getting sick of your Mind On Air, I'll send _her_ back to_ your_ hand!"

The head of Exodia and Mind On Air vanished, their cards thrown out of the Disks.

"Man, this guy is good!" exclaimed Andy.

"Yeah!" exclaimed Fran. "Who'd have ever thought that furball could have such a strategy!"

"Now I'll summon Big Shield Gardna in Defense Mode!" shouted End, placing a card down.

The hulking barbarian crouching behind his huge shield appeared. (100/2,600)

"Once I draw my Backup Soldier card, you're history, Stan!" it threatened.

It discarded one card.

"I think not!" shouted Stan, drawing.

He looked at the card.

"Because I'm going to take this duel by storm! Since my two Magicians have now absorbed the power of _more_ that three Magic Cards, I can sacrifice them…"

The two Spellcasters vanished.

"To summon both Dark Magician and Buster Blader!"

First the powerful wizard of Darkness arose, pointing his staff forward! (2,500/2,100). Then the mighty armored Warrior appeared, holding aloft his mighty greatsword! (2,600/2,300)

"Bah!" shouted End.

"And that's not all!" continued Stan. "I'll sacrifice Goombella to bring Mind On Air back!"

Goombella vanished, and Mind On Air reappeared.

"Grrr…" growled End.

"But I'm _still_ not done!" shouted Stan. "By sacrificing two Spellcasters, each of six stars of higher, I can Special Summon the most powerful Spellcaster in the Duel Monsters world!"

He held a card up to the heavens, and lightning flashed!

He threw the card down. Dark Magician and Mind On Air shattered…

A tall shape rose out of the shadows. While Dark Magician was certainly dark, this wizard was darker still, with an even fancier robe and beautifully ornate staff. He crossed his arms as he looked at The End of Anubis.

"Allow me to introduce…" said Stan, "**_Sorcerer of Dark Magic_**!"

(3,200/2,800)

"Fran…" gasped Andy. "Have you… ever heard of this guy?"

"No…" gulped Francesca. "But I'm not complaining!"

"In case it didn't sink in yet, you reject from the Kennel Club," mocked Stan, "my Sorcerer has 3,200 Attack Points, which means your Wall of Revealing Light, which you set at 3,000, has no effect on him…

"And take a look at your Penguin Soldier!"

"ARRGH!" shouted End. "It's still in Attack Mode!"

"Right!" shouted Stan. "Sorcerer, destroy Penguin Soldier with celestial blast!"

Sorcerer of Dark Magic aimed… Penguin Soldier squawked and tried to run, but a mighty blast of energy blew it to atoms!

End's Life Points fell to 1,850…

"And by the way…" snarled Stan. "Sorcerer of Dark Magic can destroy any Trap you try to use, making Backup Soldier useless.

"Quit yet?"

"No!" scowled End, drawing.

"I'll pass this turn."

"Fine," said Stan, drawing. "Sorcerer, wipe out his Shogun!"

Sorcerer of Dark Magic fired, blasting Total Defense Shogun to bits!

"So much for your Shogun's so called 'total defense'," said Stan. "It's your move."

End hissed, and drew again.

"I pass again!" he scowled.

"Fine," said Stan with a smile. He drew. "Your Shield may be Big, but I doubt it's big enough! Sorcerer, attack his Big Shield Gardna!"

Sorcerer of Dark Magic fired his celestial blast again! Gardna's shield was smashed to bits, and then he shattered.

"No Monsters left, End of Anubis…" warned Stan.

End drew with a scowl.

And then it laughed out loud!

It threw a Magic Card into a slot, and discarded one card.

"I play Lightning Vortex!" it shouted.

Stan, Andy and Francesca screamed, and lightning crashed from the heavens, and vaporized Buster Blader and Sorcerer of Dark Magic!

End cackled evilly…

"And now I'll place Battle Footballer in Defense Mode, and end my turn…"

He placed the card down, and an android in a football jersey appeared, crouching down as if to receive a blitz. (1,000/2,100)

Stan was really nervous now. End didn't have much of a deck left – it _had _to be close to drawing its Backup Soldier.

He drew.

_Aha!_ he thought.

"I summon Breaker the Magical Warrior!" he shouted.

He put the card down, and the orange-robed sorcerer with the peaked hat carrying a sword and shield appeared. (1,600/1,000)

"Now I'll break your Wall of Revealing Light!" he shouted.

Breaker shot forth a beam of energy from his sword, and the Wall shattered.

"Heh, doesn't matter!" laughed End.

"Then move," answered Stan.

End drew.

"I'll place a card facedown and end my turn," it stated.

The facedown card appeared.

"No!" gasped Francesca. "If that card is Backup Soldier, Stan will lose as soon as he draws!"

Andy hugged her tightly…

"Well, make your move…" said End.

Stan hesitated.

"What?" chuckled End. "To scared to draw?"

Stan slowly drew…

"I activate my Trap!" shouted End.

Francesca screamed. Stan looked in fear…

They stopped short. It _wasn't_ Backup Soldier.

"You big babies!" laughed End. "This is a Trap called Fruits of Kozaky's Studies… And _this_ is Kozaky!"

A sinister-looking mad scientist appeared in front of End, and took three cards off the top of its deck.

"This Trap allows me to see the next _three_ cards on the top of my deck, and rearrange them," it explained.

It whispered something to the Kozaky. He rearranged the cards, and placed them back on the deck. Kozaky vanished.

"Just so you know," mocked End, "the next card I draw _will_ be Backup Soldier, and then, you lose!"

Stan looked at the card he had drawn. It was Pot of Greed.

"Please let this work…" he whispered.

With a prayer to the Heart of the Cards, he played the card, and it gave him two new cards.

"Well," he said with a smile. "Too bad for you it came one round too late…"

He placed one of the cards into a slot.

"I play… Soul Release!"

End of Anubis gasped.

"Now the three Exodia cards in your Graveyard… are gone…" he said.

The Right Arm, Left Leg, and Right Leg of Exodia the Forbidden One appeared, and shattered!

"YES!" screamed Fran.

Stan placed another card down.

"And I'll sacrifice Breaker to summon Chaos Command Magician!"

Breaker vanished, and the Spellcaster in the glossy black costume arose! (2,400/1,900)

"Chaos Command Magician…" he shouted, "wipe out his Battle Footballer with chaos blast!"

The Magician shot forth a blast of multicolored energy! The Android sparked, and blew up!

"Time to make your move, demon," scowled Stan.

The End of Anubis slowly drew. It hung its head…

"I can't do anything else…" it said. "Just finish it…"

"Fine," said Stan, with a smile.

He made his last draw.

"Chaos Command Magician, direct attack!"

Chaos Command Magician fired his ray, and The End of Anubis screamed! As his Life Points fell to zero, he erupted in a wave of energy, and faded into mist.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Well," sighed Stan, "it took me two years, but I finally beat Exodia… And I must say, it felt good."

"Why ever did you have Soul Release in your deck?" asked Fran.

"I don't usually," sighed Stan. "But when I was blasted by Exodia the first time, I put it and Card Destruction in my side deck… I guess I was afraid it would happen again at some point. And before I went to bed last night, a little voice told me to add them to it. A female voice… It sounded just like…"

He paused.

He took Goombella out of his discard slot and looked at the card. She almost seemed to wink at him as he looked at her image.

"Well," he sighed, reconstructing his deck, "why don't we try to get some more sleep for what passes the rest of the night…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Well End, I don't know what to say to you…" snarled the Shadow Queen.

The End of Anubis shivered as he knelt.

"Not only did Stan defeat you, but he likely now has conquered his fear of Exodia!" she continued. "You've only made him stronger!"

"Well, maybe I can…" muttered End.

"Save it!" shouted the Queen.

She flicked her Disk into position and threw a card into a slot.

The Grave Arm burst out of the ground and grabbed the Fiend! He was dragged under, screaming!

"That's it," muttered the Queen. "No more Duel Monsters as duelists for the time being. I'll save them for Stage Two if I need them until then, we'll proceed with Stage One…

"Now I have to get some sleep myself…"

**0**

**0**

**0**

**_You know, I must be one of the one percent of writers on fiction to write a duel where a duelist used Exodia and didn't use Necross._**

_**Coming up next:**_

**_A new user character comes to Keelhaul Key, and gives Stan a warm welcome – in more ways than one! This duelist looks at dueling differently than most people – but that doesn't mean she's a pushover. Don't miss "Flames of Passion", coming soon…_**


	25. Flames of Passion

_I'd like to point something out before this chapter posts:_

_In this chapter, Stan uses Mystic Box. However, he uses the anime version of Mystic Box, not the real version. I know the real version does not work this way._

_On with the chapter._

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**When I dueled Tyson, it was a terror.**_

_**Not just because he was the product of an unholy alliance between an evil sorceress and a demon, but because he used fire as a weapon. Fire can be deadly if used wrong. It burns. It destroys. It makes life unpleasant. **_

_**Now I'm watching Stan duel someone who shares Tyson's tastes. She seems much more friendly than he was, and she doesn't want to drag him to his doom…**_

_**But her Monsters and other cards are no less serious in nature. And I hope that Stan can handle them. **_

_**Because like I said, fire is a serious business…**_

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Flames of Passion**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

At the breakfast table the next morning, three forks went simultaneously for the last Belgian waffle.

"I want it!" shouted Francesca.

"Come on guys…" sighed Stan. "I'm the one who had to go up against tall, dark, and gruesome last night…"

Andy and Francesca looked at each other.

"He has a point, Fran," said Andy with a shrug.

Stan took the waffle and poured syrup on it.

"So where are we off to after breakfast?" asked Fran.

"The next town is called Poshley Heights," said Andy, studying the map.

"After dueling that Fiend, I'm in the mood for a normal duel for a change," muttered Stan. "Anything to get a fifth Crystal Card…"

"You know guys," mentioned Andy, "we learned something important yesterday during Francesca's duel with Maria…"

"What's that?" asked Stan, with his mouth full.

"Well," answered Andy, "at first I thought the Queen would try every dirty trick in the book to defeat us. But it turns out she's forbidden from playing any way but fair. That might give us an edge…"

"Don't be so sure…" muttered Francesca.

"Pardon?" asked Andy.

"If you know the rules too well," answered Fran, "you find loopholes and ways to bend them. There are many fair ways to manipulate the rules to meet your ends. And the Queen is probably a master at doing just that."

They were silent for a few seconds.

And then the door to the inn opened and _she_ entered.

It was a young, sixteen-year-old girl, with long, light brown hair and hazel eyes. She wore a revealing halter top and a short skirt. She was tall and skinny, with very long legs.

A Duel Disk was on her arm.

"Hey folks!" she shouted. "Who's ready to par-tey?"

She strode around the tables.

"Start the party, folks, because Lyn Rykern is here, and she's ready to play!" she announced.

Everyone turned to her.

"Aw, why all the gloomy gusses?" she asked. "Anyone want to take on the meanest Monsters this side of _Clash of the Titans_? I guarantee you, they'll shock your frowns into smiles!"

"Talk about bubbly," muttered Francesca.

"Maybe this could be a big ticket…" muttered Stan. "And she does seem more pleasant than The End of Anubis…"

He called over.

"Yo!" he called. "Lyn, was it?"

"Yeah, sweetie?" she asked.

"So," asked Stan, nervously, "you having any luck so far?"

Lyn giggled and took out five Crystal Cards.

_Nuts, she's one ahead of me…_ thought Stan.

"Well," thought Stan, "I'll take you up on that offer… Just don't expect an easy duel…"

"Wouldn't think about it cupcake!" she giggled. "Meet me on the beach next to that big ship in twenty minutes!"

Francesca shuddered. She wanted to duel next to Maria's ship. Lovely…

Lyn bent over and stroked Stan on the cheek.

"Just be careful," she whispered. "Most men find me too hot to handle… In more ways than one."

She slowly walked out of the restaurant…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Speaking of said ship…

In Maria's private quarters on _The Sea Witch_, Lord Crump was snoozing on a cot…

Then his cell phone rang. He grumbled and answered it.

"WAKE UP STUPID!" shouted a voice on the other end.

"Uhm, your excellence!" sputtered Crump. "I'm awake!"

"Well stay awake!" shouted the Queen. "Stan has just accepted a challenge, and I want you to watch.

"These kids have more to them than we first thought. Stan actually used Sorcerer of Dark Magic to help him defeat The End of Anubis!"

"Sorcerer of Dark Magic?" gasped Crump. "Where'd he get a card that rare?"

"I can't read minds, Crump," grumbled the Queen. "If I could, I likely wouldn't be in this mess to begin with. We need to know all that we can about these kids so that, hopefully, the rest of our henchmen can handle them."

"If you're so damn powerful why don't you duel them yourself…" said Crump, under his breath.

"WHAT WAS THAT?" shouted the Queen.

"Nothing!" pleaded Crump. "I'll watch for them…"

"Make sure you do…" warned the Queen.

She hung up.

"Pushy, egotistical, bitch…" muttered Crump.

His cell phone rang again.

He answered it…

A bolt of electricity struck him, knocking him down!

"I heard that!" growled the Queen's voice.

"I'm sorry…" squeaked Crump.

"Well say anything like that again," she responded, "and you'll know what 'sorry' means!"

She hung up again.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Stan shuffled his deck as he and his two friends walked down to the beach Lyn was waiting, shuffling her own.

"I love the beach," she mused. "So peaceful… serene…"

"So," asked Stan, "how long have you been into Duel Monsters?"

"A long time," she replied. "I always wanted to be a Duel Monsters champion, and this tournament is my first big break!"

She loaded her deck into her disk.

"So let's stop beating around the bush, and have at it, 'kay?" she said with a smile. "My deck is really going to warm you up?"

_Warm me up?_ thought Stan.

The holo-imagers shot out of the Disks, and they flipped into position. The Life Point meters both set to 8,000.

"Ladies first…" said Stan, drawing his first five cards.

"Why thanks," giggled Lyn, drawing six.

She almost let out a squeal.

_This hand rocks!_ she thought. _I have just what I need for a great combo!_

"I'll place a Monster facedown in Defense Mode, and end my turn," she announced.

She placed a card on her Disk, and the facedown card appeared.

Stan drew and looked at his hand.

"Okay…" he said, considering. "I'll summon Skilled Dark Magician in Attack Mode."

He put the card down, and the black-robed mage appeared. (1,900/1,700)

_She put a defensive Monster down,_ he thought. _It could have a high Defense or a nasty flip-effect, but from what I've seen of her so far, she's bluffing…_

"Skilled Dark Magician, attack!" he shouted.

The Magician cast forth his dark spell. A creature that looked like a flaming shadow appeared on the card, and was blown away.

Lyn chuckled.

"Thank you!" she laughed. "You just destroyed a Monster called The Thing In The Crater! And when it's destroyed in battle, I get to Special Summon any Pyro Monster from my hand!"

She placed a card down.

"So now I'll summon my Molten Zombie!"

A hulking form arose. It was a semisolid humanoid mass made entirely of lava, dripping the magma over the sand. (1,600/400)

"Fine," sighed Stan. "It's your turn."

Lyn made another draw.

She switched cards on her Disk.

"Now I'll sacrifice Molten Zombie to summon Mr. Volcano!" she exclaimed.

Molten Zombie shrunk into a ball of fire, and the ball grew into a sorcerer in colorful clothes and red hair, with flames covering his hands. (2,100/1,300)

"Mr. Volcano," she ordered, "attack Skilled Dark Magician with volcanic blast!"

Mr. Volcano shot forth a blast of fire, incinerating Skilled Dark Magician!

Stan's Life Points fell to 7,800.

"Wow," exclaimed Andy. "Bubbly she may be, but this chick is actually pretty good."

"Yeah…" muttered Francesca. "But don't count Stan out yet…"

"Okay," continued Lyn, "I'll set one card facedown."

She threw a card into a slot, and it appeared behind Mr. Volcano. She waved her hand to signify the end of her turn.

Stan drew.

"I summon Goombella the Scholar in Defense Mode!" he exclaimed.

Goombella appeared, and hopped on his shoulder. (500/2,000)

"Huh?" asked Lyn. "Cute!"

Goombella grinned.

"Cute and helpful," replied Stan. "Because now I can see the top four cards on my deck and rearrange them any way I want!"

The four cards on the top of his deck floated off.

_Aw, man,_ he thought. _None of these are all that good…_

He only made one adjustment, and they floated back.

"I'll place one card facedown, and that will be all."

He fit a card into a slot, and it appeared.

Lyn drew.

"Well, sorry Goombella," she said, "but… Mr. Volcano, attack!"

The Pyro cast forth his fiery spell…

"Activate Spellbinding Circle!" shouted Stan.

The fire was blocked, and Mr. Volcano was trapped in the pentagram! His Attack fell to 1,400.

Lyn gave a slight grin…

"Okay, your move…" she said slowly.

Stan drew.

_Something's wrong,_ he thought. _Lyn doesn't seem the least bit worried…_

He paused.

_Her facedown card! What does it do?_

He paused again.

_Well, if it's a Mirror Force, Goombella is in Defense Mode…_

"I summon Neo the Magic Swordsman in Attack Mode!" he shouted, placing a card facedown.

Neo appeared, swinging his magical sword.

"Neo, attack Mr. Volcano with your enchanted blade!"

Neo's sword glowed, and he lashed forward, smiting the Pyro with enchanted energy! Mr. Volcano was vaporized.

Lyn's Life Points went down to 7,700…

And then a bonfire erupted around Stan! He screamed!

His Life Points fell to 7,300.

"What happened?" he asked.

Lyn pointed to her Trap Card.

"It's called Backfire," she said. "Now, every time you destroy one of my Fire Monsters, you'll lose 500 Life Points! Neat Trap Card huh?"

"Yeah…" muttered Stan. "Neat…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Up on the ship's deck, Crump was watching.

_Heh,_ he thought. _Just looking at her hand, I think this Lyn gal has a better strategy than Tyson did! I know just what she's gonna do on her next move…_

_Look out Stan… Pretty soon, even your strongest Monsters aren't going to be able to protect you…_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Francesca saw something out of the corner of her eye.

She turned her face, and saw Crump.

"Don't look now," she whispered to Andy, "but that little creep is spying on us again."

"I say we go up there and shake him until he tells us what he's up to…" muttered Andy.

"Well, Stan can't stop the duel or he'll forfeit," sighed Francesca. "We'll have to wait. But as soon as it's over, we get that little sneak…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Can it be? My turn?" giggled Lyn.

She drew, and then took two cards from her hand.

"I'll place this card facedown…" she said, slapping a card into a slot.

Another card appeared facedown.

"Then I'll summon this little guy in Attack Mode… Raging Flame Sprite!"

She put a card down, and a tiny elflike fairy appeared. It was dressed in brown clothing and a pointed hat, carried a short wooden club, and was surrounded by flickering flames. (100/200)

"HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA!" laughed Stan. "I'm supposed to be scared of that? Your little fairy only has one hundred Attack Points!"

"Don't judge a Monster by its cover, Stan!" chuckled Lyn. "Raging Flame Sprite is more powerful than it appears. First, it possesses the ability to hop over all of your Monsters and attack you directly!

"Raging Flame Sprite, attack with pixie fire shot!"

The Sprite let out a laugh and flew towards Stan! It shot a tiny fireball, hitting him in the face!

Stan's Life Points fell down to 7,200.

"Humph, I barely felt a thing!" scoffed Stan.

"And there's more!" continued Lyn. "Every time Raging Flame Sprite succeeds in attacking you, it gains 1,000 Attack Points!"

The Sprite's Attack rose to 1,100.

"I end my turn," she said.

"Yeah?" said Stan, drawing, "well it's still pretty weak…"

He threw a card down.

"I summon The Illusory Gentleman in Attack Mode!" he exclaimed.

The cyclopsed, gentleman Spellcaster appeared, brandishing his cane. (1,500/1,600)

"Gentleman, attack her raging Flame Sprite!" he shouted.

The Illusory Gentleman started to cast his spell…

"Here I come, Lyn," threatened Stan, "ready or not!"

The Gentleman shot forth his colorful spell…

"ACTIVATE WABOKU!" shouted Lyn, as her Trap lifted.

The three priestesses sprang up, and the spell was halted.

Andy groaned.

"She was ready…" he sighed.

"Ugh…" sighed Stan. "I end my turn."

"Splendid," laughed Lyn, drawing. "Raging Flame Sprite, attack Stan _again!_"

The Sprite leapt up with a laugh, and this time shot forth a larger ball of flame, hitting Stan in the face again!"

Stan clutched his eyes…

That hurt…

His Life Points fell to 6,100.

And as he watched, Raging Flame Sprite's Attack Score grew to 2,100.

"Your move!" laughed Lyn.

_This is serious,_ thought Stan. _I know what my next two draws will be, and the next won't be a Monster strong enough to defeat it… And the card after that will be no help either…_

He drew. He chose another card.

_This will be a risk, but I have to take it…_

"I play the Magic Card… Clock Out!" he shouted.

He placed the card in the slot, and the huge grandfather clock appeared.

"Clock Out?" asked Lyn.

"Yes," said Stan. "I'm giving up 1,000 of my Life Points…"

His Life Points fell to 5,100, and the hand on the clock started to spin…

"…and whatever number this hand stops on is the number of your turns that you can't attack!"

"So you're putting this all up to chance?" asked Lyn, with a pout.

"Yeah!" replied Stan. "You have a problem with that?"

The pointer slowed… and landed on the three.

_Not the best,_ he thought, _but it will buy me some time._

"I'll end my turn there," said Stan.

"Whatever you say sweetie…" giggled Lyn.

She drew.

_This will be good for insurance_… she thought.

"Okay Stan," she said, "I'm summoning a new Monster, but first I have to remove one Fire Monster in my Graveyard from play…"

She hit a command on her Disk.

"And since I don't need The Thing In The Crater anymore, I'll remove that…"

The card slipped out of her slot, and she transferred it to the removal slot.

"So now I summon Inferno in Defense Mode."

The creature that appeared could only be described with one word – fire. It was a living bonfire, with two flaming blue points that suggested eyes. (1,100/1,900)

"Boy this duel is heating up…" muttered Andy.

"You had to say it…" sighed Francesca.

"I'll turn it back over to you," said Lyn.

The clock ticked down to two.

Stan drew.

"I choose to pass this turn," he said.

Lyn drew.

"Well, two can play at that game…" she said. "I'll pass as well."

The clock ticked down to one.

Stan paused.

_Okay,_ he thought. _This next draw is the first one I don't know about… If it or the next draw isn't something that can get rid of her Raging Flame Sprite, it will hit me for 2,100 points of damage when she can attack again… and then grow too powerful for me to stop…_

_Come on deck, show me some love…_

He drew… the card glowed in the pale morning light…

"I sacrifice Goombella…" he started.

Goombella vanished.

"…AND the Illusory Gentleman…" he continued.

The Illusory Gentleman vanished.

He threw the card down.

"…to summon the mighty **_Buster Blader_**!"

The enormous, armored Warrior arose, brandishing his mighty sword! (2,600/2,300)

Lyn gasped!

"Buster Blader?" she said with a shudder. "I've never seen him before!"

"Well then…" said Stan with a smile. "Lyn, Buster Blader, Buster Blader, Lyn. Now it's time for your Sprite to meet him! Attack!"

Buster Blader raised his mighty sword, and charged. Raging Flame Sprite squeaked in fear and tried to flee, but it was cut down.

Lyn's Life Points fell to 7,300.

"Now then…" said Stan.

He screamed as another bonfire surrounded him.

"Oh yeah," muttered Lyn. "I almost forgot about the Backfire Trap… But is it true that he gains 500 Attack points for _every_ Dragon your opponent has used?"

"More or less…" gasped Stan, as his Life Points fell to 4,600.

"Wow, I have a million questions…" muttered Lyn.

"Well, I don't have time to answer a _million_ questions," muttered Stan. "We're in the middle of a duel here… And I think it's your turn."

"Oh right…" said Lyn, drawing.

She looked at the card, and gave a slight smirk.

"I'll place a card facedown, and that's my turn," she said.

A card materialized next to Backfire.

Stan drew.

_Just what I needed…_ he thought.

"Say goodbye to your Backfire," he shouted. "I play Mystical Space Typhoon!"

The whirlwind gusted forth, shattering the Trap Card.

"Now, Buster Blader, attack her Inferno!"

Buster Blader leapt forward, and brought his sword down on the blazing creature! The flames scattered!

And then Buster Blader groaned… He shattered!

"I did it!" shouted Lyn in delight. "I defeated the greatest Warrior in Duel Monsters!"

"What?" stammered Stan. "What happened…"

Then he noticed that Lyn had triggered a Trap.

"When you destroyed my Inferno, you triggered a Trap called Michizure!" she laughed. "It activates when one of my Monsters is destroyed, and destroys one of yours!"

Stan stood dumbfounded.

"Sheesh!" gasped Francesca. "That _was_ a smart move!"

"My move isn't done yet, Lyn!" exclaimed Fran. "Because now that you have absolutely nothing to protect you… Neo, attack her directly!"

Lyn wailed as Neo charged forward and slashed at her with his sword. She fell to her knees.

Her Life Points fell to 5,600.

She gasped for breath…

"Are you… Are you all right?" asked Stan, somewhat worried.

She looked so fragile…

"Heh, heh, never better, Stan!" she chuckled. "I love to get dirty! You're my kind of guy!"

She blew him a kiss.

"Um, Fran?" muttered Andy. "Is it legal to flirt with your opponent in the middle of a duel?"

"Well, uhm… I never heard of a rule against it…" muttered Fran. "I don't think I can ever remember it happening…"

She paused.

"Although, come to think of it, I heard a story of two students in my school who were seniors when I was a freshmen. They were both duelists who dueled each other a lot, and eventually, he fell in love with her because of her skill… I think they're married now…"

Andy sighed.

"You think something like that could ever happen again?" he asked.

Fran looked at Andy.

She didn't answer…

"My move, cupcake…" said Lyn, drawing.

Stan rolled his eyes. He was really glad Colette wasn't here to see this…

"Wow!" said Lyn.

"I think she got a good draw…" muttered Andy.

"You bet I did!" exclaimed Lyn. "I got this incredibly rare card from winning a tournament! It was worth it…"

She threw the card down.

"Blaze Magician, in Attack Mode!"

A flame erupted on the field, and a fiery female form arose. She could best be described as a more elegant Magician of Faith although her kimono was red with yellow fire designs on it. Her hair was pulled into a ponytail, but it was bright red. She waved her hands and a scepter appeared in it, topped with a glowing sun on the end of it. (1,900/1,400)

_Blaze Magician?_ thought Stan. _Well this is new…_

"Blaze Magician, attack Neo with fiery blaze!"

The Spellcaster waved her staff and shot forth a stream of flame, blowing the Magic Swordsman to pixels!

Stan's Life Points fell to 4,400.

"Your move," said Lyn, with a smile.

_And Blaze Magician's special effects will come in handy,_ she thought.

Stan drew.

"All right!" he exclaimed.

Stan chose another card.

"I'll summon Mystical Elf in Defense Mode," he said.

He put the card down. The holy elf appeared, chanting her mantra. (800/2,000)

"Now I play the Magic Card… Sweet Treat!" he exclaimed.

"YES!" exclaimed Andy.

Stan placed it into a slot.

"Sweet Treat?" said Lyn, with her eyes narrowing. "I don't like the sound of that… Blaze Magician, go!"

Blaze Magician shot forth a blast of flames, and as the Magic Card appeared, it was burned up!

"WHAT?" shouted Stan. "Your Blaze Magician can negate Magic Cards?"

Lyn held up her Inferno card.

"I have to remove a Fire Monster from My Graveyard to do so, but it's worth the price!" she said, slipping it into the removal slot.

Stan grumbled.

"I'll end my turn," he said.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Crump dialed his cell phone.

"Your excellence," he said. "were you watching?"

"Yes Crump," responded the Queen, "and I must say, I'm very pleased…"

She paused.

"Up until this point, I feared that the Enchanted Cards might well be unstoppable – but they aren't. It may be true that only the forces of… ugh… Good can use them. But they still have to follow all the rules for Duel Monsters concerning card effects. If Blaze Magician can halt Sweet Treat from working, Magic Jammer can as well, and Art Attack can be foiled by Heavy Storm…

"This is vital information indeed…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Now it's my move…" said Lyn with a smile.

She made a draw, and chose another card from her hand.

"I summon Flame Dancer in Attack Mode!"

She put a card down, and a weird-looking creature with one eye and flames coming out of a pipe on its head appeared in a burst of flame. It was carrying two torches. (550/450)

"Why would you summon a Monster so weak?" asked Stan.

"All because of Blaze Magician's _other_ ability!" said Lyn with a big smile. "When she's on the field, all of my Pyro Monsters have their Attack Score raised to 1,900!"

Flame Dancer's score rose to (1,900/450)

"But since I can't get by your Elf yet, I'll turn it over to you, honey."

Stan sighed as he drew.

_What kind of crazy duel is this?_ he thought.

He looked at his card.

_Oh yeah…_ he thought.

"I sacrifice Mystical Elf to summon Chaos Command Magician!" he exclaimed.

Mystical Elf vanished in a beam of light, and the Spellcaster with shiny black robes appeared in a flash! (2,400/1,900)

"Chaos Command Magician, attack her Blaze Magician with chaos blast!"

The chaos mage fired his scepter, and Blaze Magician screamed… she vanished in a puff of smoke.

Lyn's Life Points fell to 5,100.

"And without her, your Flame Dancer loses its big bonus," said Stan with a grin. "It's your move…"

Lyn sighed. She drew.

"I'll place this card facedown," she said, placing it into a slot. "And I'll move Flame Dancer into Defense Mode."

A facedown card appeared, and Flame Dancer covered itself with its torches.

"Your move," she sighed.

Stan drew.

_Pixie Knight…_ he thought. _She may come in handy…_

"I'll summon Pixie Knight in Defense Mode…" he said.

He placed the card down, and the fairy Spellcaster appeared, shyly hiding behind her gossamer wings. (1,300/200)

"Chaos Command Magician, attack Flame Dancer!" he shouted.

Chaos Command Magician aimed…

"I activate Shadow Spell!" shouted Lyn!

Chaos Command Magician gasped, as chains erupted from the ground, binding his wrists and ankles! His Attack Score fell to 1,700.

Lyn giggled.

"Gee Stan, I didn't know your Monsters were into that kind of kinky stuff!" she laughed.

_This is demented…_ thought Stan.

"Man, the way she talks, it almost like she and Stan are on a date rather than dueling…" muttered Andy.

"Maybe that's how she looks at it…" muttered Francesca.

"Huh?" asked Andy.

"You know the old saying, 'You don't know a man until you've walked a mile in his shoes'?" asked Francesca. "Everyone is unique. Everyone has their own outlook. Not everyone sees the game of Duel Monsters as a bloodthirsty, violent spectacle. Maybe Lyn has found some sort of romantic side of it, and by dueling it brings her sensual pleasure… her own form of libido.

"After all, conquest in battle and conquest of the heart are just two types on conflicts – many old-school religions put love and war in the same category…

"That's probably why her deck is full of Fire Monsters. Passion is always described as hot, and that may be what fuels her own energy."

"Your awfully smart, Fran," sighed Andy.

"I do what I have to," shrugged Francesca.

"My move now…" said Lyn.

She drew.

"Yes!" she said.

She spun around.

"All right!"

She threw a card on her Disk.

"I summon Hand of Nephthys!" she shouted.

A whirlwind appeared on the field, and a young priestess in Egyptian royal clothing appeared, folding her arms in a praying position. (600/600)

"Huh?" asked Stan. "That… doesn't look so formidable…"

A card slipped out of Lyn's deck.

"She won't be staying for long, Stan!" she laughed. "Now I can sacrifice her and one other Monster to summon my _favorite_ Monster!"

She placed a card down.

"So, I sacrifice Hand of Nephthys and Flame Dancer…"

The two Monsters were consumed in fire…

And enormous bonfire started to erupt.

"…to summon a great beast that was spawned before mankind even discovered fire! Behold… **_Sacred Phoenix of Nephthys_**!"

An enormous bird with golden, metallic skin, burning with flames all over its body arose out of the flames! It gave a great screech, and Chaos Command Magician and Pixie Knight shook in fear! (2,400/1,600)

"Go, my great Phoenix!" she shouted. "Attack Chaos Command Magician with divine flames!"

The Sacred Phoenix exhaled a blast of burning fire, blowing Chaos Command Magician to ashes!

Stan's Life Points fell to 3,700.

"Oh geeze," muttered Francesca. "Stan may be in trouble…"

"That thing is… amazing…" gasped Andy.

"I remember hearing about Sacred Phoenix of Nephthys," pondered Fran. "It has an effect of some sort… but what?"

Stan shakily drew…

_All right!_ he thought_. Dark Magician Girl! Now I can use the card I've been saving for a special occasion!_

He switched cards on his Disk.

"I sacrifice Pixie Knight to summon Dark Magician Girl!" he exclaimed. "In Attack Mode!"

Pixie Knight vanished, and a magical circle appeared out of the ground. Dark Magician Girl spun out and struck a pose. (2,000/1,700)

"Tee hee," chuckled Lyn, as the Phoenix alighted in front of her. "Sorry, Stan, but she comes up 400 Attack points too short!"

"Let me show you a little magic trick…" said Stan, placing a card into a slot.

The card showed itself.

"It's called Mystic Box…" explained Stan. "For this trick, Dark Magician Girl needs a volunteer, and…"

"My Phoenix volunteers!" interrupted Lyn.

Stan gave her a strange look.

"Fine," he answered. "Not that she was going to give it a choice. Now watch… stage one…"

A tall black cabinet covered with question marks enclosed Dark Magician Girl.

Then another cabinet magically formed around Sacred Phoenix of Nephthys.

"How'd it fit in there?" asked Andy.

"Don't ask me," said Francesca with a shrug.

"Now stage two!" shouted Stan, throwing his hand forward.

Then, a rain of swords fell from the sky, all of them piercing the cabinet that Dark Magician Girl had entered!

"Wha?" said Lyn, startled. "You skewered your own Dark Magician Girl?"

"Not exactly!" said Stan, with a smile.

A door on the cabinet in front of Lyn opened, and Dark Magician Girl stepped out!

"And as for your Phoenix…" said Stan.

The other cabinet vanished, revealing the Phoenix impaled by the blades! It shattered into pixels!

And that was only half of Lyn's problem. Dark Magician Girl was standing right in front of her!

"Dark Magician Girl…" said Stan.

"Uhm…" muttered Lyn.

Dark Magician Girl grinned. She gleefully pressed her scepter against Lyn's exposed naval…

"Wait…" squeaked Lyn.

Then she screamed as the Spellcaster's dark spell hit her from point-blank range! Dark Magician Girl laughed as Lyn landed on her behind.

Her Life Points fell down to 3,100.

Lyn looked up in time to see the Spellcaster give her a wink before floating back to Stan's side.

"And that's my turn, Lyn," said Stan. "So, do you have any more new tricks?"

"No…" said Lyn, with a smirk.

She got up and drew.

"…just an old one…"

And then, flames surrounded her, and Sacred Phoenix of Nephthys arose from behind! It screeched louder than before!

"WHAT?" screamed Stan. "But I destroyed it!"

Lyn chuckled.

"Don't you know the legend of the Phoenix, Stan?" she said, grinning wickedly. "It can't die! It can't even die of old age! It is said that every ten thousand years, this creature immolates itself, and from the ashes a new Phoenix rises!

"In game terms Stan, the only way Sacred Phoenix of Nephthys will stay in the Graveyard is if it's sent there via battle. If you send it there any other way, like the Magic Card you used, it will just come back on my next turn!"

"Good lord…" gasped Andy. "It's a flaming, winged Vampire Lord!"

"Sacred Phoenix," shouted Lyn, "attack Dark Magician Girl with divine flames!"

Sacred Phoenix screeched… Dark Magician Girl drew back in fear…

The blast of flames incinerated the Spellcaster.

Stan's Life Points fell to 3,300.

Lyn waved her hand to signal the end of her turn.

_Okay,_ thought Stan, drawing. _Now I'm running out of ideas._

The card was Magician of Faith.

_Maybe I can get my Sweet Treat card back with this…_ he thought.

"Defense Mode!" he shouted, placing the card facedown.

The card appeared.

"Your move…" he said.

Lyn drew.

"Well, why don't I just take care of that, sweetie?" she said.

She threw a card into a slot.

"Nobleman of Crossout!"

Stan gasped, as the knight with his sword appeared and stabbed into the card. Magician of Faith appeared and shattered!

"Nice try…" chuckled Lyn. "Oh Phoenix? Give Stan a kiss for me, will you?"

Sacred Phoenix screeched, and blasted its flames, engulfing Stan in an inferno! He screamed and fell on his back.

His Life Points plummeted to 900.

"Stan!" yelled Andy. "Get up!"

Stan slowly pulled himself to his feet.

_Gotta… focus…_ he thought. _It's just a Monster… You've beaten tougher Monsters than this…_

_Heck, you just beat Exodia! There's got to be something I can draw that will beat this thing…_

He drew.

"I play… Graceful Charity!"

He plugged the card into the slot.

The angel flew out, and handed him three cards.

Stan looked at them.

"Oh… no…" he groaned.

"Disappointed with your draws, honey?" asked Lyn.

Stan glumly handed the angel two cards, and she flew into the discard slot.

"No Lyn," sighed Stan. "I got the best draws I could hope for. These cards will enable me to perform a combo that I've only done twice since I started dueling…"

"So why are you upset?" asked Lyn.

"Cause, you're gonna hate me…" sighed Stan.

"No I won't!" pouted Lyn.

"I'm serious!" said Stan. "The first guy I used this on called me a cheating bastard, and the second guy made vulgar crank calls to my house until I found out it was him and reported him!"

Lyn paused.

"Well they must have been _really_ mature," she chuckled, sarcastically. "Show me. I promise not to hate you…"

"Promise?" asked Stan.

"Hey, I might even like it!" laughed Lyn.

Stan sighed again.

"Okay…" he said. "But don't say I didn't warn you. It all comes down to the three Magic Cards I just drew…"

He fit a card into a slot.

"First, Monster Reborn!"

The holy ankh appeared, and Dark Magician Girl reappeared. (2,000/1,700)

"Now then," continued Stan, "the second one… I play The Sage's Stone, which allows Dark Magician Girl to summon Dark Magician from my deck!"

He played the card, and the powerful Dark Magician arose! (2,500/2,100)

Lyn drew back.

"The third one," continued Stan, playing another one, "Dedication Through Light And Darkness, which allows me to sacrifice Dark Magician for Dark Magician of Chaos from my deck!"

Dark Magician vanished, and the even stronger Dark Magician of Chaos arose in his place! (2,800/2,600)

"And finally…" said Stan.

A card flew out of his discard slot.

"…when Dark Magician of Chaos is summoned, I get to retrieve on Magic Card from my Graveyard! I chose… Monster Reborn!"

He played the card.

"And I'll bring Dark Magician back!"

Dark Magician returned.

The three sorcerers stared down Sacred Phoenix of Nephthys…

"YIII!" screamed Francesca. "Stan managed to summon all three of his Dark Magicians in one turn!"

"Holy shi – itake mushrooms!" yelled Andy. "I've _never_ seen anyone do that!" exclaimed Andy.

Lyn looked at the three Spellcasters in front of her…

And then she smiled, and closed her eyes. She stretched out her arms…

"Dark Magician of Chaos!" shouted Stan. "Attack her Sacred Phoenix with chaos scepter blast!"

Dark Magician of Chaos thrust his staff forward and cast a mighty spell. Sacred Phoenix screamed as it was blown to pieces!

Stan checked Lyn's score…

It was at 2,900. He had no choice. He had to attack with both of his other Spellcasters.

"Dark Magician… Dark Magician Girl…" he ordered. "Double dark magic attack!"

The Dark Magician and his apprentice put their staffs together and fired forth an entwining beam of energy straight at Lyn. She didn't flinch as the powerful blast hit her, although she did strain a little…

And then, she collapsed.

As her Life Points were reduced to zero, the holograms shut down. Stan ran over to her.

"LYN!" he shouted. "Are you all right?"

"Heh, heh, heh…" chuckled Lyn.

"That was a blast!" she shouted. "That was the best duel ever!"

She reached up and kissed Stan on the cheek.

"Thank you so much!" she giggled.

"Well, at least she isn't a sore loser," muttered Andy. "Stan, you finish here, Francesca and I have to handle something…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Meanwhile, Crump was cowering in fear behind a stack of barrels on the ship.

_All three of them in one turn?_ he thought. _Oh, this is too much! These kids are like super-duelists! What are we going to do?_

"Hey, creep!" shouted a voice.

He looked up, and saw Andy and Francesca boarding the ship.

"You want to spy on us, buddy?" asked Francesca. "Well we want some answers!"

Crump gulped.

"No!" he gulped. "Stay away!"

They closed in on him. He reached for the Duel Disk on his back.

"Don't hurt, me, okay?" he pleaded. "My take-home's less than twenty-five hundred!"

"You're overpaid!" scowled Andy.

Crump flicked the Duel Disk into position.

"Give us a break…" said Francesca.

Crump threw a Dimensionhole card into a slot, and a vortex appeared. He vanished into it.

Andy and Francesca stood dumbfounded.

"Well, that was weird," said Andy.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Well, I lost," said Lyn, with a smile. "So I guess I owe you this…"

She handed Stan a Crystal Card.

"Keep it safe cutie," she said. "You're sure to get to the Thousand Year Door with your strategy."

"I intend to," said Stan. "And as soon as my friends finish what they were doing, we're heading for Poshley Heights."

"Ooh," giggled Lyn. "I heard that all the rich folk on Monster Island hang out there! Have a good time! As for me, I'm staying in Keelhaul Key for awhile. Maybe I can get another duel in around here. Ta, ta!"

Andy looked at the Crystal Card.

"Five down, two to go…" he muttered.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**BLAZE MAGICIAN (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Spellcaster/Effect  
**Attribute: **Fire  
**Level: **4  
**ATK: **1,900  
**DEF: **1,400

**Card Description: **When this Monster is face-up on the field, the base ATK of any PYRO-Type Monster you summon becomes 1,900. Also, you can remove one FIRE-Attribute Monster in your Graveyard from play to negate the activation of a Magic Card and destroy it.

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**Coming up next:**_

**_The road to Poshley Heights is well-maintained, but long, and on the way, the team meets a new character, with a very unique deck! Don't miss a chapter entitled "Relics of Ancient Times", coming soon._**


	26. Relics of Ancient Times

_**History is full of mysterious situations. Ancient history more than any. **_

_**Stonehenge is an example. It was in Great Britain before there was a written language there, so whoever built it had to be able to move ten-ton blocks a great distance for a purpose that no one yet knows. **_

_**That isn't the only mystery of history. Now one knows who built the strange statues of Easter Island, and exactly how the Egyptians managed to build the wondrous Pyramids without iron tools or modern engineering equipment is one of the greatest puzzles of all. **_

_**I almost feel bad about having to duel my next opponent. The Monsters in his deck all look like priceless antique museum pieces, and in order to win, I have to smash them to pieces. Fortunately, they're cards, and will be back the next time he duels.**_

_**But that doesn't make them less powerful…**_

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Relics of Ancient Times**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

It was one hour after the duel with Lyn, and the three teens were traveling down a well-worn road. Andy was humming to himself:

_**On the road again,  
Just can't wait to get on the road again,  
The life I love is makin' music with my friends,  
And I just can't wait to get on the road again.  
On the road again.  
Goin' places that I've never been,  
Seein' things that I may never see again,  
And I just can't wait to get on the road again.**_

"You have a great singing voice, Andy," said Francesca, with a smile.

"Thanks," answered Andy. "So Stan, how long before we get to Poshley Heights?"

"Hmm," said Stan, studying the map. "I'd say about two hours, give or take."

They looked up ahead.

Off the side of the road were a cluster of statues. They all were very worn and made of something that looked like granite. All of them depicted a woman of some sort.

"Interesting…" said Stan.

They went up to the statues.

These statues were clearly centuries old – and they could clearly tell there wasn't something right about them.

Then they saw that they weren't the only ones interested in them.

A teenager about a year older than they were was studying one of the statues, and jotting things down in a notebook. He looked intently at it.

He had light blonde hair and big, bright blue eyes. He stood about 5'8", and wore khaki clothing. He also had a Duel Disk on his arm.

"Interesting," he said, mostly to himself. "Clearly it dates back to roughly the 10th Century AD, but I can't identify the culture…"

"Ahem," said Fran.

"Oh, hi," he mused.

"Interested in the scenery?" she asked.

"Archaeology always interests me," said the boy. "I just wish I could figure out what these statues were. They're clearly over a thousand years old, but other than that, I can't make out anything about them… Not the culture, or who they're supposed to represent…"

Francesca smiled.

"I notice you duel…" she said, offhand.

The boy smiled.

"Are you challenging me?" he asked.

Francesca took her Crystal Cards out of her Disk.

"I have five so far," she said.

The boy took out five of his own cards.

"Join the club," he said. "The name is Kyle Stevens, by the way, and I warn you – I not only study relics of ancient times – my deck is loaded with them!"

"Then by all means," chuckled Francesca. "Let's do it!"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

A wide, grassy knoll was in the center of the strange statues, and the holo-imagers started to glow.

"What do you think Kyle meant by relics of ancient times?" asked Andy.

"Well, the Gravekeepers aren't relics – they're people," answered Stan. "We'll just have to see."

The Disks flipped into position.

"It's time to duel, as everyone is so fond of saying," said Fran, drawing five cards.

She studied her hand.

"Why don't you go first, Fran," said Kyle.

Always let your opponent go first, and see what you're up against. That was his primary strategy.

"Sure thing," said Fran, drawing her first card.

She looked at it.

"I'll summon Amazoness Swords Woman in Attack Mode!" she declared.

She placed a card down, and the fierce barbarian appeared, swinging her sword. (1,500/1,600).

"Nice," said Kyle, drawing.

He looked at the card.

"Now I'll summon a relic from one of the most advanced civilizations of ancient Latin America!" he exclaimed. "Stone Statue of the Aztecs in Defense Mode!"

He placed a card down, and a huge statue resembling a huge head with hands made of unhewn rock appeared (300/2,000)

"And that's my turn," he said.

"Well," said Fran, drawing. "Seems you made a mistake, I know all about that thing's effect…

"Amazoness Swords Woman, attack his Stone Statue!"

Amazoness Swords Woman leapt up and slammed into the Statue! She gasped and fell on her back.

"I hate to hurt my own Monster," chuckled Francesca, "but any damage inflicted from a battle involving her is taken by _you_. And since all damage resulting from battles with Stone Statue of the Aztecs is doubled, you lose one thousand Life Points!"

Kyle's Life Points fell to 7,000.

"Okay, that was a clever move," he sighed. "But now it's my move."

He drew.

_This Magic Card will come in useful in a minute,_ he thought.

"Now then," he said, "I'll sacrifice my Stone Statue…"

The Statue vanished.

"…for a Monster which I'll place in facedown Defense Mode," he continued.

A hidden Monster appeared.

"I'll also play this card facedown," he said, fitting a card into a slot, "and turn it over to you."

The facedown card appeared.

Fran drew.

_He sacrificed a Monster to summon a defensive Monster, so it likely has a high Defense,_ she though. _No matter – I still have my Amazoness Swords Woman… So his Life Points are easy prey._

She put a card down.

"I'll summon Amazoness Paladin in Attack Mode!" she exclaimed.

The mighty Paladin appeared. (1,700/300) –) (1,900/300)

"Now, Swords Woman, attack his facedown Monster!"

Swords Woman raised her Sword.

"Not so fast!" shouted Kyle. "I activate Negate Attack!"

His Trap lifted. Swords Woman's blade slammed into an invisible shield.

"Fine, it's your move," sighed Fran.

"You might be wondering why I have Negate Attack in my deck and not Waboku," said Kyle, drawing. "The simple answer is, in order to activate the flip effect of this Monster, and a lot of the others in my deck, I have to flip them myself…"

The card flipped around…

"So I Flip-Summon… Guardian Sphinx!"

A huge Monster resembling the Great Sphinx of Gaza appeared where the card had been, only this one looked as good as new. (1,700/2,400)

"And when it's Flip-Summoned, its special effect kicks in, returning all the Monsters on your side of the field to your hand," noted Kyle.

Francesca let out a yelp as both her Amazons vanished, their cards thrown off her Disk.

"Now Guardian Sphinx," ordered Kyle, "attack directly with monolith smash!"

The next moment could not be believed. The great Sphinx clapped its huge stone paws together, and unfortunately, Francesca was between them!

"FRAN!" shouted Andy.

Francesca teetered for a minute, but maintained her balance. Her Life Points fell to 6,300.

Kyle gave her a minute to recover before making her next move.

"Are you done?" asked Fran.

"No," said Kyle. "I'm activating its other effect…"

Guardian Sphinx vanished, and was replaced by a facedown card…

_It can revert back to facedown Defense Mode?_ thought Francesca, in panic. _He can just do it again…_

"And, since I can't have you ramming your Swords Woman into it," muttered Kyle, "I play… Exchange!"

He fit the card into the slot.

Francesca cringed.

"Fine," she sighed.

She walked up to him, and showed him her hand.

Kyle quickly took the Swords Woman.

"Your turn," he said, holding out his hand.

_How can I choose when I've never even seen any of these cards?_ thought Francesca. _Better choose one at random…_

She picked a card.

As she walked back to her position, she saw that it was a strange Monster called Dummy Golem. She slowly read the description…

"Your move…" said Kyle.

_If I just attack his Sphinx, he can't activate its flip-effect,_ though Fran. _But that would slowly drain my Life Points and give him time to summon something nasty…_

She drew.

_Now that's it…_ she thought.

"I summon Amazoness Paladin again," she said, placing the card down.

Amazoness Paladin reappeared. (1,700/300) –) (1,800/300)

"And now I arm her with The Girdle of Hippolyta!" she exclaimed.

She fit the Magic Card into the slot, and the golden belt appeared around Paladin's waist. Her Attack rose to 2,600.

"Your Paladin should be ashamed of herself," scolded Kyle. "Only her Queen should be allowed to wear that."

"Her Queen is generous," commented Francesca. "Paladin, take out his Sphinx!"

Paladin charged. Guardian Sphinx appeared on the card, and was blown to pebbles!

"All right! Go Fran!" shouted Andy.

"It's your move," said Fran.

Kyle drew. He considered.

"I'll play Mystical Space Typhoon!" he shouted, throwing a card into a slot.

The Girdle of Hippolyta shattered.

"Now I'll summon another Stone Statue of the Aztecs in Defense Mode," he said.

Another huge, unhewn statue appeared. (300/2,000)

"Your move."

Fran drew.

"I'll summon Amazoness Fighter in Attack Mode," she said.

Fighter appeared, and flexed her muscles. (1,500/1,300)

Paladin's Attack went up to 1,900

"And I'll also place this card facedown," she said.

She fit a card into a slot, and it appeared.

_Mirror Force should blow his Monster away if he summons a stronger one,_ she thought.

"And I'll turn it over to you," she said.

Kyle drew.

He looked at the card.

"Now," he said, "I'll sacrifice Stone Statue of the Aztecs to summon an ancient artifact known as Ancient Gear Beast in Attack Mode!"

The Statue vanished. A large creature appeared. It looked like a mechanical wolf made of stone and metal, with gears for joints. (2,000/2,000)

"Gear Beast, attack her Paladin!" he shouted. "Pummelling pounce!"

Ancient Gear Beast charged forward…

"Activate Mirror Force!" shouted Fran.

But the card stayed down. Mirror Force did not activate.

And Paladin was torn to shreds!

Francesca's Life Points fell to 6,200.

"Hold it!" shouted Andy. "Time out! Fran's Disk malfunctioned!"

"No malfunction, my friend," chuckled Kyle. "When Ancient Gear Beast attacks, Traps cannot be activated during the Battle Phase. So Fran's Mirror Force couldn't be triggered.

"And thank you _so_ much for telling me that card is a Mirror Force. I'll know to be more careful from now on…

"It's your move."

Fran drew.

_Maybe I can fool him,_ she thought.

"I'll place a Monster facedown and end my turn," she said, placing a card on her Disk.

A hidden Monster appeared.

"And it's your move," she said.

"Heh, heh," chuckled Kyle, drawing. "You can't fool me, Fran! I know that that's my Dummy Golem, and I know what its flip-effect is. But I also know that if my attack destroys it, its flip-effect is invalid.

"So, Ancient Gear Beast, attack the facedown Monster!"

Ancient Gear Beast leapt forward…

D.D. Warrior Lady appeared on the card! She screamed and was torn apart!

"Yes!" shouted Stan. "Good thinking Fran!"

Ancient Gear Beast growled…

"WHAT?" exclaimed Francesca. "Your Beast should have been banished!"

"That's the second effect of Ancient Gear Beast!" laughed Kyle. "Like the legendary Dark Ruler Ha Des, it nullifies the effects of any Monster it destroys. That means it doesn't have to worry about Man-Eater Bugs, Night Assailants, Magicians of Faith, and a four-page list of other Monsters who you have to think twice about before attacking!

"Your move…"

_Okay, I'm running out of ideas…_ thought Fran.

She drew.

_Hey…_ she thought. _This might work…_

She fit a card into a slot.

"I play Fairy of the Spring!" she stated. "This allows me to bring back one Equip Magic Card from my Graveyard!"

A card flew out of her discard slot.

"But I can't Equip it on a Monster this turn. Now I'll set a card facedown, and end my turn."

She fit a card into a slot, and a card appeared next to her facedown Mirror Force.

Kyle drew.

"I'm activating a Trap!" shouted Francesca. "Waboku!"

Her Trap lifted, and the three emissaries rose up.

"You didn't say I couldn't activate Traps at any time _other_ than the Battle Phase," he said with a smirk."

"Clever," said Kyle with a frown. "I'll move Ancient Gear Beast to Defense Mode, and end my turn."

The Machine sat.

Fran drew.

"Now I'll Equip my Fighter with – you guessed it - The Girdle of Hippolyta!" she exclaimed.

She fit a card into a slot, and the golden belt appeared around Fighter's waist. Her Attack went up to 2,300.

"Attack his Beast!" she shouted.

Amazoness Fighter leapt forward and crushed Ancient Gear Beast with her fist.

"Make your move…" chuckled Francesca.

"Well Fran," said Kyle, "you are pretty good…"

He looked at the card.

"But I'm still taking you down."

He slid a card into a slot.

"I play Graceful Charity," he said.

The angel flew out, and handed him three cards. He handed her two.

"And by the way," he added, "I'm burying your Swords Woman."

Francesca was a little irked by that.

"Now I play… Tribute to the Doomed!" he shouted.

He threw a card into a slot and discarded one. Francesca screamed as her Fighter was mummified and then pulled underground!

"Eek, that was _nasty_!" exclaimed Andy.

"And now I summon, Ancient Gear Soldier!" exclaimed Kyle, placing a card down.

A more humanoid contraption appeared. It was made of stone and metal, like Ancient Gear Beast, and carried a device that looked like an antique Tommy gun. (1,300/1,300)

"And by the way," said Kyle, "this Monster _also_ prevents you from triggering Traps during the Battle Phase.

"Ancient Gear Soldier, attack directly!"

The Soldier raised his gun and pumped ten rounds into Fran's torso! She screamed and toppled backwards.

Her Life Points fell to 4,900.

Francesca got to her feet.

"Finally, one card facedown," he said.

He threw a card into a slot, and it appeared.

"It's your turn," he said.

She drew.

"I summon my Amazon Archer in Attack Mode," she said, placing a card down.

The Amazon bow-woman appeared, notching an arrow in her bow. (1,400/1,000)

"Attack!" shouted Francesca.

The Archer fired, and Ancient Gear Soldier was blasted into junk!

Kyle shielded himself from the debris as his Life Points fell to 6,900.

"That was pointless," muttered Fran. "Well, make your move…"

Kyle drew.

"I'll play the Magic Card… Earthenware Jug," he said.

He placed a card in a slot, and a jar that looked like an antique, clay version of the Pot of Greed appeared.

"To activate this card," explained Kyle, "I have to remove one Rock Monster from the game. So I'll remove the first Stone Statue of the Aztecs."

An image of the Stone Statue appeared and was sucked into the Jug.

"In return for that, I get to draw three cards."

A hand made of clay reached out of the Jug, took three cards off of Kyle's deck and handed them to him.

"Thank you," he continued. "Then I'll activate Call of the Haunted, to bring back the other Stone Statue of the Aztecs!"

His Trap Card lifted, and the Stone Statue reappeared.

"But I'm not done!" he laughed. "I'll sacrifice my Stone Statue to summon an ancient creature known as Hieracosphinx in Attack Mode!

The Stone Statue shattered, and a different statue appeared. Made of stone, it had the body of a lion with small wings, and the head of a colorful hawk. (2,400/1,200)

"Let me explain how this creature works," explained Kyle. "So long as it's on the field, you can't attack any of my facedown Monsters!

"Now, Hieracosphinx…

"Oh, I almost forgot, you still have that Mirror Force Trap! Well, I certainly can't attack until I get rid of it, now can I? I end my turn."

"Nuts," muttered Andy, "she almost had him…"

Fran drew.

_All right!_ she thought.

She threw a card down.

"I summon my Beautiful Headhuntress to the field!" she exclaimed.

The fancy-dressed woman with her huge cleaver appeared. (1,600/800)

"And now I play this Magic Card!" she exclaimed. "Earth Tremor!"

She fit a card into a slot, and the card appeared.

"You're in trouble now!" warned Andy.

"To activate this card, I have to sacrifice an Earth Monster, so Beautiful Headhuntress, bye-bye!"

Beautiful Headhuntress gave a wicked grin at Kyle before she shattered.

"And now," said Francesca with a smile, "you lose Life Points equal to 500 times the number of stars that your most powerful Monster on the field has!"

"What?" gasped Kyle. "Oh, nuts! Hieracosphinx has six stars!"

A veritable earthquake struck Kyle's side of the field, and he was tossed off his feet! Hieracosphinx roared!

Kyle got up, covered with dust. His Life Points plummeted to 3,900.

"Good trick…" he muttered. "My move now?"

"Go ahead…" goaded Francesca.

Kyle drew.

"I play my Pot of Greed…" he said, placing the card in a slot.

The Pot handed him two more cards.

_Perfect,_ he thought. _I'll take Francesca down slowly and painfully…_

"I'll place a Monster facedown in Defense Mode, and that will be my turn," he said.

"Fine," said Francesca.

She drew.

"I'll summon my second Amazoness Paladin to the field!" she exclaimed.

Another Paladin appeared, holding aloft her sword. (1,700/300) –) (1,900/300)

"Now I'll…" she started. "Oh right, I can't attack facedown Monsters. Then I guess I'll end my turn…"

Kyle drew.

"Then I'm going to chip away at your Life Points piece by piece," he warned. "With my three-card combo!"

He placed a card down.

"I summon a Monster known as Grave Ohja in Attack Mode!" he shouted.

A tall, bulky statue appeared. It was made of purple rock, had huge claws, and wore a black kilt and a golden headdress. (1,600/1,500)

"So long as this Monster is on my side of the field, you'll take 300 points of damage every time I Flip-Summon a Monster!" he exclaimed. "And now, I'll Flip-Summon my Moai Interceptor Cannons!"

His facedown card flipped, and three Easter Island Statues appeared. (1,100/2,000).

They shot a blast of flame at Francesca, and she grunted, her Life Points falling to 4,600.

"Now I can activate their special ability!" chuckled Kyle.

The Cannons vanished, and went back to facedown Defense Mode.

"And that's my turn," he said.

Fran drew.

She paused.

_What is he up to?_ she thought. _Can't he see that my Paladin is clearly stronger than his Grave Ohja?_

_And he doesn't have a single Trap Card on the field to defend it… something has to be up…_

_Well, even if something is, I have to do something…_

"Paladin, attack his Grave Ohja!" she shouted.

Paladin raised her sword…

She looked at Grave Ohja…

And then she turned to Francesca, and shrugged.

"Huh?" said Fran, startled. "She can't attack it?"

"Oh, forgot to mention that!" chuckled Kyle. "So long as I have at least one facedown Monster on the field, Grave Ohja can't be attacked!

"It's my ultimate three-card-combo! First, Hieracosphinx protects the Moai Interceptor Cannons; Second, Grave Ohja lets the Cannons blast away 300 of your Life Points every time they're Flip-Summoned, which can happen every round; third, the cannons protect Grave Ohja! It all comes full circle!"

Francesca took a minute to take this in…

"Okay…" she mumbled. "I end my turn…"

"Then lets do this again!" laughed Kyle drawing. "Flip…"

The Moai Interceptor Cannons flipped into Attack Mode again.

"Blast…"

They shot their guns at Fran, blowing her Life Points down to 4,300.

"And… un-flip!"

They Cannons went back to facedown Defense Mode.

"Good grief!" muttered Andy. "He has Fran in a lock!"

"She'll think of something…" assured Stan.

Fran drew.

"Well, this card worked for you…" she said. "I play Graceful Charity!"

She played the cards, and the angel flew out of her deck, handing her three cards.

Fran handed her Amazoness Blowpiper and Gaia Power, which had been there unused for most of the duel. It would have helped Kyle as much as it helped her. She was seriously considering taking that Field Card out of her deck permanently.

The angel flew into her discard slot, and she looked at the new cards.

_Finally,_ she thought.

"I'm using Nobleman of Crossout!" she shouted, placing a card in a slot, "to take out your Cannons!"

The Knight appeared, and stabbed his sword into the facedown card! The Moai Interceptor Cannons appeared and shattered.

"Now, let's try this again!" shouted Fran. "Paladin, attack Grave Ohja!"

Paladin sneered, and leapt forward; with one swing of her sword, she blew Grave Ohja into shards of rock!

Kyle's Life Points fell to 3,600.

"And finally, I place a Monster facedown in Defense," she said.

She put a card down, and a hidden Monster appeared.

"And with that," said Fran, "I end my turn. But I just ruined your whole strategy!"

"We'll see…" said Kyle.

He drew.

"HA!" he said. "I play Heavy Storm!"

He threw the card into a slot, and Francesca's Mirror Force was blown away!

"Hieracosphinx, attack her Paladin with monolith swoop!"

The hawk-headed sphinx took to the air and pounced on Amazoness Paladin, crushing her!

Francesca's Life Points fell to 3,900.

"Your Archer is next," warned Kyle. "In the meantime, I'll place a card facedown, and end my turn…"

He set a card, and it appeared in front of him.

"Heh, heh," chuckled Francesca, making a draw. "You did just what I wanted you to do, Kyle. You were so anxious to destroy my Paladin, that you forgot I had _this._"

She hit a command on her Disk, and her facedown Monster flipped into Attack Mode. It was a short, squat statue made of clay. (800/800)

"ARGH!" shouted Kyle. "MY DUMMY GOLEM!"

"Yep!" said Fran. "And I'm sure you knowwhat happens now that I've flipped it…"

Kyle started to sweat…

"You have to choose a Monster on your side of the field, and trade it for the Dummy Golem! But there's only one Monster for you to choose!"

Dummy Golem and Hieracosphinx vanished, and both reappeared on the opposite sides!

"Now, Amazon Archer, attack the Dummy Golem!"

Amazon Archer fitted an arrow into her bow and fired! Dummy Golem was smashed into a broken pile of clay!

Kyle's Life Points fell to 3,000.

"Hieracosphinx, attack directly!"

The huge Sphinx charged forward and smashed into Kyle! He screamed and fell over.

His Life Points plummeted to a mere 600.

"WHOO-HOO!" yelled Stan.

"Go Fran!" yelled Andy.

_My baby is winning!_ he thought.

He paused.

_Did I just think that?_

"It's your move, Kyle," said Fran, as her opponent got up, "but things are looking bleak…"

Kyle drew.

"Maybe not…" he said. "I just drew the most powerful Monster in my deck!"

"Well how are you supposed to summon it without a sacrifice?" asked Francesca.

"I'll show you," said Kyle. "Activate Trap Card… Level Conversion Lab!"

The Trap lifted.

Andy gasped!

"I know what he's up to!" he exclaimed. "Tyson used this Trap against me to summon his Fire Queen!"

Kyle heard him.

"Then you folks likely know how this works," he said. "First I have to show you the Monster…"

He showed Francesca the card. She gulped. It was an eight-star Monster called Ancient Gear Golem.

"Now then…" said Kyle.

A slivery die flew out of the Trap Card.

"…if this die lands on a one, that means I have to discard this card, and that means it's probably gone for good, because this Monster can't be Special Summoned. Any other number, and that's the star level of the Monster for the remainder of the round."

The die rolled… Francesca bit her lip…

She was relieved to see it land on a five.

"Aw!" she said, feigning sympathy. "That means you still need one Monster to summon it, and you're fresh out!"

"Easily fixed," said Kyle, taking another card from his hand. "I play Monster Reborn, to bring back Dummy Golem!"

He played the card, and Dummy Golem reappeared.

"And now," he continued, "I'll sacrifice it to summon my ultimate creature… the Eighth Wonder of the Ancient World…"

Dummy Golem shattered, and a huge form arose.

"The invincible Ancient Gear Golem!"

The huge creature stood at least twenty feet tall. It was made of stone and metal, with huge gears for joints, and had a glaring red eye. The whole thing looked haphazard and jury-rigged, as if it was built without aesthetic in mind. Nonetheless, it exuded an aura of strength. (3,000/3,000)

"Good lord…" muttered Andy.

"Ancient Gear Golem, attack that treacherous Hieracosphinx with your mechanized melee!" shouted Kyle.

Moving with incredible speed for its size, the Golem's gears began to whir, and it rushed forward and punched Hieracosphinx, blasting it into dust!

Francesca's Life Points fell to 3,300.

Fran assessed the situation.

_If I draw Madame Flurrie, she can erode that thing to dust,_ she thought. _Have to make this draw count…_

She drew.

_My other Amazoness Fighter? Aw, she'd just get smashed…_

"I'll shift my Archer into Defense Mode…" she said, turning her card.

Amazon Archer knelt, and held her bow in her lap.

"That's my turn," she said.

"Really?" chuckled Kyle, making a draw.

"Ancient Gear Golem, attack her Archer!" he shouted.

The Golem rushed forward and slammed its fist into the Archer, flattening her.

Francesca gasped, as her Life Points fell to 1,300!

"What?" gasped Andy. "She was in Defense Mode!"

"That thing has a trampling effect!" gulped Stan.

"Well," said Kyle, "It's been fun, but I'm afraid your next move is your last…"

Francesca drew.

She looked at the Pot of Greed.

_This better give me something good,_ she thought.

She played the card, and the jar handed her two more cards.

She looked the two Magic Cards. Then she looked at the field.

_Well, it's not like I have anything to lose…_ she thought.

"I summon my second Amazoness Fighter, in Attack Mode!" she proclaimed.

Amazoness Fighter appeared on the field. (1,500/1,300)

"And now," said Fran, placing a card into a slot, "I play this…"

The card revealed itself, showing a cute cherub flying between two scenes – one a dark, impoverished city, one a beautiful meadow full of maidens laughing.

"Arduous Decision!" she announced.

"Arduous Decision?" asked Andy. "What's that?"

"It's a very risky card, Andy," answered Stan. "It lets Fran draw two cards, and then Kyle has to choose one. If it's a Monster, Fran gets to Special Summon it… If it isn't, she has to discard both of them and end her turn."

"What?" said Andy, startled. "Even if he chooses a Monster, what good will it do her? Not even her Guardian Angel Joan can beat that thing!"

Fran drew two cards.

She looked at the two cards.

Penumbral Soldier Lady and Dramatic Rescue.

The images of two cards appeared above her head.

"Okay, Kyle, my friend over there just pointed out the rules," she said. "So make a choice."

_She's up to something…_ thought Kyle. _Two Monsters aren't much better against Ancient Gear Golem than one…_

_Wait… I know what she's up to! If she gets two Monsters on the field with a combined Attack of over 3,000, she'll set the Trap called Covering Fire! She thinks it would destroy my Gear Golem if I attacked with it!_

He closed his eyes and chuckled softly.

_Nice try, Fran, but just like Ancient Gear Soldier and Ancient Gear Beast, you can't spring Traps during the Battle Phase when this Monster attacks._

"I choose the one on the left," he said smugly.

"Really?" said Francesca, with a smirk.

The card spun around, revealing Penumbral Soldier Lady.

"Seems you weren't so lucky…" she chuckled.

Penumbral Soldier Lady appeared on the field. (2,100/1,400)

"I don't know how that is going to help you," chuckled Kyle. "If my Golem was a Light Monster, I might be worried, but it isn't…"

"You don't know what else is in my hand…" said Francesca.

She took a card from her hand, one that had gone unused for quite some time.

"You see," she said, "when my Warriors are on the field together, they have numerous ways to support each other.

"See this card?"

She showed him a very fancy looking card, showing the image of a man on his knees below an angelic entity.

"It's a Magic Card called Gift of the Martyr!" exclaimed Fran. "With this card, I can sacrifice one Monster on the field, and exchange for that, increase the Attack Score of another one by the sacrificed Monster's Attack Score for one round!"

Kyle gasped as she played it.

"Penumbral Soldier Lady, give Amazoness Fighter all your power!" shouted Francesca.

Penumbral Soldier Lady bowed her head and vanished, and Amazoness Fighter's Attack went up to 3,600!

"Amazoness Fighter…" yelled Francesca, "attack his Ancient Gear Golem!"

Amazoness Fighter screamed and made a great leap! She drop-kicked mighty Golem, and the infernal contraption exploded in a blast of metal and flames!

Amid the fire, Amazoness Fighter turned to face Francesca, with soot and a look of victory on her face…

Kyle fell to his knees.

"My greatest Monster…" he sobbed. "Beaten…"

His Life Points fell to zero.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Nonetheless, Kyle came to his senses soon.

"I have to ask," asked Francesca, curiously, "where did you get Ancient Gear Golem?"

Kyle chuckled.

"You know, I often wonder that myself," he answered.

He looked at the card.

"Like I said," he mused, "archaeology and ancient civilizations always held great interest for me. So I decided to put together a deck with an 'ancient' theme.

"When I first saw Ancient Gear Golem on a website, my eyes bled. I thought, this could be the master of my deck!

"But getting the card would have been difficult. eBay auctions charged fifty dollars or more for it – mail order websites charged almost a hundred. And the other cards in my deck had been expensive enough.

"But one day, I received a mysterious package with no return address. Inside was the card of my dreams – Ancient Gear Golem. And also, there was an anonymous note.

"It read: _'Look towards the future, live for the present, but most of all, learn from the past, and you will succeed.'_

"And I have to admit Fran, there have been duels I've lost when I didn't get a chance to summon it – but you're the first duelist who's ever beaten it."

He handed over a Crystal Card.

"Oh, and this is yours too," he said, giving back Amazoness Swords Woman.

"Oh, right…" answered Fran.

She handed back Dummy Golem.

"I hope to see you again," he said.

"Yeah," muttered Fran. "Who knows, maybe you'll get to the Thousand Year Door."

"I'm counting on it," answered Kyle. "After all, if it's been there for a thousand years, who knows what ancient mysteries lie within? It would be an archaeologist's dream come true!"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

As Kyle left, Andy came up to Fran.

"Fran," he said. "Maybe we shouldn't be encouraging people to get to the Thousand Year Door. After all, we know what's probably in there…"

"Come on Andy," muttered Francesca, "the Queen wants _us_. She wouldn't hurt anyone else…

"And once I get one more, I'm going to show her how it's done…"

The eyes of one of the nearby statues glowed red…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"True, Fran," muttered the Queen, "it's you three I want, but should any of you make it into this place, the total number allowed will still be eight, and that's when Stage Two will begin in earnest – if necessary…"

She waved her hand, and scenes switched on the crystal ball.

She watched a scene unfold in Glitzville, as an Insect Queen mercilessly attacked a duelist directly, and the duelist controlling her cheered.

"Well, Wanda, I guess you've proven by now that you're already better than your brother," chuckled the Shadow Queen. "You're much farther now than he got in Duelist Kingdom or Battle City. You have five now, and it seems there's no stopping you…"

The screen changed again to a scene in Twilight Town. An image of Don Zaloog driving his dagger into a girl's stomach as she cried in pain was showed.

The Queen laughed.

"Raven, you are my kind of gal," she commented. "Hard… remorseless… cruel… And you look like a shoe-in by now…"

The scene switched to a scene in Keelhaul Key. A duelist revealed three Trap Cards, and three fierce Embodiment of Apophis Monsters leapt out. The first cut down a terrified Nekogal, and the other two finished off her master.

"Well, Chico, it seems you just got back that card Andy took from you," said the Queen with a smile. "Good. You may think you'll be trying to oppose me, but in the long run, you have the same potential as the rest…"

More scenes flashed on the globe, as duels from all over the island were fed back.

The Queen sighed. So many excellent duels, and she was forced to watch from long distance…

"Curse these magical bonds that keep me a prisoner here," growled the Queen. "For one thousand years, I haven't been able to breathe the fresh air, sun myself on the beach, feel a calm breeze or the light drizzle of a summer shower…"

She sighed.

"If not for my determination to escape, I'd have gone mad…

"My jailers are dead – true revenge cannot be obtained… But I am above such concerns."

Images of Stan, Andy, and Francesca appeared in the globe.

"Children, it is truly nothing personal, but you must die… It is the only way my torment can end…"

**0**

**0**

**0**

**EARTHENWARE JUG (Magic Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Magic  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description: **Image of an antique, clay version of Pot of Greed. To activate this card, remove one ROCK-Type Monster in your Graveyard from play. Draw three cards from your deck.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**ARDUOUS DECISION (Magic Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Magic  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description: **Image of a split scene: an impoverished city on the right, a beautiful meadow with beautiful maidens on the left. A cute cherub flies over the two scenes. This card can only be played during your first Main Phase. Draw two cards from your deck. Your opponent chooses one of the drawn cards without seeing them. If the card he chooses is a Monster Card that has no special requirements to summon, Special Summon it in Attack or Defense Mode. Otherwise, discard both cards to the Graveyard and end your turn.

_Note: "Arduous Decision" was first used by Joey in "Courtroom Chaos (Part 2)". All creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**Coming up next:**_

_**Andy and Francesca now have six, and Stan wants a sixth as well. But getting one is going to be hard.**_

_**Still on the road to Poshley Heights, yet anotherduelist is encountered, a youth who names himself after a famous teller of tales and parables! And his deck is as deadly as they come! Can Stan defeat this powerful force? Don't miss "The Fabled Duelist", coming up next!**_

**_And I hope everyone had a Happy Thanksgiving._**


	27. The Fabled Duelist

_**When you mention the name "Aesop", you immediately know who he was: He was a guy who wrote fables.**_

_**But do you really know who he was? Not much is known about him, come to think about it.**_

**_We know he lived in Greece in the 6th Century BC. He presumably was an aristocrat – if he was a member of the lower class back then, his writing wouldn't have been very well known._**

_**According to one rumor, he wasn't very good-looking. Some say he was deformed twice over – both a dwarf AND a hunchback. Despite this, he was never known to have complained about his condition.**_

_**But the one thing we know for sure about him is that he wrote fables. And BOY, did he write fables! He wrote over six-hundred and fifty of them, most of them short, and most of them with a moral. Morals are brief words of wisdom that tell you something important about life. Clearly, Aesop was quite wise. **_

_**Why did he write them? No one knows. He was quite a mystery. **_

_**And now I'm about to duel a fellow with the same name, who is seemingly just as mysterious as his namesake…**_

_**I can't see what I'm facing… and the unknown is making me scared… I could use some of Aesop's wisdom now for support…**_

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**The Fabled Duelist**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

Clouds started to form overhead, as the three teens walked on.

"Man I hope it doesn't rain…" muttered Andy.

A rumble of thunder clapped overhead…

"Wishful thinking Andy," muttered Francesca. "We're in for a cloudburst!"

They were really caught now. They had no protective clothing with them. As they walked on with the threat of rain overhead, they could picture themselves soaked to the bone and catching cold… No way they could duel well if they had pneumonia…

As the first drops of rain started to fall, Francesca stopped short.

"Look!" she shouted.

She pointed to the side of the hill. A cave opening was in plain sight.

"A dry cave!" she shrieked. "We're saved!"

They all ran for it as the rain started to fall down in earnest.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The inside of the cave was large and roomy – and lit. Strange florescent moss made a soft glow that illuminated the cave,

"We can wait in here until the storm passes," said Stan.

"So what do we do in the meantime?" asked Andy.

"I dunno, Andy…" muttered Fran.

She smirked at him.

"You in the mood for an unofficial duel?" she asked. "No strings attached?"

"You're serious?" asked Andy.

"Why not?" asked Francesca. "I'll see if you're tough enough for me!"

"Well…" mused Andy.

He thought for a minute…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"YES!" shouted the Shadow Queen at her viewing globe. "Do it Andy, DO IT! This will be the best entertainment I've had since _Return of the King_ swept the Oscars!"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Andy and Francesca slowly shuffled their decks…

And then a voice came from the entrance of the cave.

"Hello?" said a voice. "Did I hear voices in here?"

A form came in from the entrance.

He was the kind of teenager who would stick out in any crowd. He was about Andy's height, but thinner. He had light blonde hair that stuck out in all directions. His eyes didn't match – one was green and the other was blue.

His clothes were just as strange. He wore a long sleeve t-shirt that was green with yellow patches on the elbows and a red, sleeveless jacket. He also wore grey pants (with three belts around each leg) and brown sneakers. The outfit was topped off with white cotton gloves and a grey, floppy, wide-brimmed hat.

He also wore a Duel Disk, but there were no cards in the deck tray.

The three teens raised an eyebrow.

"Greetings folks," he said. "Nasty day out, isn't it?"

His accent was European, but just which nationality, they couldn't place.

"Yeah…" said Stan. "We came in here for shelter, and I guess you had the same idea."

"Indeed," said the youth. "Oh, where are my manners… you may call me Aesop…"

Francesca drew back in surprise!

"Well," said Aesop, "we have nothing to do until the storm passes…"

Stan raised an eyebrow…

"I dunno…" said Stan. "The rain won't stop the tournament, and a duel can take place anywhere…"

"Is that a challenge?" asked Aesop.

"Stan!" whispered Francesca, pulling him aside.

"What?" whispered Stan.

"I've heard of this guy!" she warned. "Aesop is some mysterious duelist who appeared on the dueling circuit in Europe about three years ago. No one knows _anything_ about him, but people say he's unbeatable!"

"Well then…" said Stan to Aesop, "let's get it on!"

"WHAT?" shouted Francesca.

"Rule number one of dueling, never chicken out!" said Stan.

"Rule number two, the harder the challenge, the sweeter the victory!

"Rule number three, never take the easy way out!"

"Don't say I didn't warn you…" muttered Francesca.

"I warn you, Stan," said Aesop. "As Aesop said in _The Frogs Asking For A King_, 'Let well enough alone'."

He took a set of Crystal Cards out of his Disk.

"SIX?" gasped a startled Andy.

"If Aesop beats you, he goes to the Thousand Year Door…" whispered Francesca.

"I'm not backing down, Aesop…" said Stan.

"Very well…" said the youth.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

As the rain poured outside, Stan started to shuffle. Aesop simply looked at his jacket.

"Aren't you going to shuffle, Aesop?" asked Stan.

"I have to choose my deck first," answered Aesop.

"You have more than one deck?" asked Stan in surprise.

"See for yourself," said Aesop, opening his jacket.

In three holders were three separate decks.

"I built three separate decks, each with a different strategy," he explained. "Three is a special number in the cosmic balance. The Rule of Threes – in life, when you see two things, look for a third…"

"Uh, yeah…" muttered Stan.

"Anyway, to keep everyone guessing, I make it a point never to use the same one twice in a row, so this one…"

He pointed to the one in the middle.

"…is out."

He looked at the other two.

"I think this one should do…" he said, taking the one on the left.

He shuffled quickly, and then loaded the deck into his Disk.

"Well Stan," he proclaimed, "let the battle begin!"

The holo-imagers shot out of their Disks, and set themselves up to their sides. The Disks flipped into position, and the Life Point counters rose to 8,000.

"The first move is yours," said Aesop, ominously. "I always give my opponents the first move…"

"Good luck Stan," whispered Francesca.

"You think he stands a chance?" whispered Andy.

Fran didn't answer.

Stan looked at his first draw.

"I summon Neo the Magic Swordsman in Attack Mode!" he exclaimed.

He put the card down, and Neo leapt into view, holding his glowing sword aloft. (1,700/1,000)

"And that's my turn," he said.

"Interesting…" said Aesop.

He made a draw. He added the card to his hand.

"I'll play a Monster facedown in Defense, and one card facedown," he said.

He set the cards, and the facedown card appeared, followed by the set Monster.

Stan drew.

_Breaker_, he thought. _This should screw up his strategy…_

"I summon Breaker the Magical Warrior!" he exclaimed.

He put the card down, and the orange-robed sorcerer with his sword and shield appeared. (1,600/1,000)

"Breaker, break his facedown card!" shouted Stan.

Breaker shot a blast of energy from his sword, and the Trap Card shattered.

"So much for your Sakuretsu Armor," chuckled Stan.

_Now he's got a facedown Monster,_ he thought. _It could have a powerful Defense, but it could just be a bluff…_

"Neo, attack his facedown Monster!" shouted Stan.

Neo's sword glowed with energy.

Aesop chuckled.

"As Aesop said in _The Fox and the Goat_," he said, "'Look before you leap', Stan!"

The Monster appeared on the facedown card. It was an old oil lamp with four spidery, metal legs. (900/1,400)

"You just attacked my Ancient Lamp!" laughed Aesop. "And because it was in facedown Defense Mode, it can reflect Neo's attack back at one of your Monsters!"

The energy from Neo's sword bounced off the Ancient Lamp, and plowed into Breaker! He was blown to bits.

Stan's Life Points fell to 7,900.

"First blood to me," said Aesop, with a smile.

"Your move," growled Stan.

"Okay…" said Aesop.

He drew.

He opened his Field Slot.

"I'll first play this Field Magic card… Chorus of Sanctuary!" he exclaimed.

The floor of the cavern became a flower-filled meadow, and a host of cute cherubs filled the air, humming softly.

"That increases the Defense of all Monsters in Defense Mode by 500…" stated Stan.

"Exactly!" said Aesop, as Ancient Lamp's Defense went up to 1,900. "Now I'll play this Magic Card…"

He slid a card into a slot.

"It's called Precious Cards From Beyond!"

"Precious Cards From Beyond?" muttered Francesca.

"It's a very situational Continuous Magic Card," replied Andy. "Whenever Aesop sacrifices two Monsters to summon another Monster, he gets to draw two cards."

"Exactly," said Aesop, who apparently had heard. "Someone did his homework. Now where were we? Oh yes. Now I activate Ancient Lamp's other special effect, which lets me Special Summon this Monster from my hand…"

He put a card down, and green smoke issued from the Lamp. La Jinn the Mystical Genie of the Lamp floated out and gave a deep chuckle. (1,800/1,000)

"And now," continued Aesop, "I'll sacrifice both La Jinn and Ancient Lamp to summon a new Monster…"

The two creatures vanished.

"…which I'll place facedown in Defense Mode."

A facedown card appeared.

"WHAT?" exclaimed Stan. "You summoned a seven-star Monster, and you're _defending_ with it?"

"It could be an _eight_ star Monster," corrected Aesop. "Anyway, due to my Magic Card, I now get to draw two cards…"

Two cards flew off of his deck, and he caught them.

"…and I'll end my turn by placing one card facedown."

He fit a card into a slot, and a facedown card appeared.

_This is crazy!_ thought Stan. _Defending with a double-sacrifice Monster?_

_But since he is, attacking would only hurt myself. Seven star Monsters – let alone eight star ones – tend to have high Defense Scores, and his Field Card has only made it even stronger…_

He drew.

_Well, this might help,_ he thought.

"I summon Ebon Magician Curran in Attack Mode!" he said.

He put his card down, and the little girl in a black dress and bunny-eared hood carrying two rings connected by a cord appeared. (1,200/0)

"Hmm," commented Aesop. "I admit that I'm not familiar with Curran, Stan, but I'm pretty sure she isn't as harmless as she appears. As Aesop said in _Wolf In Sheep's Clothing_, 'Appearances are deceptive'."

"Possibly," said Stan. "It's your move."

Aesop drew.

"I summon my Royal Magical Library in Defense Mode," he stated, placing a card down.

A tall bookshelf with three lamps hanging from the shelves rose up behind him. (0/2,000) –) (0/2,500)

"And now I'll play… Graceful Charity," he continued.

He played the card, and the graceful angel flew out of his Disk, handing him three cards.

He studied the four cards he now had.

"What to discard…" he pondered.

The angel started to grow impatient.

"Calm yourself lass," he said. "As Aesop said in The _Hart in the Ox-Stall_, 'Nothing escapes the master's eye'."

_Sheesh, he's even giving advice to the card creatures!_ thought Stan.

Finally, Aesop handed her two cards, and she flew into the discard slot.

Then one of the lights in the Royal Magical Library lit up.

"And that's my turn," he said.

"Lovely," said Stan, with a grin.

He drew.

"Curran, do your stuff!"

Curran let out a squeal, and leapt into the air! She spun around, and fired a blast from her rings, striking Aesop!

"Every round, Curran will blast you for 300 Life Points for every Monster on your side the field, and there are two right now!" commented Stan.

Aesop gasped, as his Life Points fell to 7,400.

Stan looked at the card he had just drawn.

"Oh well," he said with a chuckle. "I don't know what that facedown Monster is, but I'm about to wipe it out…"

He fit a card into a slot.

"I play Nobleman of Crossout!"

The knight with his sword appeared over the card.

"YES!" shouted Andy. "Go Stan!"

"Oh really?" said Aesop offhand.

He tapped a button on his Disk. His Trap Card lifted.

"I activate Spell Shield Type-8!"

The knight shattered.

"It negates any Magic Card that targets a Monster," he explained.

"Err…" groaned Stan. "I know what it does."

"Boy, this guy is good," muttered Fran. "He was practically _counting_ on Stan to use Nobleman of Crossout!"

"And, since you used a Magic Card…" said Aesop.

Another lamp in Royal Magical Library lit up.

Stan put a card down.

"I'll summon The Illusory Gentleman in Attack Mode," he said.

The tall, gentleman Spellcaster appeared, brandishing his cane. (1,500/1,600)

"It's your move," he said.

Aesop drew.

"I play Pot of Greed…" he said, placing a card into a slot.

The Pot handed him two cards, and the third lamp of Royal Magical Library lit up.

"And now, since three Magic Cards have been played," he continued, "Royal Magical Library lets me draw one more card."

A card flew off of his deck, and he caught it.

"Now then," he said, looking at it, "I summon Watapon!"

He put a Monster Card down, and a furry, pink ball with a smiley face and antennae appeared. (200/300)

"And," he continued, "because I drew Watapon thanks to Royal Magical Library's effect, summoning it is a Special Summon…"

He chose another card from his hand.

"…allowing me to sacrifice it and Royal Magical Library…"

Royal Magical Library and Watapon shattered.

"… to summon this… Which I'll again place in Defense Mode."

Another facedown Monster appeared next to the other one.

"And let's not forget the effect of my Precious Cards From Beyond…" he stated.

Two cards flew off of his deck, and he caught them.

"My move is complete…" he stated.

Stan looked at the situation.

_The air is becoming heavier,_ he thought, _and it's not just the oppressive atmosphere of this cave, or the storm outside. It's like something ancient and powerful is present in this arena… and it's coming from Aesop's side… I have a feeling that those Monsters aren't just high-level Monsters… they're special high-level Monsters._

_Why isn't he attacking with them?_

_If only I could draw Swords of Revealing Light, I could at least see what they were…_

He drew.

This wasn't it.

Curran let out a joyful yelp and spun around in the air again, blasting Aesop! He cringed as his Life Points fell to 6,800.

"I'm far ahead of you!" warned Stan.

"As Aesop said in _The Heifer and the Ox_," groaned Aesop, "'He laughs best that laughs last'."

"Whatever," said Stan, looking at his hand.

_No low level Monsters to summon,_ he thought. _This guy will have to do…_

"I'll sacrifice The Illusory Gentleman for Chaos Command Magician!" he exclaimed.

The Illusory Gentleman crossed his arms, and then faded into the shadows. The bright Magician in his glossy-black raiment appeared. (2,400/1,900)

"Now…" said Stan, considering.

_I'm tempted to attack one of them just to see what the heck it is!_ thought Stan.

He was about to order an attack.

_No! Too risky. Those Monsters could have a Defense of 3,000 or more with that Field Card in place. And when he decides to actually attack, I'll need all the Life Points I can get!_

"It's your move," muttered Stan.

Aesop drew.

"Excellent," he said. "I'll summon Big Shield Gardna in Defense Mode."

He put a card down, and the hulking barbarian appeared, crouching behind his huge shield. (100/2,600) –) (100/3,100)

"That will be my turn," he said.

"Don't you know that the more Monsters you have on the field, the stronger Curran's effect gets?" asked Stan, making a draw.

Curran laughed, and cast her dark spell again, and Aesop was thrown back. His Life Points fell to 5,900.

"Stan is winning!" shouted Andy.

"I don't know," muttered Francesca. "This is all… strange…"

She thought for a minute.

_Aesop has two powerful Monsters on the field, but he hasn't even used them yet! He's got to be up to something…_

Stan looked at the card he drew.

_Still no low-level Monsters to summon,_ he thought.

He took a card from his hand and switched cards.

"I sacrifice Neo to summon Dark Magician Girl!" he exclaimed.

Neo shattered, and Dark Magician Girl arose, spinning out of a circle on the floor. (2,000/1,700)

"That will end my turn," he said.

Aesop drew.

He smiled.

"I place this Monster facedown in Defense Mode," he said.

Yet another hidden Monster appeared.

"Your move," he said.

Stan drew.

"There are four Monsters on your side of the field now, Aesop," he said, "which means Curran's power is going to really hurt this time!"

Curran blasted forth her spell, and Aesop cringed. His Life Points fell to 4,700.

Stan looked at the Magic Card he had just drawn.

"I play the Sage's Stone!" he shouted, plugging it into a slot.

The jewel appeared, and Dark Magician Girl caught it.

Stan threw a card down on his Disk, and Dark Magician arose! (2,500/2,100)

"I've assembled a powerful team, Aesop," said Stan. "Whatever you're planning, it won't stand up to my forces!

"I end my turn."

"That's what you think Stan," said Aesop, making a draw. "As Aesop said in _The Milkmaid and her Pail_, 'Do not count your chickens before they are hatched'."

He hit a command on his Disk.

"First I flip the Monster I set last turn into Attack Mode…" he said. "Reveal… Arsenal Summoner!"

A tall sorcerer dressed in a blue robe holding a dagger aloft surrounded by a windy gust appeared. (1,600/1,600)

A card slipped out of his deck.

"By Flip-Summoning him, I get to add a Guardian Monster from my deck to my hand," explained Aesop.

_A Guardian Monster?_ thought Stan, in fear.

"And now," continued Aesop, "I sacrifice both Big Shield Gardna and Arsenal Summoner for my third Monster… but I won't bother to conceal it this time…"

His two Monsters vanished, and an imposing form arose. It was a huge torso colored solid gold, with two huge claws, and a Japanese symbol on its front! Electricity coursed over it! (2,600/2,200)

"Sanga of the Thunder!" shouted Stan in fear.

"Thanks to my Precious Cards From Beyond, I get to draw two more cards, of course," said Aesop, as two more cards flew out of his deck. "And now to introduce my other two co-stars… Meet Kazejin…"

Another of his facedown Monsters revealed itself. It was a bulky green torso with large claws, and another Japanese symbol on its face. (2,400/2,200)

"…and finally, Suijin!" he exclaimed.

The third card flipped over, and another huge torso with claws appeared. This one was blue and watery, with an evil-looking face on the front, and another Japanese symbol above it. (2,500/2,400)

_No…_ thought Stan, sweating. _He summoned The Elemental Trinity!_

"Didn't I tell you that three is a special number?" asked Aesop. "Special things come in threes…"

"Now before my BIG star shows up, there's one thing to take care of…"

He chose a card from his hand and placed it into a slot.

"Since I don't need Chorus of Sanctuary or Precious Cards From Beyond anymore," he said. "I'll get rid of them with Emergency Provisions."

He played a card. A huge mouth appeared and swallowed the two cards. Aesop's Life Points went up to 6,700, and the meadow with the cherubs vanished.

"And now," said Aesop, placing a card down, "my three elementals will combine to form a beast of unparalleled strength!"

The three Monsters vanished, except for the symbols on their fronts. These symbols connected with lines of energy and formed a triangle…

"As Aesop said in _The Four Oxen and the Lion_," he exclaimed, "'United we stand, divided we fall'! Arise my great Gate Guardian!"

A huge form started to appear…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

One would think that the Shadow Queen would be pleased that Stan was now in a lot of trouble, but she was actually quite upset.

She got off her throne and tore her hair.

"NO!" she shouted. "Not Gate Guardian! That disgusting, vile, smelly, oversized totem pole sickens me!"

She leaned against the wall. She couldn't help it. Gate Guardian brought back a very unpleasant memory…

It had to do with one of the worst parts of her battle with the Three Heroes, one thousand years ago...

At one point in the fight, the Queen thought she had them. Their summoned beasts had been blown to oblivion, leaving them defenseless.

Then to her surprise, the Heroes opened a portal and fled through it, seemingly abandoning the Companions.

The Queen was disappointed, but not surprised. Who _wouldn't_ run in fear from her? She prepared to take the Companions captive and enslave them, thinking she'd hunt down the Heroes later…

But the Heroes hadn't run in fear. Not by a long shot. One minute later, they returned, each bearing an ancient stone tablet.

The Dark Sorcerer cast a spell, and called forth Sanga of the Thunder from his tablet. The creature wasn't called Sanga of the Thunder back then, of course – Pegasus renamed most of the Shadow Creatures when he created Duel Monsters. But this was its ancient equivalent.

Then the Warrior Queen cast a similar spell, and called forth Kazejin from her tablet. Then the Dragon Master cast another incantation and called forth Suijin from his. The Three Heroes combined the magical powers of all three tablets, and merged the three Shadow Beasts into the powerful Gate Guardian.

See, while most people who play Duel Monsters think that Gate Guardian is evil, it really isn't. It's a Warrior, not a Fiend. As its name implies, it is a guardian, who guards things. It can't distinguish between Good and Evil – it only guards. And it was quite willing to be a bodyguard for the forces of Good on this occasion.

Things went badly for the Shadow Queen for quite a while. Nothing she could summon could defeat the powerful creature, and it could withstand most of her spells. But eventually, after the beast had inflicted a great deal of damage on her, it began to tire, and it couldn't withstand one powerful blast that banished it back to the Shadow Realm.

When the Queen started teaching her servants how to play Duel Monsters, one of the many rules she enforced was that _no-one_ was to put Sanga of the Thunder, Suijin, or Kazejin – let alone Gate Guardian – in their decks. It was a powerful Monster, but just seeing it gave her bruises.

But now, as the Queen watched, an evil smile formed on her lips… This was ironic…

The descendent of the Dark Sorcerer was about to be smashed by the same Monster he and his partners had smashed her with…

Maybe this wasn't so bad after all…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Standing twenty-five feet tall and resembling all three deities stacked one on top of each other, the mighty Gate Guardian loomed over Stan and his four Spellcasters, who shivered in fright. (3,750/3,400)

"You're whole strategy was centered around summoning seven-star Monsters easier and summoning Gate Guardian…" gasped Stan. "And hiding the component Monsters, making sure I didn't dare attack so I wouldn't see it coming!"

"As Aesop said in _The Boy and the Nettles_," said Aesop. "'Whatever you do, do with all your might'."

"No…" moaned Francesca. "He's gonna lose…"

"Gate Guardian!" shouted Aesop, "attack Ebon Magician Curran with tempest surge!"

Lightning and thunder flashed, and a bolt of elemental energy shot forth! Curran screamed and was eradicated!

Stan's Life Points fell all the way down to 5,350.

"It's your move Stan…" he said.

Stan drew a card.

_Sibling Rivalry?_ he thought, looking at it. _A little too late for that!_

"I'll move my three Spellcasters into Defense Mode…" he said, turning his cards.

Dark Magician, Dark Magician Girl, and Chaos Command Magician knelt in Defense.

"Your move," he said.

Aesop drew.

His eyes narrowed as he looked at the card.

"Stan," he said, "I doubt you'll be able to destroy my Gate Guardian…"

He fit a card into a slot.

"But…" he continued, "just to be on the safe side, I'm placing this facedown."

A facedown card appeared.

"Now, who to attack?" he mused. "Well, since I know you can make a lot of combos with Dark Magician, I'd better take him out first. Gate Guardian, attack his Dark Magician!"

Gate Guardian cast forth its dark storm. Dark Magician Girl screamed in fright as he was blown away.

Her Attack went up to 2,300, but that wasn't near enough.

"He's gonna lose…" muttered Fran. "He's gonna lose…"

"I can hear you over there!" shouted Stan.

"Feel free to make your move…" sighed Aesop.

Stan drew.

He looked at the card.

"I'm placing a card facedown and ending my turn," he said.

The facedown card appeared.

"Haven't given up yet?" chuckled Aesop. "Gate Guardian is invincible! Gate Guardian, attack Dark Magician Girl!"

Gate Guardian powered up… Dark Magician Girl shuddered in fear.

"That's the problem with thinking you're invincible, Aesop," said Stan with a grin. "You get… careless.

"Activate Spellbinding Circle!"

The Trap lifted, and Gate Guardian froze in place, trapped in the glowing pentagram!

Its Attack Score fell to 3,050.

Aesop gasped.

But then his smile returned.

"Clever," he said. "You've bought yourself a little time Stan, but only a little.

"You may have paralyzed and weakened my Guardian, but even in its weakened state, it still has 3,050 Attack Points! That's still even more than Kaiba's Blue-Eyes White Dragon! Can you take down something that powerful?"

"I can sure try…" growled Stan. "It's my move!"

He drew.

_Yes!_ he thought with joy.

He put a card down.

"I sacrifice Chaos Command Magician…" he started.

Chaos Command Magician vanished.

"AND Dark Magician Girl…" he continued.

Dark Magician Girl vanished.

"To summon my strongest Spellcaster! I summon Sorcerer of Dark Magic!"

The mighty Sorcerer in splendid black robes carrying his enchanted scepter appeared! (3,200/2,800)

"Whoa!" shouted Fran. "Maybe he's not going to lose after all!"

Stan looked at his opponent. Aesop didn't seem the least bit worried. In fact, he seemed a little… happy.

_Heh…_ thought Stan. _He thinks that the Trap Card he set is going to save his Guardian. Won't he be surprised when my Sorcerer blows it away…_

"Sorcerer of Dark Magic," he shouted, "attack Gate Guardian with celestial blast!"

Sorcerer of Dark Magic thrust his staff forward and shot forth a beam of burning black magic! Gate Guardian groaned, and burst into an explosion of elemental energy!

Aesop shielded himself, as his Life Points fell to 6,550.

_Huh?_ thought Stan. _He didn't even TRY to use his Trap?_

"Thank you Stan!" laughed Aesop. "You're quite a duelist! And now you've given me the chance to perform a move that I've only been able to do twice in my entire dueling career!"

"Hello?" exclaimed Stan. "Am I missing something here? Didn't I just blow your best Monster to Kingdom Come?"

"As Aesop said in _The Ant and the Dove_," said Aesop, "'One good turn deserves another'. And case in point, that _wasn't_ my best Monster!"

"He has a Monster that's stronger than Gate Guardian?" gasped Andy.

"Did you recall the facedown card I placed a couple of turns ago?" asked Aesop.

His facedown card lifted. It was a frightening picture, showing a man awash in black flames in front of a demonic-looking tree-like temple on a barren plain.

"It's a Quickplay Magic Card called Dark Element!" exclaimed Aesop.

_Aw no…_ thought Stan. _My Sorcerer's effect doesn't work on Quickplay Magic Cards!_

"This card can only be activated when Gate Guardian is destroyed," explained Aesop. "Then I have to pay half my Life Points…"

His Life Points fell to 3,275.

"And in exchange for that…" he said with a grin.

He placed a card on his Disk, and a dark shadow started to form in front of him…

A huge, muscular figure arose. It was a Warrior, even bigger than Gate Guardian, with black armor and a shogun-like helmet. Below its waist, it had a huge, spider-like trunk with sharp metal legs, and it carried a huge axe!

It bellowed a great roar!

"Allow me to introduce…" exclaimed Aesop. **_"DARK GUARDIAN"_**!

(3,800/3,400)

"Omigod, omigod…" gasped Andy. "I'm terrified, and I'm not even the one who's dueling!"

"Get ahold of yourself!" scolded Francesca. "If you're scared, think of how Stan must feel!"

Stan gulped.

"I have to end my turn…" he said.

"Good," said Aesop, drawing.

"Dark Guardian, attack his Sorcerer with axe slash bash!"

Dark Guardian slammed its axe to the ground, sending a shockwave through the cavern! Sorcerer of Dark Magic was blown to bits!

Stan's Life Points fell to 4,750.

"No…" gasped Stan in panic. "How do I stop it?"

"You can't," answered Aesop. "Even if you managed to summon something stronger, Dark Guardian _can't_ be destroyed in battle!"

"Can't be destroyed in battle?" gulped Andy. "That's crazy!"

"All right, my move…" gulped Stan.

He drew.

The card was Monster Reborn.

Stan looked at Dark Guardian.

_Can't be destroyed in battle huh?_ he thought. _Well, tell me big guy, does that ability truly make you all-powerful?_

He fit the card into a slot.

"I play Monster Reborn!" he declared.

"Heh," chuckled Aesop. "There are no Monsters in your Graveyard that can help you!"

"I agree," answered Stan. "So I'll recruit one from _your_ Graveyard!

"See, I have a theory about your Dark Guardian, and I'm going to test it!"

Aesop gasped as his discard slot glowed… An orb flew out of it and flew towards Stan's side…

"Sanga of the Thunder, arise!" shouted Stan.

The huge deity of thunder appeared on Stan's side, electricity flowing over its surface! (2,600/2,200)

"My Monster!" shouted Aesop.

"Mine now," corrected Stan, "and it's in Attack Mode…

"So I end my turn…"

Aesop frowned. He drew.

"I pass this turn…" he growled.

"I don't get it…" muttered Andy. "Why didn't Aesop attack? Dark Guardian is clearly stronger than Sanga…"

Francesca thought for a minute.

"Wait…" she said. "I've got it! Stan's theory!

"It may be true that Dark Guardian can't be destroyed in battle, like Aesop said, but if Stan managed to attack it with a stronger Monster, Aesop would still take battle damage!"

"Oh, I get it!" said Andy, with a burst of realization. "Sanga of the Thunder's special effect. If Dark Guardian attacked it, its Attack Score would be reduced to zero, and Aesop would lose 2,600 Life Points – and come perilously close to losing…"

"Good thinking Stan!" he shouted.

"So Aesop," said Stan, "run out of fables and parables to quote?"

"You're still no closer to defeating my Dark Guardian than you were before," answered Aesop, "so make your move!"

_He has a point,_ thought Stan. _None of the cards in my hand right now can help…_

He drew.

_Hello?_ he thought. _Card Destruction? I forgot to take that out of my deck after I dueled The End of Anubis!_

Well, might as well give it a shot…

"I play Card Destruction!" he exclaimed, throwing it into a slot.

Aesop gave him a look.

He shrugged and discarded his hand. Stan did the same, and they drew new hands.

_Okay, let's see what we have here,_ thought Stan, looking at the four new cards. _White Magician Pikeru… she'd just get smashed. Mystical Elf… no help there. Thousand Knives… oh, that's a BIG help! Dark Magician is in my Graveyard!_

But then he saw the last card.

He looked at the huge Monster in front of him.

_Indestructible, huh?_ he thought. _We'll soon see…_

"I place a Monster facedown in Defense Mode!" he said

He placed a card down, and a facedown Monster appeared.

"Your move…" he said.

Aesop looked at the facedown Monster as he drew.

_I have a sneaking suspicion as to what that is,_ he thought. _Stan plays Spellcasters after all…_

He took a card from his hand.

_Well, he's going to get a surprise…_

"I place one card facedown, and end my turn," he said.

He fit a card into a slot, and it appeared behind Dark Guardian.

"Well then," said Stan, drawing, "this duel is over!"

He hit a button on his Disk.

"I Flip-Summon my Old Vindictive Magician!"

"ALL RIGHT!" shouted Andy.

The card flipped, and the elderly Spellcaster appeared.

He started to chant his spell…

"Not so fast!" shouted Aesop. "I activate… Divine Wrath!"

He discarded a card…

His facedown card lifted. It was a Trap showing the image of a Cannon Soldier being blasted with heavenly fire!

Burning lightning blasted down from the ceiling, striking Old Vindictive Magician! He screamed and was obliterated!

And Dark Guardian was still standing.

"You almost had me there, Stan," said Aesop, with a grin. "But Divine Wrath is triggered whenever an Effect Monster tries to use its effect. It negates the effect and destroys the Monster.

"So thank you so much for helping me draw it with Card Destruction!

"As Aesop said in _The Eagle and the Arrow_, 'We often give our enemies the means for our own destruction'."

Stan looked at the card he had just drawn.

_This might be my last chance…_ he thought.

"I'll play another Monster facedown in Defense, and end my turn," he said.

Another facedown Monster appeared.

Aesop drew.

"Well," said Aesop. "because I truly doubt that you were lucky enough to draw another Old Vindictive Magician, Dark Guardian, attack his facedown Monster!"

Dark Guardian slammed its axe into the ground again, and the shockwave headed for the card…

Magician of Faith appeared, and she cringed as she was blown apart.

"Huh?" said Aesop.

"You just flipped my Magician of Faith," chuckled Stan. "And you know what that means…"

A card flew out of his discard slot.

"All right…" muttered Aesop. "It's your move."

"Then I play this card again…" said Stan. "Monster Reborn!"

_What's he doing?_ thought Aesop in horror.

The holy ankh appeared…

Dark Magician materialized, landing on top on Sanga of Thunder's huge torso. (2,500/2,100)

"What?" laughed Aesop. "He wasn't even a match for Gate Guardian! When it's my turn, he'll be dead in one shot!"

"Oh, will he now?" answered Stan with a grin.

He took a card from his hand.

"This duel is over. You were so anxious to destroy Old Vindictive Magician with your Divine Wrath card, that I now know that Dark Guardian _isn't_ indestructible! He can be destroyed by card effects. And you yourself were worried about all the combos that I could have done with Dark Magician…"

He took a card from his hand and fit it into a slot.

"Here's one. The Magic Card, Thousand Knives!"

Dark Magician clutched two gleaming daggers…

"This Magic Card allows Dark Magician to destroy _any_ Monster, regardless of power!"

Aesop gasped!

Dark Magician flicked his hands forward, and a swarm of knives flew at Dark Guardian! The behemoth moaned, and shattered into pixels!

Fran and Andy cheered.

"It's over Aesop," said Stan. "I don't know if Aesop said this one, but the morale of this story is, 'The bigger they are, the harder they fall'! Dark Magician, Sanga of Thunder, both of you attack his Life Points directly!"

Dark Magician blasted his dark magic and Sanga of Thunder shot forth bolts of lightning! They plowed into Aesop, and he howled as his Life Points fell to zero…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The Shadow Queen smiled.

"Well Stan," she said, "this goes against my better judgment, but I must say, I enjoyed seeing that… I always love seeing a duelist who uses Gate Guardian crushed, and the fact that you of all people defeated him… Well, that's just ironic…

"I wish I could tell you the whole story – you might get a kick out of it. But I'm in no mood to come down there and chitchat…

"Hmm, as soon as Aesop forks over the Card, all three of you will have six apiece. Things are getting serious…

"Best tell Vladimir to get ready. If one of my children can keep from making a complete and utter fool of himself, he can.

"After all, he was always my favorite…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"I have to admit, Stan, you're one heck of a duelist," said Aesop. "Like I said, I only used Dark Guardian twice before, and the two guys I used him on surrendered once they found out what his powers were!"

"You're pretty good yourself," replied Stan. "A Gate Guardian deck is _not_ for novices!"

"Well, here," said Aesop, handing over a Crystal Card.

Then he took a card out of his discard slot.

"And take this too…" he said.

"Huh?" asked Stan. "This is yours…"

"I make it a point to give everyone who defeats me a little gift to remember me by," answered Aesop.

"Everyone who defeats you?" asked Stan. "I thought you were unbeatable."

Aesop laughed.

"A slight exaggeration, Stan," he said. "I've lost a few times, even when using the Gate Guardian deck. A few folks have managed to wipe me out before I could summon the main man. Anyway, keep it, I have five other copies."

"Well, thanks…" muttered Stan.

He looked at the card.

_This IS useful,_ he thought. _But I don't think I'll put it in my deck just yet…_

"Well what do you know," said Aesop, "the rain stopped. Best of luck to all of you!"

He paused.

"But one last word of advice," he said. "As Aesop said in _The Hunter and the Woodsman_, 'The hero is brave in deeds as well as words'. Bye now."

He exited the cave and was gone.

"Uh, what did he mean by that last one?" asked Andy.

"Dunno…" answered Francesca.

The rainwater glinted off the leaves and grass as they continued their trek to Poshley Heights.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The Queen waved her hand over her globe.

"Vladimir?" she said. "Where are you."

"In Poshley Heights, mother," said a voice. "I'm waiting for those kids to get here."

"Listen Vladimir," said the Queen, "all of your siblings have blown it… You're the last one I can count on in Stage One."

"Please, mother," he replied, "I'm not like those five fools. I'm the best duelist on this island…"

She gave an icy stare.

"Uhm, except you, of course," he quickly added.

"Vladimir, listen…" she said. "I don't want to punish you like I did the others – you've always been my favorite. But if you fail to dispose of even one of them, I'm going to have to. What message would I be sending to your siblings if I let you off?"

"I understand," replied Vladimir. "But I assure you, I will defeat them."

"See, there," said the Queen. "You're already making the mistake they all made – overconfidence. I'll have you know that Stan just took down a Gate Guardian."

"I see…" muttered Vladimir. "Well, my strategies could easily do the same. I'm…"

He paused.

"…reasonably sure I can do it."

"Fine," said the Queen. "I'll see you for dinner tonight if you do."

The crystal went dark.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**ANCIENT LAMP (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Spellcaster/Effect  
**Attribute: **Wind  
**Level: **3  
**ATK: **900  
**DEF: **1,400

**Card Description: **This mystical artifact holds magical energy inside. If this Monster is attacked while in facedown Defense Position, you can redirect that attack towards one of your opponent's Monsters. When this Monster is face up on the field, you can Special Summon one "La Jinn the Mystical Genie of the Lamp" from your hand.

_Note: "Ancient Lamp" is a Japanese card that has not yet been released in the United States. It has been used by Kaiba several times in the anime (with different variations on the rules every time), originally in "Face Off"._

**0**

**0**

**0**

**DARK ELEMENT (Magic Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Magic/Quickplay  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description: **Image of a man awash in dark flames in front of a sinister temple shaped like a monstrous tree. You can only play this card when one "Gate Guardian" on your side of the field is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard. Pay half your current Life Points. Special Summon one "Dark Guardian" from your hand or deck.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**DARK GUARDIAN (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Warrior/Effect  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level: **12  
**ATK: **3,800  
**DEF: **3,400

**Card Description: **This immortal fighter's soul was linked to that of the mighty Gate Guardian. This Monster cannot be Normal Summoned or set. This Monster can only be Special Summoned via the effect of "Dark Element". This Monster cannot be destroyed in battle (damage calculation still applies).

_Note: "Dark Element" and "Dark Guardian" were used by the Paradox Brothers in the multipart "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode, "Tag Team Trial". All creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**Melissa: Born from the twisted union of an angel and a demon.**_

_**Kurtis: A spirit of wind who stalks prey like a vulture.**_

_**Tyson: A creature born of fire who lives to burn.**_

_**Leopold: Stoic as the earth itself, and as rigid as stone.**_

_**Maria: A creature of the sea, as ruthless and unforgiving as the ocean itself.**_

_**And coming up next, the last and oldest member of this evil group of siblings will appear…**_

_**Vladimir, the Shadow Spawn of Darkness.**_

_**The apple of his mother's eye.**_

**_In the town of Poshley Heights, Andy must face the eldest Shadow Spawn, and take on a duelist who grows stronger the more he's attacked. How will the descendent of the Dragon Master defeat this undefeated duelist? Find out in a chapter called "Dark Destiny", coming soon._**


	28. Dark Destiny

_I know it's a bit early for this next chapter, but it's a chapter that everyone wanted to see..._

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**We've defeated the Spawn of Light… Wind… Fire… Earth… and Water.**_

_**But we knew that there were six Shadow Spawn, and the Spawn of Darkness was the oldest and the best.**_

_**Little has to be said now. He's made it short and sweet, and I have to defeat him – if I can't, Stan or Francesca will be next. **_

_**I don't know what to expect from this guy – Dark Attribute themes leave room for many different possibilities.**_

_**But since this guy is the best of his siblings…**_

_**I doubt it will be easy…**_

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Dark Destiny**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

It was a little after eleven when the three teens arrived in Poshley Heights.

Their tummies were growling. Their early breakfast was starting to wear off, and they were in need of lunch.

Their first view of Poshley Heights was one of glamour and splendor. All of the houses looked like mansions! The stores and shops all looked high class, and all the folk they saw were splendidly dressed.

Clearly, one type of folk lived here – the rich type.

And they certainly hoped that the rule giving complimentary food to tournament guests still applied here – looking at the nearest restaurant, they didn't think for a second that they could actually afford the prices there.

As they walked towards the restaurant, they heard a stuffy voice calling their names.

They turned, and saw a short, chubby man in a suit and bow tie. He held a fancy pipe in his hand.

"Well," he said cheerily. "Fancy meeting you three here…"

"Do we know you?" asked Andy.

"No, Andrew," he said, "but I know of you. I make it a point to keep track of all things that happen on Monster Island…"

He lit his pipe.

"And word is you three have been making fools of the Shadow Queen's children!" he chuckled. "Not just anyone can do that! We have no love of the Spawn here…"

"You shouldn't smoke, mister," said Francesca. "It's bad for your heath."

"Oh, I don't actually smoke it," chuckled the man. "I'm far too intelligent for that…"

He raised his hand.

"Pennington's the name," he said. "If you'll just take my card…"

They shook hands, and Stan took the card.

It read:

_P.T. Pennington, PhD_

"So you're a psychiatrist?" asked Francesca.

"No, a psychiatrist is an MD who also has a PsyD," answered Pennington. "PhD means Doctor of Philosophy."

"That's an odd doctorate," commented Stan.

"It's more useful than you think, Stanley," he answered. "Now how about some lunch on me? You'll find the restaurants here exquisite…"

"You don't have to pay for us!" protested Andy. "We can eat here for free."

"I know, but I insist," answered Pennington. "Anyone who can outduel the Shadow Spawn is my treat. So, French or Italian?"

"Uh, how about French, guys?" suggested Stan.

That sounded good, so they all agreed to it.

As Pennington led them to the restaurant, he sighed.

_I hate having to hide my intentions,_ he thought, _but that accursed Vladimir has been haunting this town for days, hiding in the shadows. He thinks that nobody sees him, but I sure do. These kids are likely the only ones who can get rid of him. That spook makes my skin crawl…_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Okay," said the maitre de, "one gin on the rocks for Monsieur Pennington, and three diet colas for his guests."

"This place looks expensive…" muttered Francesca.

"It should," chuckled Pennington. "Only people who can afford it live in Poshley Heights. This is the best place on the island – no pollution, no crime, fresh air. Just between the four of us, I think some of the folk get a little lazy after living here for a while!"

They all chuckled.

The maitre de went up to front of the restaurant, and someone walked in.

"Yes?" asked the maitre de.

"Excuse me," said the visitor, "can you please direct me to Stan, Andy, and Francesca's table?"

The maitre de didn't look up.

"Excusez-moi, monsieur," he sneered, "but they are in a private section of the restaurant with Monsieur Pennington, and I doubt they desire their meal to be interrupted. Furthermore…"

He looked up.

He shuddered.

The visitor was about nineteen years old. His clothing was simple, but all black. He also wore a dark overcoat, worn unbuttoned. He had straight black hair, and also wore dark sunglasses. He gave the impression of a vampire from a modern horror movie… or a certain science fiction trilogy.

"Monsieur Vladimir…" gulped the maitre de.

"If it's too much trouble," asked the youth. "Can I just leave them a message and come back later?"

"NO!" gasped the maitre de in panic. "This way… anything you say…"

Vladimir shrugged and followed him.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"You look like smart folks," said Pennington, "so I have a riddle for you…"

"A riddle?" asked Stan.

"Well, more of a logic problem," replied Pennington. "See, a man is dining in a restaurant, not unlike this one, where the food is pricey and the waiters are rude…"

The kids giggled.

"…and he's about to drink coffee. And then he sees that there's a fly in the coffee.

"He gets upset and yells at the waiter, who apologizes, and says he'll get him a fresh cup.

"A minute later, the waiter comes back with what appears to be a fresh cup of coffee. But when the man takes a sip, he gets angry again, and yells that this was the same cup of coffee that had the fly in it!

"The question is… How did he know?"

His three guests thought for a minute.

"I know!" exclaimed Francesca. "It was because he put sugar in the coffee _before _he discovered the fly!"

Pennington chuckled.

"Exactly, Francesca!" he chuckled. "You've got a good brain in your head!"

The maitre de came up.

"Um, monsieurs… mademoiselle…" he gulped. "This gentleman wishes to speak with you…"

Vladimir sat at the spare seat.

"Vladimir…" gasped Pennington.

"Anything I can get you?" shuddered the maitre de.

"Bottled water, please," answered Vladimir.

Stan's eyes narrowed.

"Vladimir…" he said. "As in the Shadow Spawn of Darkness, right?"

"Yes," affirmed Vladimir. "Enjoying the tournament so far?"

"Frankly, no," answered Francesca. "Your brothers and sisters have been making our lives hell."

"Well, they were idiots," he sighed. "And you'll be pleased to know that right now they're suffering very painful punishments as a result of their failure."

"Maybe I should leave," muttered Pennington.

"No, you can stay, Pennington," said Vladimir. "The more the merrier, I always say."

"What do you want, Vladimir?" asked Andy.

"Exactly what the others wanted," he answered. "To defeat you, so that my mother can be freed. So I'm issuing a challenge – to all three of you."

They were a little surprised by this.

"That's it?" asked Francesca. "No threats? No blackmailing? No taking hostages?"

"I don't walk that route," answered Vladimir.

The waiter shakily handed him a bottled water.

"My foolish siblings fancy themselves supervillains and use the tactics of terrorists," he added, "but they'll never learn the true meaning of dueling."

"So what if we refuse?" asked Andy.

Vladimir sighed.

"I won't force you," he said. "But if you accept and succeed, the three of you can claim something that's never been claimed – the defeat of all six members of the Shadow Queen's offspring."

They paused.

"So who do you want to duel?" asked Stan.

"All three of you," he responded. "One after the other. But if even one of you wins, I'll leave, and leave whoever's left unharmed."

"And if any of us lose?" asked Stan.

"That, unfortunately, is up to my mother," sighed Vladimir.

They thought about this for a minute.

This might be dangerous. Vladimir was pretty certain he could defeat them all. He was likely skilled…

But possibly, if they beat him, they'd be done with the Spawn for good. It was tempting…

"Okay, Vlad…" said Andy, "…do you mind if I call you Vlad?"

"Go right ahead," he answered.

"We'll accept your challenge, so long as you play fair," continued Andy.

"I wouldn't dream of cheating," said Vladimir, picking up a menu. "Now we're all hungry, so let's order, huh?"

He studied the menu.

"Think I'll start with the escargots… By the way, I'm paying…"

Pennington nervously gulped.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

One slice of chocolate soufflé remained.

"You're paying," said Francesca to Vladimir, "you take it."

"Nah, it's yours…" answered Vladimir. "Anyway, who wants to duel first?"

"I'll take you on…" said Andy.

Vladimir looked at him.

"In that case," he muttered. "Let's get down to business…"

He took a deck of cards out of his belt…

…and then he took out two more decks and placed them on the table.

"Choose," he said.

"Huh?" asked Andy.

"Do you think I'm dumb enough to use the same strategy against all three of you?" asked Vladimir. "That would be foolish. So chose one of these three decks."

Andy considered…

"Go ahead… There are no wrong choices. Each is equally deadly."

"Okay, that one…" said Andy, pointing to the one in the middle.

"Very well," said Vladimir, putting the other two away. "As soon as your girlfriend finishes her cake, the town green will make a suitable arena…"

"Girlfriend?" exclaimed Andy.

"Check please!" called Vladimir.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Fifteen minutes later, Vladimir stood facing Andy on the village green, while Stan, Francesca, and a very nervous Pennington watched.

The three teens didn't quite know what to make of Vladimir. He didn't seem like the other folk who worked for the Shadow Queen. They had expected him to pay for lunch with a bad check – but he had paid cash…

…he had even left a tip.

Vladimir raised his left arm, and a blob of dark energy surrounded it. A Disk made of shiny black metal formed on it.

"Just to prove to you I play fair," said Vladimir, "we'll shuffle each other's decks."

"Whatever you say, Vlad," answered Andy, as they handed each other their decks. "Those hands are clean, aren't they?"

"Pennington," whispered Fran. "Do you know anything about Vladimir's strategy?"

"Not a thing, lass," he answered. "And the Dark Attribute leaves many possible themes open…"

"Yeah," muttered Stan. "Zombies, Fiends, Spellcasters like mine… Andy could be in for anything…"

Andy was nervous as he handed the deck back to Vladimir. He had been tempted to peak at the cards, but he wasn't a cheater either.

_I like this guy better than the rest of them, I'll admit that,_ he thought, _but if I lose, I'm still doomed. And he'll go after Stan and Francesca after me!_

_Even worse, if I'm beaten, Vladimir will be even more intimidating to them – he'll beat them easily after they see me go down. _

_I have to win…_

They plugged their decks into the Disks.

The holo-imagers shot out, and the Disks flipped into position. The life counters rose to 8,000.

"Before we start, I have a question," said Andy.

"Yes?" asked Vladimir.

"Since you're likely the only Spawn we can reason with," continued Andy, "we have to know, why are you and the others doing this?"

"I can't speak for the others, Andy," he replied, "but mother has been driven stir-crazy for the past thousand years. Only your utter defeat will set her free.

"And I'll tell you this – she and I feel sorry for you three. She didn't set out to kill you…"

Andy was surprised at this.

"…but that is what needs to be done so she may escape. I will tell you this – it is nothing personal."

"How nice," muttered Andy.

"DUEL!" they both shouted.

They each drew five cards.

The change started to come over Andy. No matter what the intentions, he still had to win…

"I'll even let you make the first move, Andy," said Vladimir.

"Fine," said Andy, drawing a card.

_Well, if it isn't my old friend Cave Dragon,_ he thought.

"I'll summon Cave Dragon in Attack Mode," he announced, putting a card down.

The elderly, wingless Dragon appeared, and growled. (2,000/100)

"Interesting…" said Vladimir, drawing.

_Hmm,_ he thought. _I already have most of what I need in my hand to bring out one of my trump cards. A few good draws and I'll be set…_

"I'll place two cards facedown on the field," he said.

With one sweeping motion, he threw two cards into slots, and they appeared in front of him.

"And now I'll play this in Defense Mode… Mystic Tomato!"

He placed a card down, and a huge tomato with eyes, a toothy mouth, and a lolling tongue appeared. (1,400/1,100)

"And that will conclude my turn," he said.

Andy looked at the silly Plant Monster.

_Ergh,_ he thought. _When Mystic Tomato is destroyed, he gets to summon any Dark Monster with 1,500 Attack Points or less from his deck. That could be dangerous…_

He made his draw.

_Spear Dragon? This is too good to pass up! My Cave Dragon can deal with whatever he summons…_

"I summon Spear Dragon in Attack Mode!" he shouted, throwing a card down.

The pterodactyl-like Dragon appeared, hovering in mid-air.

"Spear Dragon, squash his tomater with cyclone blast!"

Spear Dragon blasted forth a tornado of wind, which blasted Mystic Tomato into pulp!

Vladimir's Life Points fell to 7,200.

"Good show," said Vladimir, as a card slipped out of his deck. "Well now, due to Mystic Tomato's destruction I'll summon… this."

He put the card down, and a small creature appeared. It was a skeleton clad in tattered violet robes. (300/200)

"Huh?" said Stan, in disbelief. "A Skull Servant?"

"A Skull Servant?" laughed Andy. "Why would you put such a worthless card in your deck? When I was a kid, I clipped cards like that to my bicycle spokes!"

"Andy, Andy!" chuckled Vladimir. "A true duelist knows that _every_ card in Duel Monsters has a use! _No_ Monster is truly worthless!"

He paused.

"Well, except maybe Bolt Escargot," he mused. "The thing is a giant, ugly snail, has no better Attack Score than a Celtic Guardian, AND you need to make a sacrifice to summon it! Sheesh! I guess Pegasus had one too many red wine spritzers before he thought up _that_ card!"

"Okay, fine!" interrupted Andy. "Whatever you were planning to do with it, I'm going to nip in the bud – because I'm about to blast it away, along with 1,700 of your Life Points! Cave Dragon, attack the Skull Servant!"

Cave Dragon belched forth a cloud of noxious gas…

"I activate my Trap!" shouted Vladimir.

One of his facedown cards activated.

"Draining Shield!" he shouted.

"Huh?" said Andy, as a protective dome appeared around the Skull Servant.

"Draining Shield not only stops your attack," explained Vladimir, "but it increases my Life Points by that Monster's Attack Points!"

Stan, Francesca, and especially Andy gasped as Vladimir's Life Points shot up to 9,200.

"My word…" muttered Pennington.

"I'll also activate my other Trap," he said. "The League of Uniform Nomenclature!"

His other Trap lifted, and two cards flew out of his deck.

He placed them down, and two more Skull Servants appeared.

"The End of Anubis used that trick on me to summon three Bokoichis," commented Stan. "But what will he do with three Skull Servants?"

"All right," said Andy. "I end my turn…"

Spear Dragon backed up into Defense Mode.

Vladimir drew.

_Ah, perfect,_ he thought.

He fit a card into a slot.

"I play a powerful Magic Card known as Triangle Power!" announced Vladimir.

"Triangle Power?" said Francesca in fear. "What does that do?"

An energy triangle started to form around the three Skull Servants.

Pennington gasped.

"I saw a duelist use it once," he answered. "When a duelist uses Triangle Power, all one-star Normal Monsters he has on the field gain 2,000 Attack Points! And Skull Servants fit the profile…"

The Attack of the three Skull Servants rose to 2,300 each!

"Skull Servant number one" shouted Vladimir, "attack his Cave Dragon!"

The Servant shot forth a beam of blackness, and Cave Dragon burst!

Andy's Life Points slipped to 7,700.

"Number two, attack Spear Dragon!"

The second one blasted the Spear Dragon away. Fortunately, it was in Defense Mode.

Andy was sweating heavily.

"Number three, attack directly!" he yelled.

The third Skull Servant blasted forth its beam of blackness, and Andy was thrown back violently! His Life Points plummeted to 5,400.

He got up and held his chest, where smoke was coming out of his side…

"Okay, I'll admit it," he groaned. "You are good…"

"I'm the best…" answered Vladimir with a grin.

He put a card down.

"Next I'll summon Goblin Zombie in Attack Mode," he said, placing a card down.

A cackling laugh erupted over the field, as a Monster appeared. It certainly fit its name. It looked like a decayed goblin corpse, carrying a sharp sword. (1,100/1,050)

"And now my turn is over," he said. "Unfortunately, since I used Triangle Power, that means all three of my Skull Servants go to the Graveyard."

The Skull Servants shattered.

"Goblin Zombie?" whispered Francesca. "I don't think I've heard of that one before…"

"Yeah…" answered Stan. "There's only one reason Vladimir would play a Monster that weak in Attack Mode… He _wants_ Andy to attack it."

Andy drew.

He looked at the card in surprise…

"I'll first summon The Dragon Dwelling in the Cave in Defense Mode," he said.

He put the card down, and the large, rocky dragon appeared. (1,300/2,000)

"And now," he said, "I'll place _four_ cards facedown, and end my turn."

He fit four cards into slots, and they materialized behind the Dragon.

Vladimir looked surprised.

He drew.

"I choose to pass this turn…" he muttered.

"Fine then," said Andy.

He fit a card into the fifth slot.

"I play Sweet Feast!" he shouted.

The cornucopia appeared, spilling its bounty.

"Now I gain 1,000 Life Points for every Level Star of the most powerful Monster on the field!" he exclaimed. "Since that's my Dragon, I gain 4,000 in all!"

His Life Points went up to 9,400.

"I also get to draw four cards!" he continued.

Four cards flew off his deck, and he caught them.

"And since I can't do anything else, it's your move."

Vladimir's eyes narrowed as he drew.

_He has four cards facedown,_ he thought, _but he likely only put them there so he wouldn't have to discard any when he played Sweet Feast… I think it's worth the chance…_

"I play Stop Defense!" he exclaimed, throwing a card into a slot.

The Dragon Dwelling in the Cave rose into Attack Mode!

"Goblin Zombie, attack!" he shouted.

Goblin Zombie lunged forward with its sword! Andy gasped as his Dragon exhaled a blast of wind and blew it into pixels.

Vladimir's Life Points slipped to 9,000.

Andy gave him a strange look.

"Why did you do that, Vlad?" he asked.

Vladimir chuckled.

"When Goblin Zombie is sent to the Graveyard," he answered, "I'm allowed to search for a Zombie with 1,200 Defense Points or less and add it to my hand, so long as I first show it to you…"

"Huh?" asked Andy. "So it's like Pyramid Turtle-light?"

"In a way…" answered Vladimir, reaching for his deck. "But think back to when you called Skull Servants worthless…

"They're called Skull _Servants_, Andy. Servants. Did you ever stop to think just who Skull Servants were serving?"

"Uhm, no…" said Andy, nervously.

"Well, I'll show you!" chuckled Vladimir, showing him the card. "I present… _King of the Skull Servants!"_

"And I'll summon it now!"

He put a card down, and a ghostly form arose. It looked like a Skull Servant, but taller and more sinister, with an aura of unholy energy around it.

"What the…" muttered Francesca.

"So…" gulped Stan. "The rumors I heard were true… They made a stronger version of the Skull Servant…"

"Let me explain how this creature works," said Vladimir. "Its Attack Score is 1,000 for every Skull Servant and additional King in my Graveyard. Since I have three Servants in my Graveyard…"

(3,000/0)

Andy gulped.

"I'll end my turn," said Vladimir.

Andy reached for his deck and drew a card.

"I'll switch my Dragon back to Defense Mode," he said.

The Dragon Dwelling in the Cave moved back into Defense.

"And then I'll summon Koumori Dragon in Defense Mode," he stated.

The small Dragon of Darkness appeared, and folded its wings. (1,500/1,200)

"That's my turn…" he muttered.

Vladimir drew.

"I'll play my Pot of Greed," he said.

He played the Magic Card, and the Pot handed him two cards.

_Another Mystic Tomato,_ he thought, looking at one of them. _This will do nicely._

He added it to his hand, and took the other card.

"Now I play the Magic Card… Double Attack!" he exclaimed.

He placed the card into a slot.

"What does that do?" asked Andy in fear.

"Simple," answered Vladimir. "I simply have to discard a Monster with more stars than my King, and as the name suggests, it can attack twice. And since, for all its power, it's actually a one-star Monster, almost any Monster will do.

"So I'll discard my four-star Mystic Tomato…"

He discarded the card.

"And, King of the Skull Servants, attack both of his Dragons with skulls of doom!"

The King raised its bony hands, and two skulls burning with black fire appeared in them! It hurled them forward, and they exploded on impact, destroying the two Dragons!

"It's your move," said Vladimir.

"Boy, Andy is in a tough spot…" muttered Francesca.

"Don't give up hope lass," said Pennington. "True, Vladimir is in control, but in Duel Monsters, the situation can switch at a moment's notice."

"Do you duel?" asked Francesca.

"A little," he answered.

Andy made his draw.

_Hey, Masked Dragon!_ he thought.

He looked at a card in his hand.

An idea was forming…

"I'll summon Masked Dragon in Defense Mode," he said.

He put the card down, and the metallic Dragon wearing a mask appeared.

"Your move, Vlad," he said with a grin.

_He's up to something,_ thought Vladimir. _But I doubt anything he could summon even with a sacrifice could defeat my King._

He drew.

His eyes opened wide.

"I'm Equipping my King with this," he said, placing the card into a slot. "It's a little thing called Opti-Camouflage Armor."

A bright glow surrounded the King. Its robe was replaced by silver, knight-like armor, and a long trident appeared in its right hand.

"And what does your King's fancy new suit let him do?" asked Andy.

"Opti-Camouflage Armor can only be equipped to one-star Monsters," exclaimed Vladimir, "and it lets them bypass your Monsters and attack you directly!"

Francesca gasped in horror!

"No!" she gasped. "Andy…"

"King of the Skull Servants," ordered Vladimir, "attack directly with skull of doom!"

The blazing skull appeared in the armored King's left hand, and he hurled it, throwing it right over Masked Dragon! Andy screamed as it hit him and exploded!

He fell to his knees with smoke rising from him. His Life Points plummeted to 6,400.

"I'll end my turn there," said Vladimir. "And I'll give you a chance to surrender. You really don't want me to do that again…"

"Ain't gonna happen again, pal," said Andy as he slowly drew.

Francesca shuddered.

"Pennington!" she whispered. "Can Vladimir use Triangle Power on _that_ guy?"

"Fortunately, no," Pennington whispered back. "Triangle Power only works on Normal Monsters, and that King is clearly an Effect Monster."

Andy looked at the card and added it to his hand. He stood up.

"I've already figured out a way to take out your King Vladimir…" he said.

He switched cards on his Disk.

"I sacrifice my Masked Dragon to summon Des Volstgalph!" he shouted.

Masked Dragon shattered, and the giant earthen Dragon arose. (2,200/1,700)

"Now I'll activate one of my facedown cards…" he continued. "Scorching Ruin!"

The Magic Card lifted.

"Not only does this card add 1,000 to Des Volstgalph's Attack for the round, but due to its effect, it gains 200 more Attack points because I just played a Magic Card, for a grand total of 3,400!"

Des Volstgalph roared.

"Des Volstgalph, destroy his King of the Skull Servants!"

The mighty Dragon shot forth his scorching breath, and King of the Skull Servants was blasted to pieces.

"And you not only lose 400 Life Points," said Andy with a smile, "when Des Volstgalph destroys a Monster, you lose 500 _extra_ Life Points!"

Vladimir's Life Points fell to 8,100.

"Well," said Vladimir, "it seems you are not a force to be taken lightly either. But I'm still far ahead of you, and I'm hardly finished."

He drew a card.

"I'll place a Monster facedown in Defense Mode," he said, "and two cards facedown."

He set all three of the cards in his hand, and two facedown cards appeared, followed by a facedown Monster.

"And with that, I give you the honors," he said.

_Huh?_ thought Andy. _He used up all the cards in his hand! Not smart, Vlad old boy…_

He drew.

"I'll first play another of my facedown cards," he said, as one of them lifted. "Stamping Destruction! Say bye-bye to _that_ card!"

Des Volstgalph stamped his foot, and Vladimir was thrown off his feet. One of his cards, revealed to be another Draining Shield, shattered, and his Life Points fell to 7,700.

"And since I just played a Magic Card again, my Dragon gains 200 Attack Points again!" laughed Andy.

He put a card down.

"Now I'll summon… Twin Headed Behemoth in Attack Mode!"

The huge, winged, two-headed Dragon appeared. (1,500/1,200)

"Behemoth, attack his facedown Monster!"

_Andy, no!_ screamed Francesca mentally.

The Dragon belched forth his flame… A tall woman in a dark robe appeared on the card…

She cringed as she was blown away.

"Witch of the Black Forest?" exclaimed Andy.

"Yes," said Vladimir, with a smile, "and I'm sure you know what her effect is. But before that comes into play, we have to deal with the Trap you just triggered…"

Andy looked. Vladimir had indeed triggered a Trap. It depicted a hand holding cards reaching out of the ground in front of a cross-shaped tombstone.

"It's called Card of Last Will, Andy," he explained. "A hard Trap to use, but worth it. I can only use it when I'm attacked when I have no hand. When those conditions are met, I get to draw five cards."

Five cards flew off of his deck.

"Crud," sighed Andy.

"Now I'll get what I wanted from the Witch's effect," continued Vladimir, taking a card from his deck.

"In case you forgot," sneered Andy, "I haven't finished my Battle Phase. Des Volstgalph, attack him directly!"

Des Volstgalph breathed forth his mighty weapon, hitting Vladimir in the chest! He cringed as his Life Points fell to 5,200.

"I'll end by placing this card facedown," said Andy, placing a card into a slot.

A third facedown card appeared next to the other two.

"Very well," said Vladimir, making a draw.

He placed a card down.

"Now I'll summon a second King of the Skull Servants!"

Another King arose, this one looking more evil than the last.

"And because I now have three Servants and one King in my Graveyard," continued Vladimir, "this one is stronger than the last!"

(4,000/0)

"Next I'll place two cards facedown," he said.

He fit two cards into slots, and they appeared.

"And I'll Equip my new King with another Opti-Camouflage Armor!"

He fit another card into a slot, and the fancy armor formed around the new King.

"NO!" screamed Francesca.

"Now…" said Vladimir.

"Activate… Threatening Roar!" shouted Andy.

The facedown card he had just played lifted, and the great beast appeared, letting out a bellowing roar. The King staggered back.

"Okay fine," muttered Vladimir, "I end my turn…"

_Summon whatever you like, Andy,_ he thought. _It will just be sucked into my Bottomless Trap Hole!_

"Man, this looks bad…" muttered Stan.

"Don't say that!" screamed Francesca. "Andy will think of something!"

Andy made his draw.

"I summon Gray Wing in Defense Mode," he said.

A large lizard with insect-like wings appeared, and curled up in Defense. (1,300/700)

_Well, almost anything,_ thought Vladimir. _Bottomless Trap Hole doesn't work on Monsters with under 1,500 Attack Points…_

"Now I'll move Twin-Headed Behemoth into Defense Mode," he stated.

_What's he up to?_ thought Vladimir. _My King can attack directly now – it doesn't matter what Mode his Monsters are in!_

"And now," continued Andy, "I'll play _this_ facedown card!"

The Magic Card lifted.

"A little number called A Wingbeat Of Giant Dragon!"

"Huh?" muttered Vladimir. "That… sounds familiar…"

"Let me job your memory!" said Andy with a smile. "When I play this card, I have to return one Dragon with five stars or more to my hand. So, Des Volstgalph, return to my hand!"

Des Volstgalph vanished, and Andy removed its card.

"And in return," continued Andy, "all Magic and Trap Cards on the field are destroyed!"

A flaming dragon with enormous wings appeared behind Andy, and started to beat its wings! A veritable windstorm started! First, Andy's last facedown card, revealed to be The Dragon's Bead, was shattered. Then Vladimir's two facedown cards lifted, showing Bottomless Trap Hole and Meteorain. They shattered as well. Finally, the Opti-Camouflage Armor on King of the Skull Servants fell apart into a pile of broken metal!

"Well, that's enough for one turn," chuckled Andy. "It's your move."

"I must say, I underestimated you, Andy," muttered Vladimir. "I won't make that mistake again…"

He drew.

"Go my King!" he shouted. "Attack his Twin-Headed Behemoth!"

The King threw his skull, and the Behemoth was blown up.

"Return!" shouted Andy.

Behemoth rematerialized on the spot where it fell. (1,000/1,200)

"Your move," said Vladimir.

Andy drew.

_Oh yeah,_ he thought.

"I'll place one card facedown," he said, "and summon Troop Dragon in Defense Mode!"

He quickly placed the cards; a facedown card appeared, and three draconic soldiers appeared, kneeling in Defense. (700/800)

"Over to you, Matrix-boy," he said.

"Fine," said Vladimir, reaching for his deck, "I'll…"

He paused.

"Wait a minute…" he said. "Do I _really_ look like that guy from _The Matrix_?"

He looked over at Francesca and Stan.

"Um, yeah!" replied Fran.

"Pretty much," agreed Stan.

Vladimir looked at his clothes.

"I never liked that movie," he muttered. "Maybe a change in wardrobe is in order… Ah, well…"

He drew a card.

"King of the Skull Servants, attack his Behemoth again!"

The King threw his skull, and blew the Dragon to bits.

"Your move," he said smugly, crossing his arms.

"I'm gonna wipe that smile off your face…" snarled Andy.

He switched cards on his Disk.

"Time to take down your second King!" he warned. "I'll first sacrifice Gray Wing to summon Des Volstgalph again, in ATTACK Mode!"

Gray Wing vanished, and Des Volstgalph returned. (2,200/1,700)

_Now what?_ thought Vladimir.

"I just realized a weakness of your King," stated Andy. "No matter how strong its Attack Pointsgets, it has zero Defense Points…

"And so, my Troop Dragon is all I need to sacrifice in order to use this…"

His Trap Card lifted…

"Burst Breath?" gasped Vladimir.

"Yes!" stated Andy. "It won't hurt Des Volstgalph, because his Defense is much higher than Troop Dragon's Attack. But since your King's Defense is zero…"

The three Dragon-men exhaled blasts of flame, and the second King of the Skull Servants was vaporized. Troop Dragon vanished.

"And now, Des Volstgalph would like a word with you…" said Andy.

"NOT AGAIN!" shouted Vladimir, as Des Volstgalph's breath plowed into him.

He fell to his knees, and his Life Points tumbled to 3,000.

"Andy just might do this!" exclaimed Francesca.

"Indeed," muttered Pennington. "But don't forget, a duelist is allowed to have three copies of a card in his deck, and Vladimir likely has three Kings. If he manages to summon it, its Attack Score would be an overwhelming 5,000!"

_You're so right, Pennington_, thought Vladimir with a smile.

"Your move, Vlad," said Andy.

_He's strong_, thought Vladimir, drawing, _but I can be stronger._

"Look at this, Andy," he said, showing him a card. "It's my old friend Goblin Zombie!"

He placed the card down, summoning another of the creatures in Attack Mode. (1,100/1,050)

"And that will be my turn," he said.

"You think I'm gonna fall for that?" asked Andy.

He turned his cards.

"I'm switching Des Volstgalph into Defense Mode…" he stated, and ending my turn.

Des Volstgalph bowed and folded its wings.

Vladimir drew.

"I play Mystik Wok," he said, playing a card, "sacrificing Goblin Zombie to do so…"

The huge Chinese Wok appeared, and Goblin Zombie melted into a foul mist.

Vladimir's Life Points went up to 4,100.

"What really sets Goblin Zombie apart from Pyramid Turtle is," chuckled Vladimir, "it doesn't have to be destroyed in battle! So long as it winds up in my Graveyard, I get to use its effect!"

He pulled another card from his deck, and revealed it.

"So my third black king emerges…" he added. "And we'll be close to checkmate soon..."

He placed the card down, and a third King appeared. (5,000/0)

"King of the Skull Servants," he shouted, "destroy Des Volstgalph!"

The super-powered King threw his Skull, and the Dragon was incinerated.

"Now, to end, I'll place a card facedown," he said.

He placed a card in a slot, and it materialized.

"Make your move…" said Vladimir, with a sinister voice.

Andy drew.

_All right!_ he thought. _I have all three of the Red Eyes cards now!_

He did a quick calculation.

_When I summon Red Eyes Darkness Dragon, it will have 5,700 Attack Points, more than enough to take down Skeletor there! I'll have him cold!_

He took a card from his hand.

"I'll start by placing this card facedown," he said.

A facedown card appeared.

"Then I'll summon Red Eyes Black Chick!" he shouted, placing a card down.

The small red egg appeared, and the tiny Dragon popped his head out of it. (800/500)

_Yes…_ thought Francesca.

"Now I sacrifice it for Red Eyes Black Dragon!" he shouted, placing a card down.

The Chick grew at amazing speed, growing into the huge Red Eyes Black Dragon! (2,400/2,000)

_YES!_ thought Francesca. _Yes, yes, yes!_

"And finally," yelled Andy, "I'll sacrifice my Dragon to summon Red Eyes Darkness Dragon!"

He switched cards, and the Dragon slowly started to mutate…

"Not so fast, Andy!" shouted Vladimir. "I'm going to stop you by doing what my idiotic brother should have done when you summoned that thing! Reveal Trap Card!"

His Trap lifted.

"Horn of Heaven!"

"WHAT?" shouted Andy. "You have to sacrifice a Monster to activate that Trap!"

"I'm well aware of that, Andy!" shouted Vladimir, as the Horn started to form.

"But the only Monster you have is…" answered Andy.

"That's right!" yelled Vladimir. "I'm blowing my horn to blow away your Dragon AND my King!"

A loud bellow sounded from the Horn of Heaven, and both Red Eyes Darkness Dragon and King of the Skull Servants shattered.

"What in blazes…" muttered Stan.

"Hmm…" pondered Pennington. "Quite a strange strategy. And I fear it can't be good for Andrew. Vladimir isn't dumb enough to just throw a Monster that powerful away…"

"Well," said Andy, with a grin. "What are you gonna do now? That was your last King!"

His eyes opened wide in realization.

"Unless the one card in your hand is Monster Reborn!" he said in panic.

Vladimir chuckled.

He drew a card.

_Hmm,_ he thought, looking at his two cards. _I could use both these cards, but with Andy's facedown card, tempting fate isn't a good idea. I'll use one, and save the other…_

"Close, but not quite," he said aloud. "The card I was holding is _better_ than Monster Reborn for my deck, and unlike that card, I'm allowed to have three in my deck."

He showed it to Andy.

"It's called Book of Life!" he laughed. "Also known as the Book of Forbidden Magic!"

"Book of Life?" gasped Francesca, now scared.

"When Book of Life is played," gasped Pennington, "the duelist can remove a Monster in his opponent's Graveyard from play, AND Special Summon any Zombie from his own Graveyard!"

"That's right," laughed Vladimir. "Two great effects for the price of one! So I'll remove your Des Volstgalph…"

Des Volstgalph slid out of Andy's discard slot.

"And King of the Skull Servants, welcome back..."

The mighty King arose again… (5,000/0)

Andy gulped.

"King of the Skull Servants," yelled Vladimir, "attack directly!"

The King's hands blazed with black fire! It produced a very large blazing skull and hurled it with both hands! Andy screamed as he was sent falling face-first to the ground.

His Life Points plummeted to 1,400.

"NO!" screamed Francesca. "Andy, please be all right. Baby, please be all right!"

_Baby?_ thought Andy.

He struggled to his feet, slowly but surely…

_What?_ thought Vladimir. _He shouldn't be able to stand after an attack like that! Oh well, since I proved that facedown card was a bluff, he's finished next turn…_

"It's my move, pal…" muttered Andy. "I just realized I have something more to fight for…"

_Although honestly,_ he thought, _I don't know what I'm gonna do… I'm fresh out of ideas…_

He slowly reached for his deck. He paused.

"_Don't give up matey!"_ shouted a voice in his head. _"We can still scuttle this guy!"_

Andy looked surprised.

"_Bobbery?"_ he replied. _"Where are you?"_

"_I'm two cards away from you, lad!"_ encouraged Bobbery. _"And I can help you take down that old pile of bones!"_

"_What?"_ answered Andy. _"Two cards away? But by the time I draw you, it might be too late!"_

Bobbery chuckled.

"_I also know what the two cards in front of me are!"_ he laughed. _"And they'll help out immensely! Now draw your next card, and I'll help you blast that sorry excuse for a Monster back to the boneyard!"_

Andy smiled. He drew the card.

"I play Pot of Greed!" he shouted, throwing the card into a slot.

The Pot appeared, and the spectral arm handed him two cards.

_Bingo,_ he thought.

"Now I play… Snatch Steal!" he shouted.

He played the Magic Card, and the shifty bandit appeared. He dove into King of the Skull Servant's body, and the Zombie floated over to his side.

"Well, I suppose you're going to attack me with my own King, eh?" chuckled Vladimir. "Well, attack me! I can't do anything to stop you!"

"Save the bluff, Vlad," sneered Andy. "I figured out how your King works…

"Its Attack Score is 1,000 for every Skull Servant and other King in its _user's_ Graveyard, right? Since my Graveyard doesn't have any, I know that while it's on my side of the field, it's powerless."

"Then if you knew, why use Snatch Steal at all?" asked Vladimir.

"Powerless doesn't mean worthless," replied Andy. "I'm sacrificing your King to summon Admiral Bobbery the Bomber!"

King of the Skull Servants vanished, and the small Bomb-omb sailor with his cap, steering wheel on his back, and huge moustache appeared. (2,200/1,000)

"Well!" said a shocked Vladimir. "I've _never_ seen _that_ Monster before, and coming from me, that's saying a lot!"

He sighed.

"But I'm afraid it's over, Andy…" he said. "You've lost…"

"How do you figure?" asked Andy.

"Take a look at the last card in my hand," said Vladimir, showing it to him.

It was another Book of Life.

"Oh, he's doomed…" muttered Pennington.

"Don't be so sure…" said Francesca, with a grin.

"On my next turn," explained Vladimir, "I'll use this to bring the King back. Then I'll attack your Bobbery, and you'll lose 2,800 Life Points, and the duel!"

Andy chuckled.

"There is no next turn for you, Vlad," he said. "I can defeat you with this move."

"What?" said Vlad. "I have 4,100 Life Points left! I'll still have 1,900 after you attack me with that thing!"

"Think so?" said Andy, crossing his arms.

The two of them stared at each other for a second.

"Like you said, you've never even seen this guy before, so you have no idea of his special, explosive effect!" exclaimed Andy. "Let me fill you in…"

_Effect?_ thought Vladimir, now getting nervous.

"When Admiral Bobbery here attacks," explained Andy, "he does _twice_ the damage that a Monster with 2,200 Attack Points would normally do!"

Vladimir's eyes opened in fear…

"So if he were to attack one of your Monsters who had, say, 2,000 Attack Points, he'd do 400 points of damage instead of 200…" continued Andy.

"But if he makes a direct attack, like he's about to do now, he'll do a whopping 4,400 points of damage, which is just enough to blow you away!"

"GAH!" shouted Vladimir. "Where on earth did you get a Monster that powerful!"

"He's not just a Monster, Vladimir…" answered Andy.

He pointed.

"…he's a Companion! Admiral Bobbery, finish him off with your Bomb-omb blast!"

Bobbery's steering wheel spun. He hopped towards Vladimir…

The Shadow Spawn of Darkness lowered his head as the Companion ran towards him…

_I'm sorry mother…_ he thought. _I tried my best… but it seems that the spirits of the Three Heroes themselves are guiding them…_

Bobbery exploded with a great burst, and Vladimir screamed! His Life Points fell to nothing, and he fell flat on his back…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Vladimir opened his eyes to see Andy, Francesca, and Stan looking over him.

"Well, that was unpleasant," he sighed, picking up his sunglasses. "I must say I'm impressed Andy… Only my mother has ever beaten me before…"

He got up and turned away from them.

"That's it?" asked Andy. "No threats? No oaths of vengeance?"

"Such things are beneath me…" muttered Vladimir. "Now if you don't mind, I have to go face the music…"

He turned and started to walk away.

"Vladimir," called Fran. "Wait… What will she do to you?"

Vladimir paused, but he didn't turn around.

"Let's just say it isn't exactly as lenient as a week of no TV," he replied.

A dark shadow surrounded him, and he faded away.

Francesca went up to Andy and sighed.

"I shudder to think what would have happened if he had used both Book of Life cards at once…" she said, shaking.

"Actually…" muttered Andy.

He removed a card from his Disk.

"He couldn't have…" he said, showing her the Trap Card.

Stan, Francesca, and Pennington looked at it.

It was a Trap called "One of a Kind".

"What does that do?" asked Stan.

"When this Continuous Trap is active," answered Andy, "each player is forbidden from having more than one of the same Monster face-up on the field. As soon as he tried to Special Summon a second King, I would have stopped him.

"I know it seems a strange card to put into my deck, being very situational, but there was this guy who I was never able to beat when I started dueling – the poorest winner ever.

"He used three lousy Don Zaloog Warriors to wipe out my hand. And he always laughed in my face afterwards and called me an idiot. After I got this card, I made him a bet – my three Red Eyes cards for his three Don Zaloog cards.

"I was lucky enough to draw this before he got his two Reinforcement of the Army cards like he always did, and after he wiped out my side using Raigeki like he always did, this card ruined his entire strategy.

"I also added Threatening Roar to my deck that day, incidentally.

"He actually tried to renege on the bet, believe it or not, but some of the older kids in my school made him give me the cards. And to make sure he never laughed at me again, I tore them in half.

"He never laughed at me again. And for good luck, I still keep this in my deck."

Francesca sighed. She and Stan looked towards the spot where Vladimir had disappeared.

"I almost feel sorry for that guy…" muttered Stan.

"Don't be," said Pennington. "If you think the Shadow Spawn work for their mother because she forces them to, you are mistaken. Deep down, they want to serve her – they have much to gain from her power."

Pennington didn't know it, but Vladimir hadn't left yet – he was twenty feet away, invisible to their eyes. He was anxious to learn what the Trap Card had been.

He sighed.

_Pennington, _he thought._ You're more often right than you are wrong, and regarding the rest of my siblings, you have a point. But as far as I'm concerned, that isn't true at all…_

And then he truly vanished.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Vladimir appeared in the dark chamber.

He turned as saw the rest of his siblings. He sighed again.

He turned his eyes and saw his mother come out of the shadows.

"Well?" she asked, clearly disappointed.

He didn't answer. He crossed his arms.

"You have anything at all to say Vladimir?" she asked. "The others were disappointments enough, but I expected better from you."

He was silent.

"Oh, the silent treatment, huh?" she asked.

His eyes narrowed.

"Don't look at me like that, Vladimir!" she warned. "Are you going to say anything in your defense?"

He was mute.

"Fine, be that way," she said, flicking her Disk into position.

She took a single card from her dress.

"You can see what devices are holding them, so you no doubt know the only one that's left…"

She looked at the card – Crystal Seal. She placed it into a slot.

Vladimir didn't even flinch as he was encased in a shell of crystalline rock.

The Shadow Queen sighed as she left.

_So much for that,_ she thought. _The three of them will obviously get seven Cards soon, and once that is done, only one obstacle stands in the way for each of them on the way to this place._

_I don't expect them to be enough to defeat them, but at least they should give them something to think about…_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

It was one o'clock, and Pennington had brought the three teens to a fancy club in the center of town.

"So, how do you like our Millionaires' Club?" asked Pennington.

"It's nice," said Andy, "but we take it you didn't take us here to eat cocktail weenies."

"Yes," muttered Pennington. "Poshley Heights can't thank you enough for getting rid of Vladimir… but I have a way to thank you. After all, I'm a… ahem… _very_ rich man…"

He put a briefcase on a table and opened it.

Inside was a single Duel Monsters card.

He handed it to Andy.

"In the hands of someone like you," he said. "It would increase your power, possibly as much as three hundred percent!"

Andy looked at it.

"It's a Trap Card called 'Supernova'," he said, somewhat surprised.

This had to be it… The final Enchanted Card.

And as he read the description written on it, he could only say one thing…

"I must be very careful with this…"

**0**

**0**

**0**

**GOBLIN ZOMBIE (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Zombie/Effect  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level: **4  
**ATK: **1,100  
**DEF: **1,050

**Card Description: **When this card does battle damage to your opponent, your opponent discards the top card of his or her deck to the Graveyard. If this card is sent to the Graveyard from the field, choose one ZOMBIE-Type Monster from your deck with a DEF of 1200 or less, show it to your opponent, and put it into your hand. Afterward, shuffle your deck.

_Note: "Goblin Zombie" is a Japanese promotional card that has not yet been released in the United States._

**0**

**0**

**0**

**CARD OF LAST WILL (Trap Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Trap  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description: **Image of a hand holding a hand of Duel Monsters cards reaching out of an earthen ground in front of a cross-shaped tombstone. You can activate this Trap when your opponent declares an attack, and you have no hand. Draw five cards from your deck.

_Note: "Card of Last Will" was used by Marik in "The Darkness Returns (Part Two)". All creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0**

**0**

**0**

**ONE OF A KIND (Trap Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Trap/Continuous  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description: **Image of a Duel Monsters card in a display case in a museum. When this card is activated when multiple copies of the same Monster are face-up on the field, all such Monsters are destroyed. Also, when this card is active, neither player can summon a Monster if a Monster of the same name is face up on the field.

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**In case anyone was wondering why Vladimir called "Book of Life" a "Book of Forbidden Magic", that's the card's name in Japan.**_

_**Coming up next:**_

_**Now that the Shadow Spawn are done away with, the team can move on to other things, like getting all the Crystal Cards they need. **_

_**The team comes full circle, and finds themselves on the last town on the map, the frigid Fahr Outpost, where they meet a duelist with a unique deck theme – named after one of the earliest villains from the Manga. Fans of a certain character from my old trilogy won't want to miss this one. "Way of the Warrior" is coming up next.**_

_**Oh yeah… And Merlee might show up too.**_


	29. Way of the Warrior

_A lot of readers hit the nail pretty much on the head in the last chapter. Darkness is not always evil. After all, they call Batman the Dark Knight, and no-one would call him evil. As far as Duel Monsters is concerned, most of Yugi's Monsters are Dark creatures, and they're pretty benign. _

_But mostly, I wanted one of the Shadow Spawn to be more honorable than his siblings, and so I gave Vladimir that trait. Exactly what it will mean for the future, you'll just have to see._

_Onward!_

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**We've almost come full-circle on Monster Island…**_

_**And I've almost come full circle myself. **_

_**After five wins and one loss, I have six Crystal Cards, and only need one more to be eligible to find one of the Crystal Stars needed to enter the Thousand Year Door. **_

_**Now I'm in a very large dining hall, with snow falling outside, and a roaring fire at one end, ready to duel… My opponent is right in front of me…**_

_**I have to win…**_

_**It's my destiny to enter the Thousand Year Door, and he's not going to stop me…**_

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Way of the Warrior**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

Poshley Heights may have been a good place to live, but you wouldn't want to visit there. Aside from Pennington, most of the people there were pretty snobbish.

So, after obtaining directions to the next town (the only town they had not yet visited, a place called Fahr Outpost), they waved goodbye to Pennington and were on their way.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The Shadow Queen watched them with a grim look on her face.

She walked over to her fireplace, and took a card from her dress.

Monsters weren't the only thing she could bring to life from cards. She could also use cards to control the very environment of Monster Island.

She looked at the card. It was the Trap called Driving Snow.

She tossed it into the fireplace, and it glowed green…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The road going from Poshley Heights was well maintained, but soon it started to get cold. They saw a sign pretty soon:

**Fahr Outpost: One Mile**

Knowing they'd be there soon was comforting – until it started to snow! It got colder, and they shivered…

"We're gonna freeze…" muttered Andy. "Since when does it snow in the South Atlantic?"

Then a glow surrounded them, and they were covered by winter coats.

"Who?" said Andy, looking around.

"Feelin b-b-better?" asked a familiar voice.

"MERLEE!" they exclaimed, glad to see him for once.

"Thought I'd k-k-keep you company during your walk for a while," he said, coming up. "So Andy, you d-d-defeated Vladimir – not an easy f-f-feat."

"I almost feel sorry for him," muttered Andy. "He doesn't seem like that bad a guy…"

Merlee shook his head, sadly.

"Tell that to all the poor souls he's banished to the Shadow Realm," muttered Merlee.

"Shadow Realm?" asked Francesca, nervously.

Merlee sighed.

"All of the Shadow Queen's children have the power to turn a duel into a dangerous contest called a Shadow Game," he explained. "Anyone who loses such a competition… Well, he's never heard from again. In a Shadow Game, their power is greater. I'm not certain why they didn't call forth the shadows when they dueled you – but if they did, the results might have been different…"

He paused.

_I fear the worst may yet be to come,_ he thought. _If the Queen is forgiving enough to give her kids a second chance, Stan, Francesca, and Andy might indeed be forced to endure the torture of Shadow Games…_

They walked on silently for a while.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

As buildings came into view, Stan spoke up.

"So what does a Shadow Game entail?" he asked.

"All Shadow Games are different," replied Merlee, somberly. "They have rules, depending on the nature of whoever initiates it… But one thing remains the same…"

He sighed.

"Whoever loses is banished to the Shadow Realm, sometimes just in mind, sometimes in body as well. In a duelist's whole career, he's usually only allowed to lose one Shadow Game. And that's because the one he loses is the one where he's banished. Unless he can be rescued by very powerful magic, he's never heard from again.

"All six of the Spawn have lured many victims into Shadow Games, and once they were done, there was nothing left of their opponents…"

He sighed again.

"W-w-we're here," he said. "And now I m-m-must leave you. "W-w-we'll meet again. When you d-d-don't need those coats anymore, just leave them on the ground in a n-n-neat pile."

And then he vanished again.

"Strange guy," muttered Francesca.

"Yeah, very strange…" answered Andy.

The snow was coming down harder as they walked into the small town. The buildings of Fahr Outpost suggested longhouses made of huge logs. A few people were around, dressed in heavy coats and wearing fur hats.

Stan went up to one of them.

"Excuse me sir…" he said.

"Oh, hello!" said the man.

He was a very big guy, with a large moustache and larger muscles. His accent was definitely Russian.

"A contestant, I see," he said, noticing the Disk. "You a big, tough, duelist, no?"

He slapped Stan on the back, almost causing him to fall over!

"Uh, yeah," muttered Stan, getting up. "Look, pal, is there a place where my friends and I can warm up, get something hot to drink?"

"Da! It cold!" he responded.

The man pointed to the largest building.

"Go to Great Hall," he said. "You get warm in there!"

"Uh, thanks, Mr…" started Stan.

"Smerdyakov!" stated the man. "Alyosha Smerdyakov, at your service!"

He slapped Stan on the back again.

"Well, at least these guys are friendly," said Andy, coming up.

"Yeah, a little _too_ friendly…" muttered Stan.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The Great Hall was certainly "great". At one end of the building, which seemed to be made of almost all wood, was a huge fireplace, holding a practical bonfire. Tables were lined up on either sides of the hall, and both guests and townsfolk alike were seated at them. Pretty serving maids carried pots of coffee and hot chocolate around for anyone who wanted it (it was a little too early for dinner). A bartender surrounded by kegs of more potent stuff stood to the side.

"AH!" exclaimed Stan, sipping his chocolate, "this is rather good!"

"So," said Andy, "each of us only needs one more card… And there are plenty of duelists around…"

"Yeah," said Francesca. "What say we…"

"So," said a voice behind Stan. "I've finally found you…"

Stan turned, to see a large teenager. His features suggested Japanese, and he was muscular. He had brown eyes, and his hair was pulled back in a short ponytail.

"Found me?" asked Stan. "You've been looking for me?"

"Yes, Stan," answered the youth. "You're that kid with the Dark Magician who beat that kid with the Phoenix, right?"

"Uh huh," answered Stan. "What's it to you?"

"Let's just say I've wanted to duel your kind for some time," he answered.

Stan sipped his chocolate.

"My kind?" he asked. "Who exactly is 'my kind', and who are _you_?"

"Call me Ushio," he answered. "And I'll explain. I entered the Battle City tournament some time ago…"

That certainly made Stan take notice.

"…and when I entered, I had one goal in mind," continued Ushio, "to challenge Yugi Mouto – publicly. I wanted to prove that my cards were better than the legendary Dark Magician…"

"Do tell…" muttered Stan. He chuckled inwardly. His mentor could have destroyed this guy in his sleep…

"Unfortunately, I lost my only Locator Card before I could even find him," growled Ushio. "The good news was, losing my rarest card wasn't much of a loss – I was able to get another copy in no time…"

Stan was getting the picture. This guy was likely a spoiled rich kid who could buy anything.

"I hate to tell you this, buddy," he muttered, "but Yugi would have kicked your butt to Hoboken. And are you sure that showing him up wasn't your only goal? Maybe the ante rule interested you – that Dark Magician was worth a lot…"

"Perhaps," said Ushio, with a grin, "And as for whether I can beat him we'll see, because I'll find him eventually. In the meantime, I'm going to warm up on you! That Dark Magician isn't so tough…"

Stan chuckled.

"If you couldn't win even one round in Battle City," he laughed, "you aren't much of a duelist."

"Am I?" asked Ushio.

He pulled out five Crystal Cards.

Stan sipped his drink again, and pulled out his own set.

"SIX?" gasped Ushio.

"Uh huh," said Stan, looking away. "Still think Dark Magician isn't so tough? Maybe you'd do better challenging someone with a little less…"

At that point, a large knife stabbed into the table next to Stan.

Ushio's eyes narrowed. Stan stared at him.

"I'm not backing down!" exclaimed Ushio. "My martial arts deck will devastate your Spellcasters! We're dueling whether you like it or not!"

_Martial arts deck?_ thought Stan. _Now that's a new one._

"Fine," said Stan, putting his mug down. "Since you asked so politely… This hall is the perfect spot for a battlefield!"

"Hey everyone!" shouted Alyosha, "there's a duel starting!"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Grodus, take note," said the Queen to top lieutenant as they watched. "If Stan wins this next duel, I'll be sending him to duel for one of the Crystal Stars."

"I think it's almost a certainty," muttered Grodus. "It that arrogant musclehead could defeat him, Leopold would have handed him his lungs."

"True," chuckled the Queen.

She looked at a Trap Card in her hand.

"And I know just where I'm going to send him once he wins…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Stan and Ushio stood in the center of the Great Hall, and they were surrounded by a larger crowd than usual.

"Here we go," muttered Francesca. "After all this time, if Stan wins, he'll get his seven cards!"

"I can barely contain the excitement…" muttered Andy.

The Disks flipped into position, and the holo-imagers started to flare.

"Try not to let me defeat you too fast," stated Ushio. "I don't want to win before I destroy your Dark Magician!"

"You have twisted motives, Ushio," answered Stan. "Just because you're able to defeat a famous Monster doesn't make you a better duelist. Yugi Mouto himself saw his Dark Magician defeated several times, but he always managed to triumph anyway, and his opponents couldn't claim they were better than him then."

"We'll see," said Ushio, with a grin. "Now draw your first card!"

Stan made a draw.

_Man this hand bites,_ he thought. _And I've got to be careful in this duel…_

He placed a card down.

"I'll summon this guy in Defense Mode," he said. "The Illusory Gentleman!"

As he often did for an opening move, the colorful, caped Spellcaster appeared, this time kneeling and holding his cane across his knee. (1,500/1,600)

"Well, I must say I give you points for originality, Stan," muttered Ushio.

He drew.

He made a face, as he placed a card down.

"I summon Usagi Warrior in Attack Mode!" he exclaimed.

A bright light shone on his side, and an odd Monster appeared. It was a man-shaped creature wearing a martial arts _gi_, with the head of a rabbit-like creature, its ears tied back.

It drew a long katana blade and stood in attack stance. (1,500/1,000)

"A rabbit?" asked Stan, raising an eyebrow.

"No, a hare," answered Ushio. "And I always like opening a duel with Usagi here – the hare is a symbol of good luck in Japan.

"Actually, don't Americans have something about a rabbit's foot being good luck?"

"I don't believe in _that_ superstition," replied Stan. "If you get a rabbit's foot, always remember that the rabbit it came from wasn't very lucky!"

Everyone chuckled.

"Touché," answered Ushio. "Your move…"

_His hand must be just as bad as mine to summon a Monster like that,_ thought Stan, drawing.

He looked at the card.

_Time to get an early lead…_

"I'll switch my Gentleman into Attack Mode," he started.

He turned the card, and the Gentleman stood up.

"And now, I'll summon Skilled White Magician in Attack Mode!"

He put the card down, and the robed sorcerer of Light appeared! (1,700/1,900)

"Skilled White Magician, attack his Usagi!" shouted Stan.

The Spellcaster aimed his staff, and fired at Usagi Warrior! The Beast-Warrior dropped his sword and collapsed before bursting into bright pixels!

"Illusory Gentleman, attack directly!" ordered Stan.

The Spellcaster thrust forth his cane and fired his colorful burst, striking Ushio in the chest! Ushio strained under the blast…

As he caught his breath, his Life Points fell to 6,300.

"Not bad," he painted. "But I'm just getting started…"

He drew.

He smiled as he looked at the Magic Card.

"I play… Swords of Revealing Light!" he said with a chuckle.

Stan gasped, as a cage of Swords rained down upon him.

"Man, that card is popular," muttered Francesca.

"And now," said Ushio, taking another card from his hand, "I'll summon this creature in Attack Mode… Monk Fighter!"

He put the card down, and a muscular man dressed in a mustard-yellow toga with stark-white hair appeared. (1,300/1,000)

"Monk Fighter?" said a startled Stan. "What does he do?"

"By himself?" replied Ushio. "I take no damage from any battle involving him. But he's useful for another purpose – don't think I'll tell you what it is!

"It's your move…"

"Fine," said Stan, making a draw.

"I'll summon White Magician Pikeru in Defense Mode," he continued.

He put another card down, and the adorable child Spellcaster appeared. (1,200/0)

"That's my turn," he stated.

Ushio chuckled as he drew.

"I'll pass this turn," he said. "Your move."

_Huh?_ thought Stan. _Now why didn't he attack Pikeru? Doesn't he see that she has zero Defense Points? Doesn't he know what she can do?_

He made a draw.

"Pikeru, go!" he shouted.

Pikeru waved her glowing staff, and white energy flowed from her, The Illusory Gentleman, and Skilled White Magician, flowing into Stan. His Life Points rose to 9,200.

"Now I'll summon Neo the Magic Swordsman in Attack Mode!" he shouted.

He put his card down, and the handsome Spellcaster carrying his magical blade appeared. (1,700/1,000)

"You Swords are going to wear off soon," warned Stan, "and unless you summon something stronger, my Spellcasters will plow into you!"

"I end my turn…"

Ushio drew.

He chuckled.

"You were saying?" he said with a smile. "Like I said, Monk Fighter has another use – the only way I can summon one of the strongest Monsters I have is to sacrifice him!"

He threw a card down. Monk Fighter burst into fragments.

"So now I summon… Master Monk!"

A large form arose. It was an elderly man with drab skin, and enormous muscles. He had long white hair and a beard, and wore only a ragged pair of trousers. (1,900/1,000)

"That doesn't look so impressive…" muttered Stan.

"Really?" said Ushio, with a smile. "Master Monk can attack _twice_ in one round! Master Monk, wipe out Pikeru and Skilled White Magician with Shaolin fury!"

The huge monk leapt and did a flip. He made two savage kicks, blasting White Magician Pikeru and Skilled White Magician out of existence before they saw it coming.

Stan's Life Points fell to 9,000.

"I'm not scared of your Warrior!" he shouted. "Even if he can attack twice!"

"First of all," said Ushio, "Master Monk is a Rock Monster, not a Warrior.

"Second, attacking twice is only what he can do on his own. With help, he becomes even more powerful.

"With that in mind, I'll set one card facedown, and end my turn."

He fit a card into a slot, and it materialized in front of Master Monk.

"That guy isn't so tough," said Andy. "Most of Stan's high-level Monsters could take him down…"

"Let's hope he draws one," muttered Francesca.

Stan drew.

"I'll summon Mystical Elf in Defense Mode!" he exclaimed.

He put a card down, and the holy elf appeared, kneeling in Defense. (800/2,000)

"And I'll also move Neo and my Gentleman to Defense Mode," he said.

He turned the cards, and his two other Spellcasters knelt.

"And now I'll end my turn," he said, "which means your Swords are gone."

The Swords of Revealing Light flickered and vanished.

Ushio drew his card.

He smirked slightly.

"Sorry, Stan," he said, "but putting Monsters in Defense Mode doesn't always work against Master Monk…"

"Don't tell me he has a trampling effect too!" yelled Stan.

"Even better," answered Ushio, throwing a card into a slot, "but he needs a little accessory first. I Equip him with my Legendary Black Belt!"

A long, cloth, black belt appeared, and tied itself around Master Monk's waist.

"With this Magic Card in place," explained Ushio, "whenever Master Monk destroys a Monster, the owner of that Monster loses Life Points equal to the Monster's Defense Score!"

_Oh, great…_ thought Stan.

"Master Monk!" shouted Ushio. "Attack his Illusory Gentleman!"

Master Monk gave a kick, smashing the Gentleman to bits.

"AND Neo!" he shouted.

Master Monk gave another kick, blowing Neo to shards.

Stan's Life Points plummeted to 6,400.

"Stan's in bad shape…" muttered Andy.

"Don't worry," assured Francesca. "That Monk still can't get past Mystical Elf…"

"It's your move, Stan," said Ushio with a grin.

_And once I draw another Monk accessory, he's really in trouble!_ he thought.

Stan made a draw.

_All right!_ he thought.

He switched cards on his Disk.

"I sacrifice Mystical Elf for Dark Magician Girl!" he shouted.

Mystical Elf vanished, and Dark Magician Girl flew forward in a flurry of hearts! (2,000/1,700)

A bevy of catcalls and cheers came from the onlookers. However, Ushio was not impressed.

"Excuse me, Stan?" he growled. "I wanted to face your Dark Magician, not his second-rate apprentice!"

Stan gave him a dirty look.

"In case you didn't notice, buddy," he sneered, "her Attack Score is 2,000, which is 100 more than your Master Monk!"

"So then by all means, attack," dared Ushio.

Stan was about to order an attack…

_Wait!_ he thought. _His facedown card!_

He paused. Ushio smirked at him.

_If that card is something that will destroy Dark Magician Girl, I'll be subject to TWO direct attacks from Master Monk when it's his turn!_

Stan started to sweat.

_Maybe I should play it safe and just end my turn…_ he thought.

He paused.

_NO! I've got to chance it! I can't risk him drawing something to make his Monk even stronger!_

"Dark Magician Girl, attack!" he shouted.

Dark Magician Girl aimed her scepter…

"Activate… Lone Wolf!" shouted Ushio.

His facedown card lifted, showing a Trap with the picture of a mysterious looking monk in front of a starry sky.

The blast of dark magic hit Master Monk, but it merely glanced off his muscular chest.

Ushio's Life Points fell to 6,200.

"Lone Wolf?" said Stan, startled. "What's that?"

"Ever see the movie _Lone Wolf and Cub_?" asked Ushio. "It's an old film about a disgraced Samurai who protects a child. This Continuous Trap protects Master Monk. So long as its on the field, he can't be destroyed in battle! Your sorceress's attack may have cost me 100 Life Points, but it couldn't crack him!"

"Fine," muttered Stan. "It's your turn."

Ushio drew.

_This gal will be good for later,_ he thought.

"I'll move Master Monk into Defense Mode for now," he said, turning the card.

Master Monk knelt.

"And that's my turn."

"Geesh," exclaimed Andy. "With that Trap in place, Master Monk is a virtual wall!"

Stan drew his card.

"I summon Goombella the Scholar in Defense Mode!" he exclaimed.

He put the card down, and the cute little Goomba with the ponytail appeared. (500/2,000)

She hopped on Stan's shoulders, and the top four cards floated off of his deck.

_Hmm,_ thought Stan, _I've got an idea…_

He made some rearrangements, and they floated back to his deck. Goombella hopped down.

"Your move, Ushio," he said.

Ushio drew.

He burst out laughing!

"I just drew a very powerful card!" he shouted.

He turned the card on his Disk.

"I'll move Master Monk, back to Attack Mode!" he exclaimed.

Master Monk moved back up into attack formation.

"And not I play this!" he yelled, throwing a Magic Card into a slot. "Kaminote Blow!"

"What does that do?" asked a shocked Stan.

"Simple," chuckled Stan. "It allows Master Monk to destroy any Monsters he battles during this turn, regardless of how strong they are!"

Stan gulped.

"Master Monk, attack Dark Magician Girl!" he shouted.

Master Monk kicked Dark Magician Girl in the gut! She shrieked and then shattered to pieces.

"Now attack his Goomba!" he shouted.

Master Monk gave Goombella a kick, and she went flying. She vanished into pixels.

"Of course, due to my Lone Wolf card, he's unharmed from attacking a Monster stronger than he is," chuckled Ushio. "And due to his Legendary Black Belt…"

Stan gasped.

"I lose 3,700 Life Points!" he exclaimed.

His Life Points fell to 2,700.

"And all it cost me was 200 lousy Life Points…" giggled Ushio, as his Life Points fell to 6,000. "Make your move."

"Oh, I'll move, all right," sneered Stan.

He drew.

"I play my Pot of Greed!" he exclaimed.

He played the card, and the laughing jar handed him two more cards.

"Now I'll play a card that might be familiar to you…" he said. "Swords of Revealing Light!"

He played the card, and the wall of Swords crashed down, this time around Ushio.

"Well that stinks…" muttered Ushio.

"Now, I'll play this card facedown," he continued.

He fit a card into a slot.

"And I'll also summon Gemini Elf in Attack Mode!"

He set the card down, and the two twin elves appeared in the air, and made a perfect four-point landing. (1,900/900)

"And that ends my turn," said Stan.

Ushio drew.

_Perfect,_ he thought, _now I can destroy his Swords… And thanks to my Lone Wolf card, Master Monk can destroy Gemini Elf with no problem…_

"I'll place a card facedown," he said, "and that will be all."

He slid a card into a slot, and it appeared behind Master Monk.

Stan drew.

"I'll pass this turn," he said with a slight grin.

"Then it's time to wipe out your elves and a chunk of your Life Points!" laughed Ushio. "I activate Dust Tornado!"

His Trap Card lifted, and a whirlwind whipped across the field, shattering the Swords.

"Now I can…" he started.

"Hold it right there, Ushio!" shouted Stan. "You fell right into my Trap! I was hoping you'd do that, so I could activate my Counter Trap!"

"Counter Trap?" gasped Ushio.

"Yes!" laughed Stan, as his own Trap lifted. "A useful thing called An Eye For An Eye! This Trap does exactly what one of your Normal Magic or Trap Cards does, so now I can destroy one of _your_ cards! And I'm aiming right for your Lone Wolf!"

Ushio gasped as his Lone Wolf card shattered.

"Well, well," said Stan with a smirk. "Now your Monk can't attack my elves without being destroyed himself. What a shame…"

Ushio growled.

"Fine!" he shouted. "I end my turn!"

"Right!" shouted Stan, drawing.

"I sacrifice Gemini Elf for Chaos Command Magician!" he shouted.

Gemini Elf shattered, and the shining Spellcaster of Light appeared. (2,400/1,900)

"Chaos Command Magician, attack his Master Monk with chaos blast!"

Chaos Command Magician shot forth a blast of colored lights, blowing Master Monk into pebbles!

Ushio shielded himself as his Life Points fell to 5,500.

"This duel is far from over, Stan!" he shouted.

"Then make your move," goaded Stan.

"Yes!" laughed Andy. "Stan got rid of that crummy Master Monk!"

"I dunno," muttered Francesca. "I have a feeling that worst is yet to come…"

Ushio placed a card down.

"I'll summon Big Shield Gardna in Defense Mode!" he exclaimed.

The hulking barbarian crouching behind a huge shield appeared. (100/2,600)

"Seems like you're running out of moves, Ushio," stated Stan.

He made his draw.

"I'll summon Skilled Dark Magician in Attack Mode!" he proclaimed, placing a card down.

The dark twin of Skilled White Magician appeared, brandishing his staff. (1,900/1,700)

"I'm still not impressed," muttered Ushio, making a draw.

He looked at the card.

_Yes!_ he thought. _The main man himself… and I know just how to bring him out…_

"I'll place these two cards facedown on the field," he said, fitting two cards into slots.

Two cards materialized behind Big Shield Gardna.

"Now I'm about to summon a demon straight from Japanese folklore!" he exclaimed. "I sacrifice my Big Shield to summon Ushi Oni, in Attack Mode!"

He switched cards, and Big Shield Gardna vanished.

A large clay jar appeared on the ground in front of him…

Then smoke started to appear from the jar. The smoke formed into a huge, hulking, muscular Fiend with a bull-like head wearing a tattered blue breastplate. (2,150/1,950)

"Man!" shouted Andy, "that is one humungous hamburger!"

"Yeah," said Francesca, strangely, "but it's clearly weaker than Chaos Command Magician…"

She paused.

"Oh no…" she muttered. "Ushio _wants_ Stan to destroy it!"

"Ushi Oni!" shouted Ushio. "Attack his Skilled Dark Magician with darkfire breath!"

Steam blasted from Ushi Oni's nostrils. He blew a stream of black fire at Skilled Dark Magician, burning him up!

Stan's Life Points fell to 2,450.

"Your move," said Ushio.

Stan drew a card.

"Okay, buddy," he said, "I'm playing Sweet Treat!"

He fit the card into a slot, and the gingerbread man holding his pink die appeared.

"Huh?" quizzed Ushio. "Your cards are weird…"

"Weird, but powerful!" exclaimed Stan. "This die will roll, and the result will be multiplied by 1,000 and added to my score!"

The cookie tossed the die…

"Come on…" urged Francesca.

"Roll high…" pleaded Andy.

And it landed on…

"_A two?"_ shouted Stan.

"HA, HA, HA!" laughed Ushio. "Here's a tip, Stan! Don't honeymoon in Vegas!"

"I still get two thousand Life Points!" sneered Stan, as his Life Points went up to 4,450.

"Well, are you going to attack or aren't you?" chuckled Ushio.

"I can't!" answered Stan. "After I play Sweet Treat, I have to end my turn."

"Okay…" muttered Ushio, drawing.

_Eh, this is no good,_ he thought.

"I'll pass this turn," he said.

"Okay," muttered Stan, drawing.

_Well, that's useful,_ he thought.

"I'll summon Pixie Knight in Defense Mode!" he stated, placing a card down.

The female pixie in her blue witch's outfit appeared, hiding behind her wings. (1,300/200)

"And now I play… Mystical Space Typhoon!" he shouted, throwing a card into a slot. "Say goodbye to _that_ card!"

The whirlwind blasted forward, and shattered the facedown card on the left, which was Magic Cylinder.

"I thought so," muttered Stan. "Now, Chaos Command Magician, attack his Ushi Oni!"

Chaos Command Magician blasted forth his spell, blowing the Fiend and his jar into pieces!

Ushio's Life Points fell to 5,250.

"HA!" laughed Ushio. "You fell for it!"

His other facedown card lifted. It was a Quickplay Magic Card showing a woman fleeing from two ghostly hands.

"Activate… Revenge Sacrifice!" he shouted.

Chaos Command Magician vanished into pixels.

"This Magic Card lets me sacrifice one of your Monsters when it destroys one of mine!" laughed Ushio. "And here comes that rare Monster I was talking about! I summon **Yamoto the Noble Samurai**!"

A beam of light fell upon the room. An imposing figure arose. He was tall, broad, and clad in golden armor, the traditional raiment of the Samurai. Slowly, he drew a long katana from its sheath on his back, and held it in preparation to attack. (2,200/2,000)

"Uh… Impressive," said Stan, nervously.

"Anything else?" asked Ushio.

"No, just move," muttered Stan.

Ushio drew.

"In that case," he stated, "I think Yamoto looks lonely on the field by himself… So I'll summon his partner…"

He placed a card down.

"His eager student, Sashia the Samurai Squire!"

Another beam of light hit the field, and another Warrior appeared. This one was a young girl, dressed in leather armor. She had a bow and a quiver of arrows on her back, and carried a shortsword. (1,700/1,500)

"And by the way," added Ushio, "when Sashia is on the field with her mentor, she gains 300 Attack Points."

(2,000/1,500)

"Good lord…" muttered Francesca. "Stan's in big trouble…"

"Sashia!" shouted Ushio, "attack his Pixie Knight!"

Sashia leapt forward with her sword, and Pixie Knight was eradicated!

"Good show," muttered Stan. "But since you destroyed her, you now have to choose one Magic Card from my Graveyard and add it to the top of my deck!"

Ushio was taken aback by this.

"Um…" he said. "Can I see what I have available?"

Stan was about to reach for his discard slot, but then, suddenly, images of Pot of Greed, Swords of Revealing Light, Sweet Treat, and Mystical Space Typhoon appeared over him.

"All right…" mumbled Ushio. "I'll let you have back Pot of Greed…"

The card flew out of his discard slot and placed itself on the top of his deck.

"And it's still my move!" he continued. "Yamoto, attack him directly with blade of honor!"

Yamoto held his sword up and it glowed with light!

_This is gonna sting…_ though Stan.

Yamoto slashed at Stan with his katana, and he fell over, wincing in pain!

His Life Points dove to 2,250.

"Ow… ow… ow…" groaned Stan.

"Stan! Get up!" shouted Francesca.

"I'll live…" muttered Stan.

"I'll place a card facedown, and that will end my turn," said Ushio, placing a card down.

A card materialized behind his two Warriors.

He drew the Pot of Greed.

_Think I'll save this for now…_ he thought.

He chose another card.

"I play Premature Burial!" he exclaimed, putting a card into a slot.

His Life Points went down to 1,450.

"And I'll bring back Chaos Command Magician!"

Chaos Command Magician arose again. (2,400/1,900)

"Go!" shouted Stan. "Attack Yamoto!"

Chaos Command Magician fired his colored beam.

"Activate Waboku!" shouted Ushio.

The Trap lifted, and the three emissaries rose up to halt the attack.

"Fine," said Stan. "I end my turn. But now what are you gonna do? Neither of them can defeat my Magician."

"Neither of them can defeat them by themselves, that's true," answered Ushio. "But you're thinking too small. When Sashia and Yamoto are on the field together, I can forfeit their normal attacks to create one cooperative attack as if I were attacking with a Monster who had 2,600 Attack Points!"

Stan's eyes opened wide!

"Yamoto… Sashia…" said Ushio. "Combine your attacks! Ki energy blast!"

The two Samurai crossed their swords, and blasted a ray of pure light, blowing Chaos Command Magician away.

Stan's Life Points fell to 1,250.

"Do you really think you can win, Stan?" chuckled Ushio. "I have 5,250 Life Points left, and your have 4,000 less!"

"I'm not finished yet, Ushio!" shouted Stan.

He drew.

His eyes opened wide again! But this time, it wasn't in fear…

"Not I'll summon this gal in Attack Mode! Meet Vivian the Shadow Siren!"

A form emerged from the shadows. The ghostly-yet-cute form of Vivian emerged, bearing a big grin. (1,800/1,000)

And that's my turn, Ushio," he said.

_What is he up to?_ thought Ushio._ I could wipe him out in this turn alone! Does that… Vivian have some sort of special effect that can stop me? Or maybe destroy a Monster when it's destroyed._

He drew.

_Yeah, I'll bet that's it! Well, I might as well put one more Monster on the field to be safe…_

"I'll summon another Usagi Warrior in Attack Mode!" he shouted.

He put a card down, and the hare-headed Beast-Warrior appeared. (1,500/1,000)

"Sashia!" shouted Ushio. "Take down his Fiend!"

Sashia charged.

Stan discarded a card, and Vivian melted into the shadows! Sashia looked around, confused.

"Don't call Vivian a Fiend, Ushio, you'll hurt her feelings," scolded Stan. "She's a Spellcaster."

"Where'd she go?" asked Ushio.

"Here she comes," answered Stan.

Vivian reappeared.

"If I discard one card, Vivian can use her Veil to protect one Monster from an attack, including herself!" exclaimed Stan.

Ushio frowned.

"Yamoto, you attack her!" he shouted.

Yamoto raised his katana and charged.

"She can do it more than once per turn, Ushio!" Stan said, discarding another card.

Vivian vanished into the shadows again, and Yamoto's sword cut air.

"Fine," growled Ushio. "I end my turn. But that ability is eating up your hand! You only have three cards left!"

"Here comes four!" said Stan, drawing.

He looked at the card.

"And now I'll play Pot of Greed," he continued, "subtracting one, and adding two, for a total of five."

The Pot handed him two more cards.

"And now I'll subtract one more, to summon Ebon Magician Curran in Attack Mode!" he shouted.

He placed the card down, and the young Spellcaster with the black dress and bunny-eared hood appeared, holding her switch. (1,200/0)

"Now, Vivian," he commanded, "attack his Usagi Warrior with your Fiery Jinx!"

Vivian shot forth waves of flame from her hands, and Usagi was incinerated.

Ushio's Life Points fell to 4,950.

"Your move," said Stan with a smile.

Ushio angrily drew.

_Nothing I can summon without a sacrifice,_ he muttered. _Oh well, I can get him to use up his cards…_

"Sashia, attack bunny-girl!" he shouted.

Sashia lunged. Stan discarded one of his cards, and Vivian grabbed Curran, pulling her into the shadows.

They reappeared.

"Yamoto, you attack her!" he shouted.

Yamoto attacked, and Stan repeated the move.

"Make your move…" growled Ushio.

Stan drew.

Curran laughed and shot her dark spell forth, blasting Ushio! He groaned, and his Life Points fell to 4,350.

Stan now had three cards in his hand, but he doubted he needed them any more.

"I'll place one card facedown," he said, placing a card into a slot.

The card appeared.

"Now," he said, with a smile. "I'll do what you were waiting for this whole time – I'll sacrifice Vivian and Curran to summon Dark Magician!"

Vivian and Curran shattered into pixels, and the mighty Dark Magician appeared! (2,500/2,100)

_Well,_ thought Ushio, _it's about time…_

"And," continued Stan, "since I don't like keeping my Companions in the Graveyard if I can help it, I'll use Monster Reborn to bring Vivian back!"

He placed his last card in a slot, and Vivian reappeared.

"Huh? Wait a minute…" stammered Ushio.

"Dark Magician attack Yamoto!" shouted Stan. "Dark magic attack!"

Dark Magician spun his staff dramatically, and cast his dark spell; Yamoto the Noble Samurai groaned, and was blasted into shards!

"And without him," said Stan with a grin, "Sashia loses her 300 extra Attack Points, making her easy prey for Vivian! Vivian, attack Sashia with Fiery Jinx!"

Vivian giggled and shot forth her blasts of fire! The Samurai Squire cringed and was blown away.

Ushio's Life Points fell to 3,950.

Cheers went up in the Great Hall.

"You have no Monsters left, Ushio…" mocked Stan.

Ushio drew.

And he grinned.

"And you have no cards left in your hand!" he gloated. "So Vivian is history!"

He put another card down.

"I'll place this facedown…" he started.

A facedown card appeared.

"Now I'll summon another Monk Fighter…" he continued.

A second Monk Fighter appeared. (1,300/1,000)

"And I'll sacrifice him to summon my second Master Monk!" he concluded.

He switched cards, and another of the powerful Rock-fighters appeared. (1,900/1,000)

"Master Monk, attack Vivian with Shaolin fury!" shouted Ushio.

Master Monk closed in for a kick…

"Activate… Negate Attack!" shouted Stan.

His Trap Card lifted, and Master Monk was stopped dead in his tracks.

"Pitiful," muttered Ushio. "You can only stop his attack once next turn, and remember, he can attack twice!"

_His plan is obvious,_ thought Stan. _That facedown card is obviously another Lone Wolf, and he's going to stall until he gets another Legendary Black Belt! Then he'll attack Vivian, and I'll never last much longer!_

_Unless I draw something good…_

He drew.

"I summon…" he shouted. "…Breaker, the Magical Warrior!"

He threw his card down, and the orange robed, cowled Spellcaster with his magical sword and shield appeared in a flash. (1,600/1,000)

"Breaker, break his facedown card!" shouted Stan.

Energy coursed from Breaker's sword! The facedown card lifted up – revealed to be, naturally, another Lone Wolf – and shattered!

"NO!" screamed Ushio. "It wasn't meant to go this way!"

"Oh yes!" said Stan with a smile. "I think you now know that you wouldn't have stood a chance against Yugi Mouto!

"Dark Magician, attack his Master Monk!"

Dark Magician fired, blasting Master Monk into shards of rock!

Ushio shielded himself with his hand, as his Life Points fell to 3,350.

"And now, Breaker… Vivian…" commanded Stan. "Attack him directly and finish this!"

To the cheers in the hall, Breaker savagely struck Ushio with his sword, and Vivian roasted him with her fire! As his Life Points plummeted to nothing, Ushio fell to the ground, groaning in pain.

"And that," sighed Stan in relief, "is all she wrote."

Cheers came up from the crowd.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Ushio wasn't much for small talk. He had simply thrown one of his Crystal Cards in Stan's face and left the Great Hall in disgrace.

As Stan sat drinking another cup of chocolate, Alyosha came up to him.

"That was great duel, comrade!" laughed Alyosha, slapping him on the back again. "I like men like you!"

Stan struggled to remain on his chair after the slap had almost knocked him off.

_I shudder to think of what he does to people he **doesn't** like…_ he thought.

He slowly put his seven Crystal Cards on the table.

"So," asked Francesca, "what are you waiting for? Sydney said that all you needed to do was place those into your Disk, and it would lead you to the location of a Crystal Star."

Stan got up.

"Well, there's no time like the present…" he muttered.

He flicked his Disk into position.

Then he placed five of the cards on his Monster Zone, and two into his Magic/Trap Zone.

A flash of light emitted from the Disk, and an image of Monster Island came into view.

A female voice spoke up.

"Congratulations, contestant!" she said. "You have won seven Crystal Cards!"

A pointer on the map honed in on Keelhaul Key, and the map changed to that area.

"You have been selected to compete for the Sapphire Star," continued the voice. "Win this Star, and you can enter the Thousand Year Door at any time."

"Compete for it?" asked Stan. "Then there's more to this?"

"You will find the Sapphire Star in Cortez's Lair," said the voice.

"Cortez?" asked Andy. "The pirate king?"

A card appeared in front of Stan, as if an opponent had placed it on the field facedown. Then it slowly lifted up…

The image on the card was some sort of metal machine, shaped sort of like a futuristic Christmas tree of some sort.

"I know that Trap," said Francesca. "It's called Interdimensional Matter Transporter."

The machine came off the card, and a portal opened in front of it.

"Enter the portal of the Interdimensional Matter Transporter," said the voice, "and you will be transported to the area you seek."

The three teens paused.

But they guessed it was now or never.

They entered the portal.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**USAGI WARRIOR (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Beast-Warrior  
**Attribute: **Light  
**Level: **4  
**ATK: **1,500  
**DEF: **1,000

**Card Description: **Part hare and part soldier, this dedicated martial artist brings luck to his allies and misfortune to his enemies.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**YAMOTO THE NOBLE SAMURAI (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Warrior/Effect  
**Attribute: **Light  
**Level: **6  
**ATK: **2,200  
**DEF: **2,000

**Card Description: **This noble warrior bravely wields his sword to vanquish the forces of evil. This Monster gains a 500-point bonus to his ATK when battling FIEND-Type Monsters. Also, if you posses a "Yamoto the Celestial Avatar" in your deck when an opponent uses the effect of "Time Wizard" successfully, this Monster is not destroyed.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**SASHIA THE SAMURAI SQUIRE (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Warrior/Effect  
**Attribute: **Light  
**Level: **4  
**ATK: **1,700  
**DEF: **1,500

**Card Description: **The young pupil of Yamoto, she is completely dedicated to her teacher. This Monster gains a 300-point bonus to her ATK for each "Yamoto the Noble Samurai" on her controller's side of the field. In addition, when this Monster is on the field with at least one "Yamoto the Noble Samurai," both Monsters can forgo their normal attacks to make one cooperative attack at a 2,600 point intensity.

_Note: The preceding three cards first appeared in "Legacy of the Duelist"._

**0**

**0**

**0**

**REVENGE SACRIFICE (Magic Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Magic/Quickplay  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description: **Image of a woman fleeing from two ghostly hands. You can activate this card when one of your Monsters is destroyed in battle. Tribute the Monster that destroyed your Monster, and Special Summon one Monster from your hand. The Monster you Special Summon cannot exceed the Tribute requirements.

_Note: "Revenge Sacrifice" ws first used by Krump in the anime episode "Freeze Play". All creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**Coming up next:**_

_**A king's ransom in pirate's gold… It would be a dream come true, if not for the monstrous phantasm guarding it!**_

**_Stan goes up against one of the most memorable villains from the video game, the ghost pirate (or was he a pirate ghost?) Cortez! And wait until you hear what his story is! It's coming up in a chapter called "Skull and Crossbones", very soon…_**


	30. Skull and Crossbones

_I'd like to note that one fan correctly identified the little "Easter Egg" I planted in the last chapter._

"_Alyosha Smerdyakov" refers to two of Spider-Man's enemies. Alyosha is the first name of Kraven the Hunter's son, while Smerdyakov is the last name of Kraven's half-brother Dimitri, better known as the Chameleon. _

_And now that we've taken care of that…_

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**Well, I finally got seven locator cards, what I need to get to the Thousand Year Door.**_

_**Unfortunately, having those seven cards, as I'm just learning, doesn't guarantee me access to the Thousand Year Door – it simply makes me eligible. **_

_**Sydney Meyers didn't tell me, but in order to get the Crystal Star, which is what I truly need, I have to defeat one more duelist.**_

_**So, now I'm here, inside a vast grotto, inside a huge, rotting ship, facing the most intimidating opponent I have ever faced. **_

_**How on earth am I'm supposed to duel when my opponent is a ten-foot-six undead monstrosity?**_

_**All I know is, I have to find a way…**_

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Skull and Crossbones**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

It was four PM.

An Interdimensional Matter Transporter appeared in the forest outside of Keelhaul Key, and its portal opened, releasing its three passengers.

Stan, Andy and Francesca looked around. Noting that they were still carrying the winter coats that Merlee had given them, they did what he had told them to do, and set them down in a neat pile.

"Look," said Stan, pointing. "Look familiar?"

They all saw the plateau where he had dueled The End of Anubis.

"Yeah," muttered Andy. "But I doubt we have to look there…"

"Come on," urged Stan, "my Disk should lead us to Cortez's Lair."

But half an hour of searching the forest later, they were having no luck.

"Darn it!" cursed Stan. "How are we ever going to find it?"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

In her chamber, the Shadow Queen chuckled as she watched them.

"Foolish children," she laughed. "You'll never find it on your own! Folks have searched for a thousand years for Cortez's Lair and the legendary treasure hidden within, but without success!"

She took a card from her deck.

Trap Hole.

"However," continued, "you won your seven Cards fairly, Stan, and as director of this tournament, it is my responsibility to help you find it…"

She tossed the Trap Card into her fireplace, and the fire blazed.

And then she laughed out loud, as the ground opened up beneath the three teenagers and they plummeted into the earth below…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Fortunately, Andy and Francesca fell on something soft…

_Unfortunately,_ Stan fell on _them_.

"I can't feel my legs!" shouted Andy. "Oh, wait, there they are…"

"Andy, those are _my_ legs!" yelled Francesca.

"Sorry guys," muttered Stan, getting up. "Whoever did that is going to be sorrier…"

They got up, and looked around. They were in a vast cavern, on the shore of a large, underwater lake. The water was still and quiet, and mist covered the whole surface.

Only a few feet away from them, they saw a rather large rowboat. They shrugged, and walked towards it.

They sat in the rowboat, and Stan was about to take the oars, when to his surprise, the oars started moving by themselves! The boat started paddling into the lake.

"Swell," he mused, "we're on a haunted rowboat…"

Nevertheless, they looked ahead as the boat rowed them through the cavern. They looked around, and saw strange things – corpses of very old boats and ships were floating throughout the lake, and ominous wisps were rising from the surface.

Then a low moan came from ahead of them, and three hulking shapes came out of the mist!

They looked like three ships, made of maroon wood, with huge skulls and ribcages carved on their fronts! Their sails were propelling them towards them, despite their being no wind. (1,600/900)

"Those are Skull Mariners!" gasped Andy.

"Don't worry," assured Stan, flicking his Disk into position, "they're hardly serious threats…"

He drew a card and fit it into a slot.

"Gemini Elf, go!" he shouted.

The twin elves appeared in mid air, with their arms around each other. (1,900/900)

"Scuttle those ships!" shouted Stan, as they flew forward.

The two elves flew at the Skull Mariners, holding hands. They shot forth bolts of lightning! The three pirate ships were blasted into pixels.

"Not bad…" commented Francesca.

Stan removed the card, and Gemini Elf vanished. As he shuffled his deck, the mist parted.

A large island appeared out of the fog. On it was a huge ship, easily three times the size of Maria's ship. The skulls and crossbones symbols on the sails identified it as a pirate ship, and it was clearly _very_ old. The wood was decayed, the metal parts were rusted, and the sails were tattered. Whatever held it together, they had no idea.

As the rowboat landed on the island, they saw that a ladder had been provided to reach the deck of the ship.

"This is spooky…" said Andy, with a shiver.

"I know," said Stan, "but there's no turning back…"

They started to climb the ladder onto the deck of the huge pirate ship. The three of them were ready to draw a card in case any more Monsters appeared.

They saw a door that said "Hold" in front of them. Curious, Stan opened it, and saw stairs leading down.

They were surprised to see old fashioned oil lamps lighting their way. They went down the stairs, took a turn at a landing, and continued down, into the belly of the huge ship…

When they got to the bottom, they couldn't believe their eyes!

Piled in a large room in front of them, was the biggest treasure they had ever dreamed of! A veritable horde of golden coins, jewels, and valuables were piled loosely in the hold! It was enough wealth to satisfy the dreams of anyone…

As for the rest of the room, it was well lit. Various pirate paraphernalia, such as swords, anchors, and ship steering wheels were hanging from the walls.

As they went to approach the great treasure, the heard a loud moan come from the far side of the room…

"Crap," gulped Andy, sweating. "I should have known that a treasure this big would have a guardian…"

A huge form loomed above them, and they screamed!

The first thing they saw was a huge skull. It wore a pirate's hat with the Jolly Roger on the front, and an eyepatch over one of its eye sockets. Then a skeletal torso came into view. Finally, four bony arms arose. They each held a different weapon: a hook, a longsword, a cutlass, and a rapier.

The three teenagers gasped in fear as the ghost pirate let out a chilling moan…

And then he let out an annoyed grunt and a cough.

"Ay, Caramba!" he cursed, in a clearly Spanish accent. "Blast it all! I'm a pirate, and pirates don't moan!"

"W-w-who are you?" gasped Stan, frightened.

"I am the great Cortez, muchacho!" answered the ghost. "King of the pirates, and the greatest scourge to sail the Seven Seas one thousand years ago!"

He eyed Stan.

"And I take it you want my treasure…" he muttered.

"NO!" answered Stan, stepping back. "You can have your treasure! Most of it, anyway… I just want the Sapphire Star."

"I see…" replied Cortez.

He gestured, and a small, blue gemstone shaped like a star lifted off the mound of treasure.

"That I have, amigo," he continued, "but it be a part of my treasure. And like I said before the hangman strung me up so long ago, if anyone wants to claim even one coin of my treasure, they're going to have to defeat me in a duel first…"

"But why?" asked, Stan, now a little disgusted. "Are you that greedy?"

"Nada," answered Cortez, with a hint of sadness in his voice.

Stan knew there must have been more, so he waited for the phantom to continue.

"It's funny that you came seeking the Crystal Star, amigo," explained Cortez. "It sealed my accursed fate… One thousand years ago, I stole this bauble, not knowing that it belonged to a wicked witch. She came to get it, and put a curse on me! She said that after I was dead – which would be soon – my spirit would be cursed to guard my treasure until someone defeated me in a duel! So I've been waiting one thousand years for someone to come and challenge me…"

"Let me see if I've got this straight, Cortez," interrupted Andy. "You're cursed to guard this pile of coins, and you can't 'pass to the other side' until you're defeated in a duel?"

"Um, amigo?" answered Cortez. "Ye have something on your lip…"

Andy wiped his face.

"But si, that's basically the situation," replied Cortez.

"Very well," said Stan.

He shuffled his deck.

Cortez gestured, and his weapons vanished. A ghostly Duel Disk appeared on his upper left arm, and a deck of cards appeared in his upper right arm. Francesca noticed as he shuffled that the backs of the cards were imprinted with the image of a Jolly Roger.

Stan stared the huge pirate ghost in the face as the two loaded their decks.

"This is crazy," muttered Andy to Francesca. "Stan's dueled a lot of strange duelists, but this is the first time he's dueled a ten-foot-tall living nightmare!"

"He can handle it," assured Francesca. "He's just got to stay calm…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The Shadow Queen chuckled as she watched.

"Be careful, Stan," she said, "Cortez may look scary, but you're actually in more danger than even Cortez may know…

"Although I tend to doubt whether or not he can actually defeat you, ever since I put that curse on that old pile of bones, he's technically been in my employ…

"So if I'm lucky and he manages to win… Well, it's all over for you.

"IF I'm lucky. Still, I fear this duel may offer no more than mere entertainment. Cortez thinks he was the greatest pirate that ever lived. But he couldn't have been all _that_ great…

"…after all, he got caught…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"All right, amigo!" exclaimed Cortez, as the Disks activated.

They drew their first hands. The Life Point counters rose to 8,000 apiece.

"_Es hora de combatir en duelo!"_ he shouted.

"Uh, yeah..." said Stan. "Whatever that means..."

The phantasm took two cards from his hand, and placed them in his Disk.

"I'll place one card facedown, and place a Monster facedown in Defense Mode," he said.

The two facedown cards appeared in a ghostly mist in front of Cortez.

"And I'll turn it over to you, muchacho," he finished.

"Fine," said Stan, making his first draw.

_Not bad,_ he thought, looking at the card.

"I summon… Breaker the Magical Warrior, in Attack Mode!" he exclaimed, throwing it down.

Breaker arose, holding aloft his sword and shield. (1,600/1,000)

"Breaker!" commanded Stan, "destroy his facedown card!"

Energy shot forth from Breaker's sword! The card, revealed to be Royal Decree, lifted, and shattered.

"Clever," said Stan with a smile. "With that you could have kept me from playing any Traps. Oh well…"

Cortez's face was devoid of flesh, so it was hard to see if he was disappointed or not.

_Okay,_ thought Stan, _his facedown Monster might be stronger than Breaker, but I'll have to deal with it eventually… So..._

"Breaker attack his facedown Monster!" shouted Stan.

Breaker charged. A sinister looking grim reaper in a purple cloak carrying a scythe appeared. (300/200)

It fended off Breaker with its scythe, and pushed him back.

"Good effort, amigo," commented Cortez. "But that's a Spirit Reaper…"

"Meaning I can't destroy it by attacking it…" muttered Stan. "Fine, it's your move…"

Cortez drew.

"I'll play my Pot of Greed!" he exclaimed, placing a card into a slot.

The jar handed him two more cards.

He looked at them, and then took three cards from his hand.

"Now then," he proclaimed, "I summon Nightmare Horse to the field!"

He put a card down, and a mummified, Zombie horse appeared next to Spirit Reaper. (500/400)

"And that's not all," he continued, placing the second card into a slot. "I'll play Polymerization, to fuse my two creatures together!"

A dark portal opened, and the two Zombies were drawn though…

"Together," laughed Cortez, "they form a two-in-one creature known as Reaper on the Nightmare!"

A tall shape galloped out of the portal. It looked more or less like Spirit Reaper riding Nightmare Horse, only both were much fiercer. (800/600)

"What?" said Francesca in wonder. "That's weak!"

"And now," said Cortez, ignoring the comment, "I'll play my Quick Attack Magic Card, so my Fusion Monster can attack right away!"

He played the Magic Card.

"Reaper on the Nightmare, attack!" he shouted.

The Zombie galloped towards Stan, completely ignoring Breaker, and slashed at him with his scythe! Stan grunted as his Life Points fell to 7,200.

"And now," continued Cortez, "you also lose a card from your hand…"

Reaper on the Nightmare pointed to a card in Stan's hand, and it flew into his discard slot.

_Aw, not that one…_ thought Stan.

"It's your move, matey," said Cortez.

Stan drew.

_Okay,_ he thought.

"I summon Neo the Magic Swordsman!" he shouted, placing a card down.

Neo appeared next to Breaker, holding his glowing sword aloft. (1,700/1,000)

"And I know your Reaper's limitation, Cortez," said Stan with a smile. "I may not be able to destroy it by attacking it, but I can still attack it, and you'll still lose Life Points when I do!

"Neo, attack his Reaper on the Nightmare!"

Neo blasted a wave of energy from his sword, striking the Reaper and pushing it backwards.

"Breaker, your turn!" he shouted.

Breaker the Magical Warrior shot forth a spell from his blade, striking Reaper on the Nightmare again.

Cortez's Life Points fell down to 6,300.

Cortez's eye socket that wasn't covered by an eyepatch seemed to widen…

Then, in Cortez's ghostly mind, he heard a voice…

"_Cortez!"_ shouted the Shadow Queen's voice. _"It seems you just made a sloppy move there! You aren't thinking of throwing this duel, are you?"_

"_N-no!"_ answered Cortez. _"It's the farthest thought from my mind!"_

"_Good,"_ scolded the Queen. _"Because you remember the deal. If I had the slightest idea that you were not trying, it would be very bad for you…"_

"It's your move, Cortez…" said Stan.

Cortez paused for a minute… Then he drew his next card.

_Oy, not this card!_ he thought.

He placed the card down.

"I sacrifice my Reaper on the Nightmare to summon a powerful undead creature known as Pumpking the King of Ghosts!" he shouted.

Reaper on the Nightmare shattered, and an enormous form appeared. It was a huge, rotting pumpkin, with a huge maw, one glaring eye, and a set of disgusting tendrils. A golden crown rested atop its head. (1,800/2,000)

"AIEEE!" shouted Fran. "That thing is _ugly_!"

"Pumpking!" shouted Cortez, "attack his Breaker with ectoplasmic tendrils!"

The King of Ghosts reached forward with its vines, and grabbed hold of Breaker. They squeezed, and the Spellcaster shattered into pixels.

Stan's Life Points fell to 7,000.

"You know," said Stan, "for someone who wants to lose, you're dueling pretty intensely!"

"If I could lose on purpose I would, amigo," said Cortez, sadly. "But the witch who cursed me said that if I forfeited or didn't duel my hardest, it wouldn't count as a loss, and I would still be cursed. So I must try my best to win, and pray to the Goddess of the Sea that you are better!

"I'll place a card facedown, and that will end my turn."

He played the card, and it appeared in a smoky haze.

"Very well," said Stan. "I hope you realize, I must try my best to win as well!"

He drew.

"I'm activating my Trap!" exclaimed Cortez.

His facedown card lifted.

"Solemn Wishes!" he exclaimed. "This Trap…"

"I know what it does!" interrupted Stan. "You get 500 Life Points every time you draw…"

"Arrr," replied Cortez.

"I'll move Neo to Defense Mode," said Stan, turning the card.

Neo knelt in Defense.

"And I'll also summon Pixie Knight in Defense Mode," he continued.

He placed a card down, and the pixie Spellcaster appeared, cowering behind her wings. (1,300/200)

"That ends my turn," he stated.

"Then I'll draw…" stated Cortez, drawing.

A shower of gold fell upon him, and his Life Points went up to 6,800.

He seemed to sigh as he looked at the card.

"I'll place a Monster facedown in Defense Mode, and end my turn," he announced.

Another hidden Monster appeared.

_Huh,_ thought Stan. _He didn't attack? What's he planning?_

He drew.

_None of the cards I have are that good right now…_

"I'll pass for this turn," he said.

Cortez drew. Solemn wishes kicked in again, and his Life Points went up to 7,300.

"I play Card of Sanctity!" he exclaimed, playing a Magic Card.

Stan groaned. He only got to draw one card, but Cortez got to draw four. Even worse, that meant that Cortez got to draw again, so he gained another boost from Solemn Wishes, bringing his Life Points up to 7,800.

"Now then," continued Cortez, "I'll summon this damsel in Attack Mode… meet my Vampire Lady!"

He put a card down, and an eerie mist rose from his side of the field. A tall, sinister woman with green skin and black hair tied in an exotic hairstyle appeared, dressed in a sexy violet dress with a long train. (1,550/1,550)

Andy gulped. He remembered her from his duel with Rhoda in the tournament he had before coming here…

"Now," stated Cortez, "I'll also flip my third Monster into Attack Mode…"

His facedown card flipped, and a dark shadow emerged from the card. It formed into a frightening, floating castle, hovering over Cortez's side of the playing field. Its fiendish design radiated an aura of shadows.

"Meet my Castle of Dark Illusions!" laughed Cortez.

(920/1,930)

"When Castle of Dark Illusions is flipped," explained Cortez, "most of my Zombies gain 200 Attack and Defense Points right away…"

Vampire Lady's stats rose to (1,750/1,750).

"…but Pumpking the King of Ghost is a _special_ case! It gains an extra 100 points to both scores from the Castle!"

Pumpking's scores rose to (2,100/2,300).

"What's more," said Cortez, "over the next four turns, any Zombie I have on the field will gain 200 more Attack and Defense Points from the Castle each turn, and Pumpking will gain 300!

"Now, my Castle of Dark Illusions, wipe out his Pixie Knight!"

Lighting flashed from the Castle, blowing Pixie Knight away.

"Pumpking, destroy his Swordsman!"

Pumpking reached forward, and squeezed Neo with his tendrils! The Magic Swordsman shattered.

"Vampire Lady, attack directly!"

Andy and Francesca forced themselves to look away as Vampire Lady pounced on Stan! He screamed as she sank her fangs into his neck and drank her fill.

His Life Points fell to 5,250.

"And since she damaged your Life Points," said Cortez, as she backed up. "I get to make you discard one card from your deck – I think a Trap Card."

Stan grunted. He took out his deck and sifted through it.

_I think I can do without this,_ he thought, discarding his An Eye For An Eye card.

"Clever," he said, shuffling his deck and putting it back. "But since you destroyed Pixie Knight, I get to retrieve one Magic Card from my Graveyard and place it on the top of my deck."

"But you haven't played _any_ Magic Cards yet!" answered Cortez.

"True," agreed Stan, "but your Reaper on the Nightmare made me discard one!"

A light flew out of Stan's discard slot and transformed into a card on the top of Stan's deck.

"And now it's my draw!" shouted Stan.

He whipped the card off the top of his deck, and fit it into a slot.

"Swords of Revealing Light!" he shouted.

A cage of swords rained down from the ceiling, enclosing Cortez and his Monsters.

"Now," stated Stan, "I'll summon White Magician Pikeru in Attack Mode, and that will end my turn."

He placed the card down, and Pikeru spun out of the ground, smiling broadly. (1,200/0)

"What?" whispered Francesca. "Why didn't he attack the Castle?"

Cortez was considering this…

_Why didn't he attack my Castle with that Spellcaster? _he thought. _He can clearly see that her Attack Score is greater than its! He must have a more long-term plan in mind…_

"It's my move, amigo!" he exclaimed.

He drew, and Solemn Wishes kicked in, bringing his Life Points up to 8,300.

Vampire Lady's score rose to (1,950/1,950), and Pumpking's rose to (2,400/2,600).

"I'll move Castle of Dark Illusions into Defense Mode," he said, turning his card.

The Castle backed up.

"And that will be all for me…" he said.

"Good," said Stan, drawing, "now stand back!"

He looked at the card.

"First of all," he said, "Pikeru's special effect grants me 400 Life Points for each Monster I have on the field…"

Pikeru waved her magic wand. Stan's Life Points went up to 4,250.

"Now," continued Stan, fitting a Magic Card into a slot, "I play Sibling Rivalry, which lets me Special Summon Pikeru's sister from my deck. Say hello to Ebon Magician Curran!"

He placed a card down, and Curran appeared, and gave her switch a tug. (1,200/0)

"And finally," said Stan, "I sacrifice both Pikeru and Curran to summon the mighty Buster Blader!"

Stan threw a card down on his Disk. Pikeru and Curran waved goodbye, and then vanished. The mighty dragon slaying Warrior appeared, holding his huge sword aloft! (2,600/2,300)

"All right, Stan!" shouted Francesca. "Way to combo!"

"Buster Blader!" shouted Stan, "attack Pumpking the King of Ghosts!"

The King of Ghosts looked like it had seen a ghost itself as Buster Blader flew forward! The Warrior smote the huge Zombie with his blade, and Pumpking burst into an explosion of pixels!

Cortez looked dumbfounded as his Life Points slipped to 8,100.

"Not bad, amigo…" he muttered.

"Now it's your move…" said Stan.

"Then I'll draw," said the ghost, "and I'll take a boost from Solemn Wishes…"

His Life Points rose to 8,600. Vampire Lady's score rose to (2,150/2,150)

"…and I'll move Vampire Lady into Defense Mode."

He turned his card, and Vampire Lady knelt.

"My move again?" asked Stan.

He drew.

"I play Mystical Space Typhoon!" he announced, playing the card.

A whirlwind swept across the field, shattering the Solemn Wishes card.

"Now then," he continued, "Buster Blader, take out his Castle!"

Buster Blader leapt up into the air and smote the fiendish fortress! It cracked, and burst into fragments!

"I believe it's your move," said Stan. "And once you run out of Monsters, I'm going straight for your Life Points! Although since you're already dead, perhaps 'Life' Points isn't the right word, huh?"

"Maybe not, amigo, but we will see…" said Cortez.

He drew a card and looked at it strangely.

_Hmm,_ he thought. _Here's that strange card that the witch told me to put in my deck… How does it work again? Darn, I'm not used to these modern contraptions…_

He started to read the text on the card…

"Well?" asked Stan.

"Un momento, por favor," answered Cortez.

He put the card down on his Disk.

"Okay," he said, "I'll place this Monster facedown in Defense Mode, and also a card facedown…"

Again, the ghostly mist arose, and the two facedown cards appeared.

"Now it's your move," he stated.

The Swords of Revealing Light flickered and vanished.

_I wonder what those two cards are for? _thought Stan as he drew.

He looked at the card.

_Can't use this guy yet…_

"Buster Blader, attack Vampire Lady!" he commanded.

Buster Blader charged. Vampire Lady screamed as she was cut down.

"And that's my move," said Stan. "It's your turn."

"Very well," muttered Cortez, "let's see if this works… I'll flip this Monster into Attack Mode…"

The card flipped up, and an odd device appeared where it was…

"A Cyber Jar!" exclaimed Stan.

Stan watched in horror as the pod exuded it fierce suction, and Buster Blader was drawn inside! The device exploded.

"Que, it worked…" muttered Cortez. "Now I believe that we each have to draw five cards and Special Summon all Monsters of four stars or less that we get…"

They each took the top five cards off their decks.

"Heh, heh," chuckled Cortez. "Looks like I got mucho benefit! All five of mine are Monsters! And I'll put them all in Attack Mode!"

He placed all the cards on his Disk, and his side blossomed with Zombies. First came a woman in a dark cloak with a mass of swarming snakes for hair (1,500/1,200). Then came a small dragon whose flesh was rotting and decayed (1,600/0). The next was a corpse in broken and battered Samurai armor, holding a rusted sword (1,500/0). Then there was a hideous clown with rotting flesh in a tattered circus costume. (1,350/0). Finally, there was a skeleton in a worm-eaten shirt and pair of trousers, holding a very large sword (1,200/900).

"Wow, it's a Zombie jamboree!" exclaimed Francesca.

_Okay,_ thought Stan, _so now I have The Snake Hair, Dragon Zombie, Armored Zombie, Clown Zombie, and The 13th Grave to deal with._

He looked at the cards he had drawn.

"Well Cortez old boy, I only have one Monster I can use, but it's stronger than any of yours! Meet Gemini Elf!"

He put a card down, and the two elf sisters spun out of the ground, striking a pose. (1,900/900)

"I'm afraid it's still my move, amigo," said Cortez, "and I'll finish it by playing another Polymerization!"

He fit a card into a slot, and another dark portal opened. It sucked The Snake Hair and Dragon Zombie inside!

"This combination brings forth a creature even stronger than your elves," he continued. "It's a giant beast of bones and precious metal known as Great Mammoth of Goldfine!"

A huge form trudged out of the portal. It was an enormous undead elephant that was all bones, its skeleton seemingly polished the color of gold! (2,200/1,800)

"Since I can't attack with it this turn, I'll end my turn with that…" he said with a bony grin.

Stan drew.

_Man, I've got like ten cards here due to that Cyber Jar!_ he thought. _And only one of them can really help now…_

"I sacrifice my Gemini Elf to summon Chaos Command Magician!" he shouted.

Gemini Elf vanished, and Chaos Command Magician appeared, the light emitting from his robes causing the coins in the room to sparkle. (2,400/1,900)

"Buena," said Cortez. "That's quite a Spellcaster… He has 2,400 Attack Points…"

"Yes, and that's 200 more than your Mammoth!" stated Stan.

"Then by all means, attack," dared Cortez. "I can't stop you…"

Stan noticed the facedown card…

_Oh, geeze…_ he thought. _What if that facedown card is a Mirror Force? If he can destroy Chaos Command Magician, he'll have enough firepower on his next turn to wipe me out!_

_Maybe I should just play it safe and end my turn…_

_NO! I didn't come all this way to chicken out!_

"Chaos Command Magician!" shouted Stan, "Attack his…"

"Activate… Threatening Roar!" shouted Cortez.

His Trap Card lifted, and a roar echoed throughout the whole grotto, causing the boat copses in the huge lake to tremble.

Stan lifted himself off the floor.

"Tricky…" he said. "But you still can't destroy my mage…"

"We'll see," said Cortez. "And you have nine cards in your hand right now, meaning that when you end your turn, you must discard three of them."

Stan studied the cards in his hand.

"Very well," he said, discarding three. "It's your move."

"Right!" said Cortez, drawing a card.

"First I'll summon Regenerating Mummy in Attack Mode!" he stated.

He played the card, and a badly rotting corpse arose, occupying the last vacant spot on his side of the field. (1,800/1,500)

"And now I play this card!" shouted Cortez.

He fit a Magic Card into a slot.

"Necromancy!" he shouted.

As the spooky card revealed itself, Stan felt his Duel Disk shake…

"What's going on?" he shouted.

Four wisps shot out of his Disk…

One of them transformed into White Magician Pikeru, crouching in Defense Mode. (1,200/0)

Another turned into Ebon Magician Curran, also in Defense Mode. (1,200/0)

The other two wisps transformed into Breaker (1,600/1,000), and Neo (1,700/1,000), both of them in Defense Mode.

"What did you do?" demanded Stan.

"Necromancy allows me to take up to four Monsters from your Graveyard and summon them to your side of the field in Defense Mode!" laughed Cortez.

"And you're being so helpful, because…?" asked Stan.

"Because any Monster revived by this card carries a potent curse!" explained Cortez. "If they're destroyed, one of your other Monsters loses 600 Attack Points for each one!"

Stan gasped…

"Go, my loyal crew!" shouted Cortez.

The 13th Grave lifted its sword and cut down Pikeru! Clown Zombie raised its staff and clubbed Curran, blowing her into pixels! Armored Zombie lifted his blade and ran Breaker through, blowing him away! And Regenerating Mummy shot forth a wave of pestilence, disintegrating Neo!

"And since those four Monsters were destroyed," said Cortez, "your Chaos Command Magician loses 600 Attack Points times four, leaving him with…"

"…zero…" muttered Stan.

Francesca gasped.

"Great Mammoth of Goldfine!" shouted Cortez. "Trample his Magician!"

The huge Mammoth charged forward, ramming into Chaos Command Magician and blowing him away!

Stan's Life Points fell all the way to 3,450.

"Make your move…" dared the ghost pirate.

_I've got to draw something good…_ thought Stan. _If I don't summon something that can stand up to his Mammoth on this turn, his walking cemetery there will finish me off on his next turn!_

He drew.

_Yes!_

"I'm going to wipe out you're whole side right now, Cortez!" shouted Stan. "I'm playing Premature Burial!"

He placed the card in the slot, and his Life Points fell to 2,650.

"I'll use it to revive someone I discarded when I had too many cards in my hand, thanks to your Cyber Jar!"

An imposing figure arose…

It was Dark Magician! (2,500/2,100)

"And now I'll play a powerful Magic Card," he said, placing a card into a slot. "Diffusion Wave-Motion!"

"Diffusion Wave-Motion?" gasped Cortez. "What does that do?"

"Yeah, what does it do?" asked Francesca, amazed.

"For a price of 1,000 of my Life Points…" explained Stan.

His Life Points fell to 1,650.

"…it enables a Spellcaster of seven stars or higher, such as Dark Magician, to attack _every_ opposing Monster at once!"

Cortez gasped, as did Francesca and Andy.

"Dark Magician," shouted Stan, "ultimate dark magic attack!"

Dark Magician cast a mighty spell, and in a powerful blast of mystical energy, all five of Cortez's Zombies were blown to pieces!

"Que lastima!" shouted Cortez, as his Life Points tumbled to 4,150.

Francesca and Andy started to cheer.

"And with that, Cortez, I end my turn," said Stan. "Time to make your move…"

Cortez was clearly impressed. He drew a card from his deck.

"I'll place a Monster facedown in Defense Mode, and that will end my turn…" he said, placing a card down.

He set a card, and it appeared.

Stan drew.

"I play the Magic Card Sweet Treat!" he shouted.

He threw the Enchanted Card into a slot, and the gingerbread man carrying his pink die appeared.

"You expect to win with cookies and dice?" exclaimed a shocked Cortez.

"It may not look intimidating, but it's powerful," said Stan with a grin. "The die will roll, multiply the result by a thousand, and add the number to my Life Points!"

The cookie threw the die, and it skipped and rolled.

"Come on…" muttered Andy.

"Roll high…" urged Francesca.

It landed on the four!

"All right!" shouted Stan.

His Life Points went up to 5,650.

"Now I have to end my turn," he said. "It's your move…"

Cortez drew.

His hand shook as he looked at the card. Clearly he didn't want to draw this card…

"I sacrifice my facedown Monster," he said, "to summon Dark Dust Spirit!"

He switched cards, and the facedown card vanished. A frightening form arose. It was a hideous Zombie with long white hair, glowing eyes, and blood-red skin covered with bony spikes. (2,200/1,800)

"Oh, my God!" gasped Andy. "When that thing is summoned, it destroys all Monsters on the field other than itself!"

"No…" gulped Francesca.

It was only too true. The Dark Dust Spirit emitted a wave of unholy energy, which blasted Dark Magician into pixels!

"Go!" shouted Cortez. "Attack him directly with dust of death!"

Dark Dust Spirit breathed forth a gout of vile dust! Stan screamed as it hit him…

And his Life Points fell to 3,450.

_No,_ thought Cortez, sadly. _I was so close…_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The Shadow Queen perked up.

"Hold the phone," she said, with a burst of delight. "Stan is losing! A few more successful attacks, and he's out!"

She chuckled with glee.

"Maybe this will work out well after all! And I'll have one less problem to deal with!

"As for Cortez… Well, it's sad really, but he should have known better than to steal from me in the first place…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Stan held his chest as the pain from the direct attack subsided…

"If it's any consolation," muttered Andy, "that thing is a Spirit, meaning it will return to Cortez's hand once he ends his turn…"

"Si," replied Cortez, "and I'm ending my turn now…"

Dark Dust Spirit vanished, and Cortez retrieved the card.

Stan made a draw.

"I summon Goombella the Scholar in Defense Mode!" he exclaimed.

He placed the card down, and Goombella appeared. (500/2,000)

"Goombella, use your Tattle!" shouted Stan.

The Goomba hopped on Stan's shoulders and the four cards on the top of his deck floated out.

_Nice,_ thought Stan. _Now he's likely going to try to summon that Spirit again as soon as he can, so I have to prepare myself…_

He made the necessary adjustments, and the cards floated back. Goombella hopped back down into position.

"Your move, Cortez," he said.

"Very well," said the ghost, drawing.

He looked at the card.

"I'll place a Monster facedown in Defense Mode, and that will be all," he said.

The ghostly mist arose, and another facedown Monster appeared.

_Bingo,_ thought Stan. _That facedown Monster likely has high Defense, and he intends to sacrifice it to summon his Dark Dust Spirit again. I have to be prepared._

He drew.

"I'll play my Pot of Greed!" he exclaimed, placing the card into the slot.

The Pot appeared, and handed him two more cards.

"I'll place one card facedown," he said, fitting a card into a slot.

"And that will be my turn."

Cortez drew, and he seemed a little more relieved.

"I'll flip my facedown Monster into Attack Mode," he announced. "Reveal… Poison Mummy!"

The card flipped, and a tall, gaunt mummy dressed in rotting red bandages appeared on it (1,000/1,800)

A cloud of red smoke drifted towards Stan and he started to choke!

"When Poison Mummy is flipped, you lose 500 Life Points, amigo!" laughed Cortez.

Stan's Life Points fell to 2,950.

"Aw geeze, Stan is just barely hanging on!" gasped Francesca.

"And now I'll sacrifice Poison Mummy…" he continued, raising a card.

_Here it comes…_ thought Stan. _Sorry Goombella, I couldn't stop him…_

"to summon… **Vampire Lord**!" proclaimed Cortez.

"What? Vampire Lord?" gasped Stan.

Poison Mummy shattered, and a dark coffin appeared on the field. It opened, and a tall, creepy-looking vampire dressed in a black suit and a cape, with pale hair appeared from out of it. (2,000/1,500)

"Hang on…" questioned Francesca. "I'm a little confused. He summoned Vampire Lord instead of Dark Dust Spirit? Sure, Vampire Lord is powerful, but surely he can see that it's Attack is equal to Goombella's Defense – it can't hurt Stan…"

"Unless…" muttered Andy.

He tried to remember something about his duel with Rhoda…

"I'm ending my turn, amigo," said Cortez.

Stan was confused. He drew a card.

"I summon Vivian the Shadow Siren in Attack Mode!" he exclaimed.

He put the card down, and Vivian emerged from the shadows. (1,800/1,000)

_Her effect should be useful for whatever he's planning,_ he thought.

And then, Stan, Francesca, and Andy felt a new sensation throughout the hold. It was greater than the previous sensations they had felt whenever a Companion had been summoned. This was the first time more than one Companion had ever been on the field at the same time…

And it was clear that both Vivian and Goombella were aware of that. They turned to each other and nodded. Then they turned to face Cortez and his vampire.

"My move muchacho…" stated Cortez.

He drew.

His hand shook again as he looked at the card…

He let out a sigh from lungs that weren't there.

"I have in my hand my most powerful Zombie…" he muttered. "A creature so terrible, that in order to summon it, I must remove my Vampire Lord from the game! Begone!"

Vampire Lord shattered.

"And now I summon the almighty… **Vampire Genesis**!"

He threw a card down, and a huge form arose. Combining the worst aspects of Zombie and Fiend, the muscular creature had mauve skin, a spiked harness, and a thick cape with barbs on the edges! It roared in bloodlust! (3,000/2,100)

"This creature is to Vampire Lord what Vampire Lord is to normal vampires!" laughed Cortez. "And he has a powerful effect… by discarding one Zombie from my hand…"

He discarded his Dark Dust Spirit.

"It can revive a Zombie with fewer stars than the one I discarded from my Graveyard!"

Vampire Genesis cast a mighty spell, and a form broke free from the ground…

Vampire Lady crawled out. (1,550/1,550)

"Now, my true Lord of the Undead, attack his Shadow Siren with unholy blight!"

Vampire Genesis prepared to fire a blast of dark energy…

"Hold on, Cortez!" shouted Stan. "I activate Spellbinding Circle!"

His Trap Card lifted, and the vampire god howled as it was caught in the shimmering pentagram. Its Attack went down to 2,300.

Cortez gasped.

"I… I end my turn…" he said.

Stan drew.

_Perfect,_ he thought.

"I'll sacrifice Vivian and Goombella…" he exclaimed.

His two Companions vanished, and he placed a card down.

"…and for their contribution, I'll summon Dark Magician of Chaos!"

In a flash of shadow, the powerful dark sorcerer appeared! (2,800/2,600)

"And since I summoned him," added Stan, "I now get to retrieve a Magic Card from my Graveyard!"

A card flew out of his discard slot, zipped in a circle around him, and then added itself to his hand.

_This will do nicely…_ he thought.

"Now, Magician," shouted Stan, "attack his vampire with chaos scepter blast!"

Dark Magician of Chaos spun his scepter and struck the ground, sending a shockwave that blew Vampire Genesis apart!

Cortez's Life Points fell to 3,650.

"That's my turn, Cortez…" said Stan with a smile.

Cortez drew.

"I'll shift Vampire Lady into Defense Mode," he said, "and place one card facedown."

Vampire Lady knelt, and a facedown card appeared.

"It's your move," he said, nervously.

Stan made a draw.

His eyes opened.

"I'll use the card I got from my Magician's effect!" he stated. "Mystical Space Typhoon!"

He played the card, and the cyclone whipped across the field again! Cortez's Trap – revealed to be a Nightmare Wheel – was blown apart.

"Now I'll summon… Ms. Mowz the Tease Thief in Attack Mode!" he stated, placing a card down.

The wily Ms. Mowz appeared with a squeak. (1,200/1,000)

"WOW!" shouted Andy. "This is the first time Stan has summoned all three of his Companions in one duel!"

"Magician!" shouted Stan, "obliterate his Vampire Lady!"

Dark Magician of Chaos cast forth his mighty spell; Vampire Lady screamed as she was sent hurtling into the void.

"Now, Ms. Mowz, attack directly!" commanded Stan.

The Tease Thief leapt forward and gave Cortez a slap on his bony face! His Life Points fell to 2,450.

And then she snatched a card from his hand!

"Que?" gasped Cortez.

Ms. Mowz trotted over to Stan and handed him the card. She gave him a quick peck on the cheek.

"Thank you, Ms. Mowz," chuckled Stan.

He looked at the card he had gotten.

_Call of the Haunted,_ he thought. _Well that's useful…_

He slid it into his Disk.

"I'll end my turn by placing this facedown," he said.

Cortez was really in a quandary. He didn't want to win, and it was looking more and more like he would get his wish…

_Could this be it?_ he thought. _Could this millennia-long nightmare finally be over? Could I finally be able to rest in peace once this duel is over?_

He drew a card.

_Caramba…_

"I'll place a Monster facedown in Defense Mode and end my turn," he said.

The mists congealed again, and the facedown Monster appeared.

"Good!" said Stan drawing. "Now I'll activate the Trap you unwittingly let me have – Call of the Haunted!"

The Trap lifted.

"I'll use it to bring back an old friend," he said. "Come forth Dark Magician!"

Mists rose from the floor, and Dark Magician slowly rose out of the ground. (2,500/2,100)

_This is it,_ thought Stan. _All I have to do is destroy his defensive Monster with Dark Magician, and then one mighty blow from my Dark Magician of Chaos will finish him off!_

"Dark Magician!" he commanded, "attack his facedown Monster!"

Dark Magician blasted forth his dark spell…

And a Pyramid Turtle appeared on the card.

"Awk!" exclaimed Stan, as it was blasted to dust.

Cortez paused.

A card slipped out of his deck, and he placed it on his Disk…

And a hulking form arose. It was a hunched over ogre, seemingly made entirely of skulls and bones, with a fiendish face. (2,400/2,000)

"Aw, no…" muttered Andy.

"Ryu Kokki…" gulped Francesca.

They both knew that this was trouble for Stan. Ryu Kokki was the mortal enemy of all Warriors and Spellcasters. Although both of Stan's Spellcasters could easily destroy it, the thing was, it would take its killer with it if it was one of those two types.

Stan turned one of his cards.

"I'll switch Ms. Mowz into Defense Mode, and end my turn…" he muttered.

_It all depends on what Cortez does next,_ he thought.

Cortez drew.

It was hard to read the expression on his bony face.

"I'll place a Monster facedown in Defense Mode," he said.

Another hidden Monster appeared.

"Ryu Kokki," he commanded, "attack that mouse with skull smash!"

The bone ogre flicked its arm forward and threw forth a volley of skulls. Ms. Mowz was crushed flat.

"And I'll end my turn…" said the ghost pirate.

Stan made a draw.

Monster Reborn.

_What could that facedown Monster be?_ he thought. _Another Pyramid Turtle? Or is he bluffing? If only I had my Nobleman of Crossout – it must have hit the bottom of the deck… I've got to take a chance…_

"I play Monster Reborn!" he exclaimed, playing the card. "To bring back Vivian the Shadow Siren!"

The holy ankh appeared, and Vivian appeared on it. (1,800/1,000)

"Vivian!" shouted Stan, "take out his facedown Monster with your Fiery Jinx!"

Vivian shot forth waves of flame…

A treasure chest with a decomposed Zombie emerging from it appeared on the card.

It was blown into pixels.

"Yaranzo?" said Stan with a raised eyebrow. "You couldn't do better than that?"

"Truthfully, no," confessed Cortez. "So finish it…"

Stan turned to his Dark Magician.

"I'm sorry…" he said.

Dark Magician gave him a nod.

"Dark Magician, attack Ryu Kokki!" he shouted.

Dark Magician aimed his staff and fired! Both Monsters were blown into shards!

"Now, Dark Magician of Chaos, attack directly and wipe out the rest of his Life Points!"

Dark Magician of Chaos swung his scepter and blasted Cortez right in the ribcage! The undead pirate howled as the last of his Life Points fell away…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Stan was in a void of light…

And before him were Goombella, Vivian, and Ms. Mowz.

"You did it, Stan!" laughed Goombella, hopping for joy. "I always knew that logic was on your side!"

"Gee, I hope you didn't hurt him too badly…" muttered Vivian. "None of this was really his fault. But you made it! You earned the Crystal Star!"

"Just like old times, eh guys?" squeaked Ms. Mowz. "The Shadow Queen better watch out for you, you big chunk of muenster!"

"Thanks guys," sighed Stan. "I couldn't have done it without you…"

"And we'll be with you the whole way!" promised Goombella. "Sometimes even closer than we've been with you before!"

"If you ever need us," urged Vivian, "we'll be as close to you as your deck."

"It will be up to you to bring us out," added Ms. Mowz.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Stan opened his eyes to see Cortez, and the undead pirate seemed happier than ever before.

"Gracias, muchacho," he said with a smile. "You've won… And you've earned this…"

The Sapphire Star floated into Stan's hand. It shone with an eerie light.

"And since I'm now going where all my gold and jewels are of little value," continued Cortez, "I'm leaving it all to the three of you as well… take whatever you like…"

The three teens looked excited at this, but he continued.

"The small dingy that took you to this island will take you to the exit to this grotto," he said.

Francesca spoke up.

"What will happen to you now, Cortez?" she asked.

Cortez laughed.

"The curse is lifted!" he cackled. "After one thousand years, I'm finally free! I can finally rest, go where all departed sailors go!"

He laughed out loud.

"So long, accursed witch!" he shouted. "I got the last laugh on you after all!"

And then he faded and vanished.

The three teenagers looked at the vast fortune in front of them.

Francesca and Andy squealed with delight and fell on their knees on the mound of treasure!

"Look at it Stan!" shouted Francesca. "There's a fortune here! Enough for all three of us to go to the best colleges in the country and then some!"

"Guys, guys!" called Stan. "Don't lose your heads! We can't exactly walk out of here with all of this in our pockets…"

He paused.

"Once we deal with the Shadow Queen, maybe Merlee can help us transport it or something… Until then, we'll just leave it here… This place is very well-hidden."

They had to agree that that was for the best.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The Shadow Queen turned off her viewing globe, when Grodus walked in.

"Your excellence," he said, "should I prepare for Stan's arrival?"

"Not yet, Grodus," she cautioned, "not yet…"

She got up.

"Stan _could_ enter the Thousand Year Door now at any time," she mused, "but I sincerely doubt he will until Andy and Francesca are also able to.

"So, assuming they aren't disposed of when they try to get Crystal Stars, we'll just wait, and have a big party for the three of them when they arrive…

She chuckled…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

One hour after Stan, Andy, and Francesca left Cortez's ship…

Merlee appeared on the island, and activated his Duel Disk.

"Cortez left the tr-tr-treasure to them and it is r-r-rightfully theirs," he mumbled. "But knowing h-h-how greedy the Queen is, she'll l-l-likely send her henchmen to steal it.

"So I m-m-must discourage her attempts."

He placed three Monster Cards on his Disk and started to chant, channeling ancient magic.

"Ah quan lahts reh tap soo!" he chanted. "Ah quan lahts reh tap soo!"

Three orbs of light appeared in the air…

A huge form emerged from the shadows. It was a Gate Guardian, even bigger than the one that Aesop had summoned, and much more realistic.

"Listen h-h-here," said Merlee to the behemoth, pointing up to its "face". "You s-s-served the three heroes one thousand y-y-years ago, correct?"

The Monster nodded.

"Well," ordered Merlee, "n-n-now you're going to help their d-d-descendents, and the t-t-task I'm giving you is simple. Guard this treasure. Do not let anyone b-b-but Stan, Andy, Francesca, or me onto this sh-sh-ship until I personally t-t-tell you otherwise. Is that cl-cl-clear?"

The Gate Guardian nodded.

"Good," said Merlee. "I'll be back to check every few days."

He vanished.

The Gate Guardian crossed its arms and stood stoically at its post.

As was said, the Gate Guardian lived to guard things…

And now that it had been given something to guard, that was what it was going to do.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**QUICK ATTACK (Magic Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Magic  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description: **Image of a goblin slashing through a foe with an axe. You must play this card immediately after summoning a Fusion Monster. The Monster can attack on the round it is summoned.

_Note: "Quick Attack" was used many times in the anime by many characters, originally by Strings in "Mime Control". Also note that this card is only of use in situations where Battle City rules regarding fusions are in effect._

**0**

**0**

**0**

**THE SNAKE HAIR (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Zombie  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level: **4  
**ATK: **1,500  
**DEF: **1,200

**Card Description: **A dangerous female monster with venomous snakes for hair. Anyone that sees her eyes is instantly turned to stone.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**GREAT MAMMOTH OF GOLDFINE (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Zombie/Fusion  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level: **6  
**ATK: **2,200  
**DEF: **1,800

**Card Description: **_The Snake Hair plus Dragon Zombie_

A zombie mammoth whose bones gleam in a dazzling gold. It is a very rare sight to behold.

_Note: "The Snake Hair" and "Great Mammoth of Goldfine" were used by Bonz in "Shadow of a Duel". Contrary to belief, these cards are not real, even in Japan, although they have appeared in several video games._

**0**

**0**

**0**

**NECROMANCY (Magic Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Magic  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description: **Image of a shadowy figure behind a dark graveyard crawling with rotting zombies. Special Summon up to four Monsters from your opponent's Graveyard to his or her side of the field in face-up Defense Mode. If a Monster summoned by this card is destroyed, reduce the ATK of one of your opponent's Monsters on the field by 600 for one turn.

_Note: "Necromancy" was first used by Yugi in "Clash in the Coliseum (Part 3)" All creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**Coming up next:**_

_**Some say that a warrior is defined by the weapon he or she chooses to use. Even if her choice of weapon is her bare fists – like Amazoness Fighter – it says a lot about the warrior.**_

_**Back on the road, Francesca seeks to get her seventh card, and she meets a duelist with that same philosophy. In his deck, weapons and Monsters are one.**_

**_See what I mean as another duelist is revealed, in a chapter that I call "Soul of the Forge", coming soon._**


	31. Soul of the Forge

_I'd like to say a few things._

_First, I may have taken a liberty on the rules regarding a certain Spell Card in the duel in this chapter. Please don't review saying I made a mistake._

_Also, that reviewer was wrong – he got my card "Sibling Rivalry" confused with the real card "A Rival Appears!"; everyone makes mistakes._

_Also, Merry Christmas everyone. Enjoy._

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**If you want to be a successful duelist, you have to build a deck that works. That means you have to have a successful theme.**_

_**It could mean simply powerful Monsters that you pound your foe away with (a "Beatdown Deck") or the opposite, weak Monsters that you combine with Traps and Magic Cards to be the David to the Goliaths (also known as "Weenie Rush Decks").**_

_**But more often than not, a good theme means concentrating on a specific Type or Attribute of Monster. Stan uses Spellcasters, and Andy uses Dragons. I've seen Fiend, Fairy, Warrior, Insect, Water, Fire, and a host of others.**_

_**Harder still is to do what I did and concentrate on a Type within a Type. Most of my Amazons are Warriors, but they're special Warriors, who work together in ways that other Warriors can't. I've seen some people use Swords Woman in standard Warrior decks due to her effect – she can be summoned by a Marauding Captain and searched for by Reinforcement of the Army, after all – but she still works best among her own kind. **_

_**There are other examples. Diana played a deck with Elemental Heroes, and they're Warriors who do NOT belong in any other deck. Some people choose Archfiends over standard Fiends, even though using them can be hazardous.**_

_**And this guy I'm facing?**_

_**His principle Monsters aren't the same Type, they aren't the same Attribute, and they don't even look similar…**_

_**But there's definitely a connection…**_

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER THIRTY**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Soul of the Forge**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

The townsfolk of Keelhaul Key were very surprised to see Stan, Francesca, and Andy again. The memory or Maria's defeat was still fresh in their minds. The three of them unanimously decided to keep quiet about Cortez and what they had found – it was best not to have everyone looking for the spoils on that ship.

After Stan concealed the Sapphire Star in a hidden pouch in his backpack, they slept soundly in the inn.

Andy promised Francesca the next duel, as soon as they found someone. They were getting a little concerned – certainly, not many duelists could be left on the island…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

After a breakfast of Belgian waffles again, they were back on the road, once again heading in the direction of Poshley Heights. They didn't exactly want to go back to that stuffy place, but they weren't so eager to go in the other direction towards Twilight Town.

"There's gotta be someone around," said Andy to Francesca. "If we look hard enough, we'll find someone…"

"Boy…" muttered Francesca, "I do hope that the Shadow Spawn weren't preying on the other contestants before they got to us! If they did… who knows what happened to them…"

Stan paused.

"Merlee mentioned that the Queen has some sort of prison called The Graveyard…" he mused. "What do you suppose it is?"

"I'm guessing it's one of those in-between places that sorcerers banish people to, and they never come back from," muttered Andy. "We really have no idea what the Queen can do… heck, we've only _seen_ her twice so far…"

"If she's so damn powerful, why doesn't she try to duel us herself instead of sending flunkies after us?" asked Francesca. "Maybe under this frightening façade, there's nothing more than a big coward…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The Queen's brow furrowed when she heard that. _That_ she did _not_ like.

"Oh, so you think I'm a coward, Francesca, do you?" she snarled. "Well, as for why I'm not handling you myself, it's not due to a lack of ability or courage…

"If my personal involvement is ever to happen, I have to know you better than you know yourself! Thus, observation has to be done. I can't miss the slightest detail – not one iota of fact must be overlooked.

"And once all other options are exhausted, then and _only_ then will I feel that victory will be certain…

"…and we'll see who's scared at that point.

"In the meantime, Francesca, you need another duel, so why not take a little visit to my museum? Free admission…"

She tossed a card into her fireplace…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

As they were walking, they saw a group of black birds fly overhead…

Suddenly, one of them swooped down and landed on Fran's head!

"AAA!" she shouted. "Get it off!"

Andy and Stan drew back in fear…

(200/300)

"Yata-Garasu…" whispered Stan.

"That thing gives me the creeps…" muttered Andy.

"GET IT OFF!" shouted Francesca.

"Stand still, Fran…" muttered Andy, flicking his Disk into position.

"NO!" screamed Francesca. "NOT THAT WAY!"

Then the Spirit snatched one of Francesca's earrings and flew away!

"HEY!" shouted Francesca. "Come back here you stupid Spirit-Fiend-bird-whatever-you-are!"

She ran across the meadow after it. It seemed to be heading towards a large building.

She flicked her own Disk into position and drew a card.

_Amazon Archer,_ she thought. _Hope this works…_

She placed the card on her Disk while running, and Amazon Archer appeared in front of her. (1,400/1,000)

The archer notched an arrow into her bow and fired! It struck the Spirit, and it burst into black pixels.

"I always wanted to do that to a Yata-Garasu…" muttered Fran. "I _hate_ Spirit Monsters…"

She ran up, and saw that her earring had landed on the front steps of a large building with marble pillars.

She looked at the brass nameplate on the door.

Monster Island Museum of Armaments 

"Hey guys," she called over, "look at this…"

"What's a museum doing so far off the road?" asked Andy.

"Dunno…" muttered Fran. "But I have the feeling something interesting is inside… I just hope we don't have to pay admission…"

They opened the doors, and were met by classical music playing softly. The well- lit museum was seemingly empty of people, but it clearly seemed to have a theme in its exhibits – armor and weapons. In racks and display cases were very old swords, axes, maces, and suits of armor, seemingly from every global culture available.

"Whoa," muttered Stan. "How long did it take to put this collection together?"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The Shadow Queen chuckled.

"Oh, about ten years, Stan," she laughed. "I made it a point to take a souvenir from every defeated enemy…

"And as you can see, I had _lot_ of those…"

She sighed.

"It used to be that the museum reminded people here just who was in charge of this island and that I could crush anyone who tried to oppose me. Sadly, thanks to your accursed ancestors, it's become the opposite, and due to the spell they put on that building, I can't even reclaim my trophies…

"Curse them…

"But anyway Fran, there should be someone in the main hall that you'll want to meet…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

As the three teens wandered through the museum, they heard someone speaking as they approached a large room.

They walked into a large hall. A huge skylight was above them, and the walls were decorated with weapons of all varieties.

They saw the "someone" who was talking. It was an older boy, looking at an ornate sword on the wall.

"Not exactly _Godric Gryffindor_, but still pretty," he murmured.

"Hello?" said Stan.

The boy turned to look at them.

He looked about nineteen years old, with deep green eyes, and short black hair that was slightly mussed up. He wore a denim jacket over a white tee-shirt, beige trousers, blue striped sneakers, and short white socks. Most impressive, he wore a silver Celtic cross around his neck, with green gems set into it. He also wore a Duel Disk on his arm.

"Quite an exhibit, wouldn't you say?" he asked.

"You seem at home in this place…" said Francesca.

"I should," he said, holding out his arm. "I'm Cyrus… Cyrus Gamule…"

"Francesca," said Fran, shaking. "And what do you mean you should?"

"Well, the Monsters in my deck should…" he said, looking at his Disk. "Look all around us… We're in a place full of weapons… Products of the forge…

"And the creatures in my deck have the Soul of the Forge…"

"Warriors?" asked Francesca.

"Well… not exactly…" muttered Cyrus. "They're warriors… but not Warriors, per se…"

"Well," said Fran with a smile, "are your 'warriors' up to sparring with mine?"

She pulled out her six Crystal Cards.

"I only need one more…"

"Well, this will be interesting…" said Cyrus with a grin.

He took six of his own out of his Disk.

"Whoever wins goes to the Thousand Year Door!"

Francesca was dumbfounded.

But she soon recovered.

"Oo-kay, I'm jack with that…" she muttered.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

As Francesca shuffled her deck, her two friends gathered around her.

"Okay, Fran, be careful now…" warned Andy. "This guy didn't get six of his own because he's a lightweight…"

"And I don't know what he means by Soul of the Forge," questioned Stan. "And 'warriors but not Warriors'? It's rather odd…"

"I can take him…" muttered Francesca.

She walked forward to face Cyrus.

"Ready whenever you are, Francesca," he said, "prepare to taste the fury of my Guardians!"

He lifted his arm, and the holo-imagers shot out of his Disk.

_Guardians?_ thought Fran, as her own Disk activated.

They each drew their first hands, and the Life Point counters each set to 8,000.

_Perfect!_ thought Cyrus. _My favorite Monster in my first hand, and already a way to make a killer combo! She won't know what hit her._

"Ladies first…" he urged.

"Fine," said Francesca, drawing.

She placed a card down.

"I'll summon this gal in Attack Mode… Beautiful Headhuntress!"

In a flash of light, the young girl dressed in a kimono carrying a cleaver appeared. (1,600/800)

"That's impressive…" stated Cyrus.

"Quite," said Francesca with a grin. "And once I clear the field of whatever you summon, she's adding _your_ head to her collection!"

"Really?" dared Cyrus, making a draw.

He took a card from his hand.

"You'll have to get by _this_ guy first!" he exclaimed. "I summon a Monster in Defense Mode! The mighty **_Backup Gardna_**!"

He threw a card down, and a rumbling was heard as a form started to rise…

A hulking Monster appeared. It was a muscular brute, with claws, purple skin, pointed ears, yellowing teeth, and a feral expression. It had a mane of wine-red, unkempt hair, and was dressed only in a loincloth.

It squatted in Defense Position. (500/2,200)

"EEEWW!" exclaimed Stan. "That guy is _ugly_!"

"You ever hear the expression 'beauty is only skin deep'?" asked Cyrus. "Well so is ugliness. Backup Gardna may not be the most good-looking Monster around, but it has a powerful ability that helps the creatures in my deck a great deal.

"And it's your move, Fran."

Francesca looked at her cards.

_I don't have anything right now that can crack that thing's defense…_ she thought.

She made a draw.

…_but this is even better!_

She put a card down.

"I summon Amazoness Swords Woman in Attack Mode!" she shouted.

The bikini-clad Warrior appeared, holding her great sword. (1,500/1,600)

"Swords Woman!" shouted Francesca, "attack Backup Gardna!"

Swords Woman lifted her sword and leapt at the Beast-Warrior. It grunted in surprise and swatted her away.

"Nice work!" said Francesca with a grin. "And thanks to Sword Woman's effect, you take all the damage I would have taken!"

Cyrus's Life Points fell to 7,300.

"All right," he muttered, drawing, "you win round one, but now I can complete my combo…"

He fit a card into a slot.

"I'm Equipping Backup Gardna with this…" he said. "Butterfly Dagger – Elma!"

A flash appeared on the ceiling, and a large, jade dagger with a hilt shaped like a butterfly fell, hilt first. Backup Gardna caught it and held it aloft.

"What does that do?" asked Francesca.

"It raises the Attack of any Monster by 300 points," answered Cyrus.

Backup Gardna's Attack rose to 800.

"Why did you do that?" asked Francesca, puzzled. "You're _defending _with that Monster!"

"Because," said Cyrus, with a smile, "I have to have this particular Equip Card on my side of the field to summon its owner!"

He placed a card down.

"I summon Guardian Elma!"

A whirlwind appeared on Cyrus's side of the field, and a beautiful Fairy woman materialized inside it. She was scantily clad, wearing a red loincloth and a green halter top, and a gossamer train tied to her wrists, as well as a collection of armbands. Her red hair was held back with a tiara. (1,300/1,200)

"I hate to break this to you," said Francesca with a smirk, "but both my Warriors can slice and dice your Fairy!"

"Not for long," answered Cyrus. "Didn't I tell you that Backup Gardna had a powerful ability? Once per turn, I can move one Equip Card that it has to another of my Monsters!"

The Butterfly Dagger vanished from Backup Gardna's hand, and reappeared in Elma's, bringing her Attack up to 1,600.

"Elma!" commanded Cyrus, "attack her Swords Woman with butterfly stab!"

Elma started spinning on her toes like a ballerina… She did a perfect split, and on the way down, stabbed Amazoness Swords Woman in the belly! The Amazon groaned and shattered.

Cyrus's Life Points slipped to 7,200.

"It may have cost me 100 Life Points, but you can't slam her into my Gardna anymore," he continued.

"Well I hate to say this, Cyrus," Francesca pointed out, "but your ballerina's and my Headhuntress's Attack Scores are now equal! We have a standoff!"

"Not for long…" warned Cyrus.

He waved his hand to signal the end of his turn.

Fran looked at her hand.

_Need to draw something that can beat that woman…_ she thought. _No way my Amazons are going to be humiliated by Miss Swan Lake!_

She drew.

_Aw, Amazoness Blowpiper?_ she thought. _This isn't my day!_

"I'll summon Amazoness Blowpiper in Defense Mode," she said, "and I'll end my turn…"

She put the card down, and the teenage Amazon holding her blowgun appeared, kneeling. (800/1,500)

"Very good," said Cyrus, drawing.

He looked at the card.

"I'll place a Monster facedown in Defense Mode," he stated, placing a card down.

A concealed Monster appeared.

"Elma!" he commanded. "Attack her Blowpiper!"

Elma danced towards Blowpiper… The Amazon gasped as she was stabbed through the heart, and then shattered.

_Ooh, you're gonna pay for this…_ thought Francesca, making a draw.

Her eyes opened at the sight of the card.

_YES!_

"I play the Magic Card… Art Attack!" she exclaimed, placing it into a slot.

"What does that do?" asked Kyle, startled.

"You'll see after three turns," said Francesca with a grin. "In the meantime, Beautiful Headhuntress, attack his facedown Monster!"

Beautiful Headhuntress raised her cleaver and charged…

And her blow was parried, as a Spellcaster in a blue robe holding a dagger appeared. (1,600/1,600)

"Sorry Fran," chuckled Cyrus, "but it appears that battle was a draw…"

"I know that guy!" said Stan, shocked. "That's Arsenal Summoner! Aesop used him to move his Gate Guardian to his hand!"

"And since you just flipped him, I can use his effect to move _any _Monster with the word 'Guardian' in its name to my hand!" exclaimed Cyrus.

A card slipped out of his deck, and he took it.

"This one will do…" he said.

"Fine, it's your move…" muttered Francesca.

Cyrus drew.

"Now I'll discard one card from my hand to Equip Backup Gardna with a new weapon!" he exclaimed.

_And I know just what to discard,_ he thought, discarding another Equip Card.

He placed a card into a slot.

"Go, Twin Swords of Flashing Light – Tryce!"

A light shone in the ceiling again, and two long swords with fancy hilts fell down, hilt first again. Backup Gardna caught them in its claws, spun them around dramatically, and then pointed them downward.

Francesca noticed that Gardna's Attack Score went down to zero.

"Huh?" asked Francesca. "It _decreases_ a Monster's Attack?"

"Yes," affirmed Cyrus, "but now I can summon _their_ owner!"

He switched cards on his Disk.

"I sacrifice Arsenal Summoner to summon another Guardian! Guardian Tryce!"

Arsenal Summoner vanished, and lightning struck where he stood. A tall man arose – a young man, dressed in a golden toga, carrying two swords that sparked with electricity. (1,900/1,700)

"Since Equipping Tryce with his weapon would only hinder him in this case," explained Cyrus, "I'll hold off on that for now."

He pointed.

"Tryce!" he shouted, "attack Beautiful Headhuntress with flashing blades!"

Tryce clashed his swords together and made a swift stroke, cutting Beautiful Headhuntress down!

Francesca's Life Points fell to 7,700…

"Oh, no…" muttered Andy.

"Go, Elma!" shouted Cyrus. "Attack Francesca directly!"

Elma spun her pirouette… Francesca cringed as she was stabbed in the gut by the Guardian's split.

She gasped for breath as her Life Points tumbled to 6,100.

"Any questions?" laughed Cyrus.

"Yeah, one…" gasped Francesca. "What's with these 'Guardians' anyway? They don't seem to be your garden variety Monsters…"

Cyrus chuckled.

"Fate brought the Guardians to me, Francesca…" he said.

He paused.

"It was several summers ago, when I was spending vacation with my mother. We usually spent our vacations on family trips with my father, but seeing as he was a… tragic casualty of the last war, that changed all our plans."

"Well… uh…" muttered Francesca.

"I don't mind…" muttered Cyrus. "But you'll never catch me joining the military. The only thing worse than dying is dying needlessly…

"Anyway, I went to a mall where Industrial Illusions was holding a tournament, and I was intrigued to say the least. On a whim, I decided to buy one booster pack of cards, and see what I came up with. As fate would have it, two of the cards in that pack were Guardian Elma and Butterfly Dagger!

"I felt that Elma was calling out to me, and that I had to become a duelist with her and the other Guardians as staples in my deck. So I took jobs over the summer to afford cards – and a little begging to my mom didn't hurt either. Eventually, I built my deck, and entered another mall tournament, and thanks to a ton of research on the net, I won.

"And getting to Monster Island was relatively easy – I have a pen pal here who was able to get me invited. It's been a long road, but I have faith that I can reach the Thousand Year Door!"

He paused.

"Now where were we?" he asked. "Oh yes, it was your move…"

Francesca drew.

_Finally,_ she thought.

"I'll place one card facedown on the field," she said, fitting a card into a slot.

A card appeared in front of her.

"Then I'll summon… Amazoness Paladin!"

She put a new card down, and the Amazon general appeared, holding her sword aloft! (1,700/300) – (1,800/300)

"Paladin!" shouted Francesca, "attack Guardian Elma!"

Amazoness Paladin charged forward and stabbed Elma in the chest! She let out a cry and vanished into mist.

Cyrus's Life Points fell to 7,000.

_I have it all planned out, for now…_ thought Francesca. _He'll try to attack Paladin with Tryce on his turn, but my Waboku will block his attack… On my next turn, I'll summon my Chain Master, and then Paladin's Attack Score will be equal to Tryce's. I'll be safe until my Art Attack card kicks in…_

"Perhaps I should let you know something about Elma's Dagger, Fran," said Cyrus, interrupting her train of thought. "When it's destroyed while Equipped to a Monster, it returns to my hand, making it very hard for you to get rid of it!"

The Magic Card flew out of his discard slot, and into his hand.

"Oo-kay…" muttered Fran. "Your turn then, I guess…"

Cyrus made a draw.

"First I'll place a Monster facedown in Defense Mode," said Cyrus.

He placed the card down, and a facedown Monster appeared.

"And now that I have Elma's Dagger again," he continued, "I'll Equip it – to Tryce!"

He fit the card into a slot, and the Butterfly Dagger appeared strapped to Tryce's belt. His Attack Score went up to 2,200.

_Oh crud!_ thought Francesca. _That ruins my whole plan!_

"Tryce, attack her Paladin!" shouted Cyrus.

Tryce lifted his swords…

"Activate Waboku!" shouted Francesca, as her Trap Card lifted.

The three priestesses sprang up to deflect the attack.

"Not bad…" muttered Cyrus. He waved his arm to signal the end of his turn.

Francesca sighed and made a draw.

"I'll move Paladin into Defense Mode…" she said, turning the card.

Paladin knelt.

"And I'll also summon Amazoness Chain Master in Defense Mode."

She placed the card down, and Chain Master appeared, kneeling and holding her chain taunt. (1,500/1,300)

_Normally her effect is pretty useful,_ thought Fran, _but I have a feeling that taking one of his Monsters would be useless. I'm guessing that these… Guardians can't be summoned at all unless you first have their weapons on the field – and who knows how his other Monsters work?_

"It's your move," she said.

"Good," said Cyrus drawing.

_Not bad,_ he thought, looking at the Trap Card.

"I'll start by switching my facedown Monster into Attack Mode…" he said.

The facedown card flipped, and an imposing Monster appeared. It was a hulking, muscular creature dressed only in ragged trousers and an iron mask. He carried a flaming, iron hammer. (500/500)

"Huh?" questioned Francesca. "Who's _that_?"

"Iron Blacksmith Kotetsu," answered Cyrus. "When he's Flip-Summoned, I can add any Equip Card I want from my deck to my hand…"

A card slipped out of his deck and he took it.

"And I _want_ to add a card called Shooting Star Bow – Ceal, which I'm Equipping to Backup Gardna right now!"

Another flash of light appeared on the ceiling, and a slivery, ornate bow with a fine string fell from above. Backup Gardna caught it, and placed it on the ground in front of him.

"Another Guardian weapon!" exclaimed Andy. "That's not good…"

"Normally, this weapon would decrease a Monster's Attack by a full 1,000 points," explained Cyrus, "but since Gardna has no more to lose, it doesn't matter."

He placed another card down.

"And now I summon the owner of the Bow…" he exclaimed. "Guardian Ceal, come forth!"

A bonfire erupted on Cyrus's side of the field, and a bulky, lizard-like humanoid dressed in armor stepped out. He carried a bow and had a quiver of arrows strapped to his back. (1,700/1,400)

"And now," chuckled Kyle, "since your Paladin has a strong offense but a very low defense… Kotetsu, attack her Paladin with your flaming hammer!"

The blacksmith's hammer started to blaze with fire! He hurled it and it hit Paladin, burning her to a cinder!

"Ceal!" he shouted, "attack Chain Master with shooting star shot!"

Guardian Ceal drew back his bow, and fired a blast of fiery sparks! Amazoness Chain Master was blown to bits!

"And then there's Tryce!" laughed Cyrus.

Francesca gasped as Tryce leapt at her…

His swords crossed her neck… she was forced to her knees…

And then electricity shot through her! She screamed!

She groaned, as her Life Points fell to 3,900.

"Francesca, come on!" shouted Andy. "Come on baby, you're tougher than this!"

He clamped his hand over his mouth.

He looked over at Fran. She didn't seem to take offense at that, but she slowly got up.

Then she realized something…

"Anything else?" she asked.

"Yes," he said. "One card facedown."

"In that case," she said, "since three rounds have passed, my Art Attack card kicks in!"

Four cards flew out of her deck, and placed themselves on her Disk. First came another Amazoness Paladin (1,700/300), then came Amazoness Fighter (1,500/1,300), then her second Swords Woman (1,500/1,600), and finally, Amazoness Tiger! (1,100/1,500)

"And there's more!" stated Francesca. "I'm also playing Premature Burial…"

She fit the card into a slot, and her Life Points went down to 3,100.

"…to bring back my first Paladin as well!"

The other Paladin returned. (1,700/300)

"And with five Amazons on the field," continued Francesca, "my Paladins are both have an Attack of 2,200, and my Tiger has an Attack of 3,100!"

The scores of the three Amazons increased.

"Yes!" shouted Andy. "Show him how it's done Fran!"

Cyrus drew back.

"Amazoness Tiger!" she shouted. "Attack Guardian Tryce!"

The Tiger roared! she leapt up towards Tryce…

"I activate Trap Duplication!" shouted Cyrus.

His facedown card lifted…

"Trap Duplication?" gasped Francesca.

"Yes!" said Cyrus with a smile. "This special Trap becomes whatever Trap my opponent last activated, and believe that was Waboku!"

The three emissaries sprang up, blocking the Tiger's assault.

"Fine, I end my turn…" muttered Francesca. "But you can't attack any Amazon except my Tiger, and I doubt that you have a Monster stronger than she is…"

"Getting rid of her isn't a problem thanks to Ceal's special effect!" answered Cyrus, drawing.

"Special effect?" gasped Francesca.

"Each Guardian has a special power," said Cyrus. "First I'll use good old Backup Gardna's effect, to transfer Ceal's Bow to him…"

Shooting Star Bow vanished, and reappeared in Ceal's hand. His Attack Points fell to 700.

"Why did you do that?" asked Francesca, puzzled.

"He won't be keeping it," answered Cyrus. "I can destroy any Equip Card Equipped to Ceal, and in exchange for that, destroy any opposing Monster!

"Ceal, destroy her Tiger!"

The Bow crumbled into dust, and Ceal fired a flaming arrow. It struck Amazoness Tiger, and she was vaporized.

Ceal's Attack Score went back to its normal levels, and, unfortunately for Francesca, her Paladins' dropped to 2,100.

"Of course, destroying the Bow doesn't make Ceal disappear, in case you were wondering," explained Cyrus. "I only need a Guardian's weapon to _summon_ a Guardian, but once that's done, he or she can stay on the field without the weapon present."

"Now guys, let's take them out!" he shouted, "Ceal, attack her Swords Woman!"

Ceal fired his bow, and Sword Woman shattered into pixels.

Cyrus's Life Points fell to 6,800, and the Attack of the two Paladins' dropped to 2,000.

"Tryce!" shouted Cyrus, "attack one of the Paladins!"

Tryce made two swipes with his Swords, and one of the Paladins shattered.

Fran's Life Points slipped to 2,900, and the Attack of the other Paladin fell to 1,900.

"Now I'll move Kotetsu into Defense Mode…" stated Cyrus.

He turned the card, and Iron Blacksmith Kotetsu knelt.

"…and it's your move…"

Francesca started to sweat she drew.

_Hey, D.D. Warrior Lady,_ she thought. _Let's see him attack her!_

"I summon D.D. Warrior Lady in Defense Mode!" she exclaimed, placing a card down.

The beautiful dimensional Warrior in armor appeared, kneeling on her sword. (1,500/1,600)

"And I'll move my Paladin to Defense as well," she added.

She turned the card, and Paladin knelt.

"That's my turn," she said.

"Clever," said Cyrus, shaking his head. "If I had one of my Guardians attack her, he'd have been removed from play… but you forgot one little thing…"

He gestured.

"Backup Gardna, transfer the Twin Swords to Ceal!"

Francesca gasped. She had forgotten about those!

The Twin Swords of Flashing Light vanished from Backup Gardna's hands, and his original Attack of 500 returned. Ceal grabbed them, and his Attack went down to 1,200 – for the moment. The Swords crumbled to dust, and he aimed his bow…

D.D. Warrior Lady screamed as she was blown into pixels.

"Time to clean up!" shouted Cyrus. "Ceal, attack her Fighter!"

Ceal shot another arrow, and Amazoness Fighter was blown away.

"Tryce, attack Paladin!" yelled Cyrus.

Tryce made two slashes with his swords, and Amazoness Paladin was eradicated.

"So much for your army of Amazons," chuckled Kyle. "So what next?"

_Yeah, what next?_ Francesca asked herself. _I'm running out of options here…_

She drew…

"I play Graceful Charity!" she exclaimed.

She plugged the card into the slot, and the angel flew out of her deck, handing her three cards.

Francesca's eyes opened wide!

_I'll just discard these…_ she thought, handing the angel her Recruitment Drive and Gift of the Martyr cards.

The angel flew into her discard slot.

"Okay Cyrus!" she shouted, "time to take control of this duel with a move that's going to blow you over!"

"Give me all you've got!" laughed Cyrus.

"First," said Francesca, "I play Monster Reborn! And I'll bring back my old friend Amazoness Fighter!"

She played the card, and Amazoness Fighter appeared.

"Next," she continued, "I'll sacrifice her to summon an old friend of the family…"

Amazoness Fighter shattered.

"…meet Madame Flurrie of the Fog!" she shouted, placing the card down.

A purple cloud appeared, and then took shape into the well-endowed Wind Fairy. (1,800/1,000)

"Huh?" asked Cyrus. "She's a five-star Monster? No offense, but five-star Monsters with stats like that just don't cut it anymore!"

"Don't judge a Monster by her cover!" exclaimed Francesca. "Madame Flurrie is more dangerous than she appears! She has a very lethal effect!"

She took the last two cards in her hand.

"I can only enact this effect once per duel, and I have to discard two cards…" she explained.

She discarded them.

"…and then… Well, watch. Flurrie, use your merciless Gale Force!"

Madame Flurrie took a deep breath, and then exhaled a blast of wind of hurricane-like intensity! Iron Blacksmith Kotetsu was swept off his feet first, and shattered into shards! Then Guardian Ceal was swept up and shattered as well. Guardian Tryce tried to resist, but the wind was too strong for him… He was thrown back and blown to pieces. Finally, Backup Gardna resisted the longest, but it was too much for even the hulking Beast-Warrior. It toppled over and was blasted into pixels.

"Not bad, huh?" laughed Francesca. "With one move, she's blown all your Monsters away!"

"True!" sneered Cyrus angrily, "but thanks to Tryce, you won't be getting a free shot!"

A windy form arose on Cyrus's side of the field.

"When Tryce is destroyed, I can Special Summon the Monster I sacrificed to summon him!" exclaimed Cyrus. "So say hello to Arsenal Summoner again!"

(1,600/1,600)

"And don't forget," he continued, "When the Butterfly Dagger is destroyed, it returns to my hand…"

A card slipped out of his discard slot, and he caught it.

"Fine," said Francesca. "I can't attack on the same round I use Flurrie's ability, so I'll end my turn."

"Fran just made a great move!" exclaimed Andy.

"Yeah," cautioned Stan, "the only problem is, she had to deplete all the cards in her hand in order to do it. I hope that doesn't come back to haunt her…"

Cyrus drew…

_Crud,_ he thought. _Two Guardians and I don't have their weapons…_

"I'll shift Arsenal Summoner to Defense Mode, and end my turn…" he stated.

Arsenal Summoner knelt.

"I draw one card…" said Francesca.

She grinned…

She placed the card down.

"I summon Amazoness Priestess!" she yelled.

The young Amazon with her long skirt and leather bikini top, carrying her crystal-topped staff appeared. (1,500/1,500)

"This Spellcaster gains 100 Attack Points for every Amazon in my Graveyard," said Fran with a smirk, "and thanks to you, there are eight so far!"

(2,300/1,500)

"Flurrie!" ordered Fran, "attack his Arsenal Summoner!"

Flurrie blew forth her lethal breath. Arsenal Summoner tried to withstand it, but he was blown away.

"Amazoness Priestess, attack his Life Points directly!" yelled Fran.

Cyrus screamed as the Priestess aimed her staff and fired a beam of green energy, hitting him in the chest!

His Life Points fell to 4,500.

"Make your move…" dared Fran.

Cyrus drew.

"Well, this worked for you," he said, "so _I'll_ play Graceful Charity!"

He played the card, and the angel flew out and handed him three cards.

He gave a smirk. He added the three cards to his hand, and then handed her two.

As she vanished, he put a card down.

"I'll summon this Monster in Defense Mode," he announced. "Battle Footballer!"

In a burst of flame, a hulking android in a football jersey and helmet appeared. It crouched as if ready to defend against a blitz. (1,000/2,100)

"And now I'll Equip it with this," he continued, placing a card into a slot. "Rod of Silence – Kay'est!"

Another light shone on the ceiling, and a sparkling rod made of sapphire fell. Battle Footballer caught it.

"Another Guardian weapon!" gasped Francesca.

"Yes, and this one is actually beneficial to Battle Footballer," explained Cyrus, "because it boosts its already-powerful Defense by 500 points!"

Battle Footballer's Defense rose to 2,600.

"And I end my turn," he said.

Francesca considered her options.

_He obviously plans to summon a new Guardian next round, and there's no telling what it can do,_ she thought. _The only way I can stop him by either destroying Battle Footballer or the Rod he's Equipped with… But neither of my two Monsters are strong enough to break his defensive line, and I've got no cards in my hand right now…_

She drew.

Pot of Greed.

Well, this might help… 

"I play Pot of Greed!" she exclaimed, playing the card.

She placed the card in the slot, and the Pot appeared. The spectral hand handed her two more cards.

"Boy, I wonder if I'll ever get used to seeing that?" muttered Stan..

_Nuts, these are no good…_ she thought.

"I'll pass this turn…" she sighed.

"Good," said Cyrus with a grin.

He drew.

"And now I'll summon… Guardian Kay'est, in Defense Mode!"

Beautiful music played over the arena, and a lovely mermaid appeared. She was unclothed, her chest concealed by her flowing green hair, and she gripped a rod similar to the one Battle Footballer was holding. (1,000/1,800)

"That's the best you've got?" asked Francesca.

"You said it yourself," answered Cyrus, "don't judge a Monster by its cover!"

"Fine!" said Francesca, drawing.

_Lovely,_ she thought. _NOW I draw Mystical Space Typhoon!_

She fit it into a slot.

"I play Mystical Space Typhoon!" she shouted, "to destroy your Rod of Silence!"

The whirlwind blasted forward, vaporizing the Rod in Battle Footballer's hands.

"I thought I told you," chuckled Cyrus. "Destroying a weapon won't make its owner disappear!"

"Then I'll make her disappear the old fashioned way!" shouted Francesca. "Amazoness Priestess, attack Kay'est!"

Amazoness Priestess raised her staff…

And then she slowly lowered it. She shook her head.

"What?" sputtered Stan.

"Kay'est can't be attacked, Fran," chuckled Cyrus. "She radiates an aura of peace so powerful, that no Monster can bring itself to attack her. And she's immune to Magic Cards as well, making her one of the greatest wall Monsters in the game!"

"Fine…" sighed Francesca, "it's your move…"

Cyrus drew.

"Now watch…" he said.

"I'll Equip Battle Footballer with my Butterfly Dagger!" he exclaimed.

He fit the card into the slot, and the Dagger fell from the ceiling. Battle Footballer caught it, and its Attack rose to 1,300.

"Having done that," he continued, "I can now play Monster Reborn, to bring back Guardian Elma!"

He fit a card in the slot, and the holy ankh appeared. Elma stepped out from it. (1,300/1,200)

"Not her again…" muttered Francesca, under her breath.

"And now," stated Cyrus, "I can activate her effect, which I wasn't able to do last time! When Elma is summoned, I can Equip her with any Equip Card from my Graveyard! And I'll use the card that I discarded in order to Equip Backup Gardna with the Twin Swords! It's another Guardian Weapon called Gravity Axe – Grarl!"

Yet again, a light flashed from the ceiling, and a large, heavy, silver axe fell from the ceiling, embedding its blade in the floor. Elma took its shaft and hefted it up.

Her Attack score rose to 1,800.

"And having done that," said Cyrus with a smile, "I can now sacrifice Kay'est for my strongest Guardian! Kay'est, begone!"

Kay'est vanished…

In her place rose a huge, hulking humanoid creature that looked like a cross between a very large man and a dinosaur. He had scaly, gray skin, knotted muscles, and was dressed only in a pair of trousers. He carried an axe similar to the one Elma was now holding.

"Presenting… Guardian Grarl!" shouted Cyrus.

(2,500/1,000)

"Grarl,"he commanded, "attack her Priestess!"

Grarl slammed his axe into the ground, and a shockwave shot forth! Amazoness Priestess screamed as she was blown apart!

Fran's Life Points slipped to 2,700.

_Okay,_ thought Fran. _Really running out of ideas… All I've got left is Flurrie, and her Attack is equal to Elma's now…_

"In case you're thinking of shifting your diva to Defense Mode, forget it," stated Cyrus. "So long as Grarl's axe is on the field, no Monster can change its position, not even mine.

"And it's your move…"

Fran drew.

She looked at the Trap Card.

Then she looked at the two cards in her hand.

_You know,_ she thought. _All this use of Equip Magic Cards has given me an idea…_

She added the card to her hand, and chose another one.

"I play Fairy of the Spring," she announced. "And since you like Equips so much, I'm sure you know what it does."

A card flew out of her discard slot, and she caught it.

"Now," she said, "I'll place a card facedown, and that will be all for me…"

She fit a card into a slot, and it appeared behind Flurrie.

"Well," said Cyrus drawing, "that was the best you could do, huh?

"Grarl, attack her Flurrie!"

Grarl raised his axe…

"Heh, heh…" chuckled Fran. "You called an attack, Cyrus! You can't take it back now!"

Her Trap Card lifted…

"ARRGH!" shouted Cyrus. "A Mirror Force!"

Grarl's Axe slammed into his reflection, and both he and Elma were blown away!

"Wow…" muttered Andy in shock. "I think that was the first time Fran's Mirror Force actually _worked_…"

"How could I have been so careless…" muttered Cyrus.

He growled.

"Okay, Fran, this just got personal!"

He fit a card into a slot.

"I'll play my own Fairy of the Spring!"

A card flew out of his discard slot.

"Do your worst!" he dared.

_Okay…_ thought Francesca_. I've got the right Equip Card, now all I need is the right Monster… Deck, don't fail me…_

She drew…

She looked at the card.

"First I'll play the card I got back from Fairy of the Spring – Premature Burial!"

She played the card, and her Life Points fell to 1,900.

"I'll use it to bring back Amazoness Fighter," she said, as the bulky Warrior arose. (1,500/1,300)

"And now," she said, placing a card down, "I'll sacrifice both her and Flurrie…"

Flurrie blew Cyrus a kiss before she and the Fighter vanished.

"…to summon my mightiest Monster… Meet my own Guardian – Guardian Angel Joan!"

Light fell from the huge skylight above, and the huge form of Guardian Angel Joan descended, bathed in radiant glory! (2,800/2,000)

"Joan," ordered Francesca, "attack his Battle Footballer with searing light of Heaven attack!"

Guardian Angel Joan shot forth a beam of pure light, vaporizing Battle Footballer!

"And I did more than just destroy your Monster, Cyrus," continued Francesca. "When Joan destroys a Monster, I gain Life Points equal to the destroyed Monster's Attack Score, which was currently 1,300!"

Fran's Life Points went up to 3,200.

_Okay, now I'm in trouble…_ thought Cyrus.

A card flew out of his discard slot. As always, Butterfly Dagger had returned to his hand.

He drew.

"A Monster in Defense Mode…" he said, placing a card facedown.

The facedown card appeared.

"Anything else?" asked Fran.

"NO!" shouted Cyrus. "Just move!"

Fran drew.

_Hey…_ she thought.

"I summon Yoshi the Loyal Steed in Attack Mode!" she proclaimed.

She placed the card down, and the young Dinosaur appeared, doing a skip. (1,600/1,000)

"And since that was the worst bluff I've ever seen," chuckled Francesca, "Yoshi, attack his facedown Monster with your Ground Pound!"

Yoshi leapt up into the air and hovered there for a minute…

A humanoid creature appeared on the card – it was an android dressed in blue, fancy spandex.

Yoshi came down on it head-first and pounded it until it shattered.

_She destroyed my Cyber Raider…_ thought Cyrus, nervously.

"Joan, attack him directly!" laughed Francesca.

Joan shot forth her beams, and Cyrus screamed as he was engulfed in the burning radiance! His Life Points plummeted to 1,700.

Cyrus slowly got up.

_I've got to do something, or I'm finished…_ he thought.

He drew a card.

"I play my own Pot of Greed," he said.

The Pot handed him two cards.

_Hey, I just drew my own Mirror Force…_ he thought. _Maybe at the very least, I can stall…_

"I'll place a card facedown," he stated, "and also a Monster facedown in Defense."

He set the cards, and the two facedown cards appeared.

"Your move…" he muttered.

Fran looked at him strangely.

She drew one card.

She looked at the field. She looked at Yoshi and Joan.

"I'll pass this turn…" she said, softly.

_Nuts, she didn't fall for it…_ thought Cyrus.

He drew a card.

Then it's time to go for broke… 

He hit a command on his Disk.

"I Flip-Summon my Obnoxious Celtic Guardian!" he shouted.

The card flipped over, and the elven Warrior wearing armor and a cape, holding his longsword sprang into view. (1,400/1,200)

He placed two cards into slots.

"And now I'll Equip him with both my Gravity Axe _and_ my Butterfly Dagger, making his Attack Score a powerful 2,100!"

Obnoxious Celtic Guardian's sword vanished, and was replaced by the axe; the dagger appeared strapped to his belt.

"And now I'll play my own Premature Burial, to bring back Guardian Grarl!"

He played the card, his Life Points fell to 900, and Grarl emerged from the ground. (2,500/1,000)

"Grarl!" he ordered, "attack her Dinosaur!"

Grarl slammed his axe into the ground, and Yoshi was blown to pieces.

Francesca's Life Points fell to 2,300.

"Your move…" he said, nervously.

Francesca drew.

"I must say, Cyrus, that was a gutsy move," sighed Fran, "but now it's time to bring this to a close…"

She placed a card into a slot.

"I play a card that's likely your worst enemy… Heavy Storm!"

A fierce wind whipped across the whole room! The Gravity Axe and Butterfly Dagger shattered first. Then Premature Burial burst, taking Grarl with it. Finally, the facedown Mirror Force was destroyed.

Francesca sighed in relief.

"I know I can't destroy your Obnoxious Celtic Guardian by attacking him with Joan," she said, "but if I do, you'll still lose 1,400 Life Points, which is more than you have.

"Joan, attack!"

Joan cast forth her searing beams, and Obnoxious Celtic Guardian cringed! Cyrus's Life Points were depleted.

"YES!" shouted Andy, running up to Francesca. "Go Fran!"

He hugged her. She hugged him back.

"Oh, you did it…" sighed Andy.

Cyrus sighed as well.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 **

"Well, I guess you'll be going to the Thousand Year Door first…" sighed Cyrus, handing over a Crystal Card.

"But don't get too comfortable," he continued. "The Guardians and I still have time. We're going to try our hardest to get two more and get there too."

"There's always the dream," said Francesca. "But be careful now!"

The three teens were excited as they rushed out of the building. Francesca quickly flicked her Disk open and placed her seven cards into slots.

The female voice sounded again, and a map of Monster Island appeared again.

"Congratulations, contestant!" she said again. "You have won seven Crystal Cards!"

A pointer on the map honed in on Twilight Town, and the map changed to that area.

"You have been selected to compete for the Citrine Star," continued the voice. "Win this Star, and you can enter the Thousand Year Door at any time."

The map closed in further, and a vision of a building came into view.

"I know that place…" muttered Andy. "That's the Creepy Steeple…"

"We've gotta go back there?" gasped Francesca.

An image of the Interdimensional Matter Transporter appeared again, and the strange machine appeared. The portal opened.

The three teens sighed, and walked through it.

Behind them, Cyrus was watching.

_Good luck,_ he thought. _I didn't want to worry you, but I know this is all more than a tournament…_

_My pen pal knows all about the Shadow Queen, and someone who gets into that Door has to stop her – if not me, then someone else…_

_And if God forbid she manages to escape, someone has to stop her even then. There IS one thing worse than dying needlessly… and that's dying at the hands of tyrants…_

_If the Queen escapes, and the Shadow Games start again, every great duelist in the world will have to stand united against her…_

Even me… 

**0**

**0**

**0**

**BACKUP GARDNA (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Beast-Warrior  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level: **4  
**ATK: **500  
**DEF: **2,200

**Card Description: **Once per turn, you can move an Equip Magic Card equipped to this Monster to another legitimate target on your side of the field.

_Note: "Backup Gardna" was first used by Raphael in the multi-part anime episode "Fate of the Pharaoh". All creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0**

**0**

**0**

**TRAP DUPLICATION (Trap Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Trap  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description: **Image of a hand of four cards, all four of them "Mirror Force". When you activate this Trap, duplicate the effect of the last Trap your opponent activated. If that Trap was a Continuous Trap or Counter Trap, this card becomes a Trap of the same Type.

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**Coming up next:**_

_**Andy has been to the Creepy Steeple, but last time, its most infamous resident wasn't there.**_

_**In her quest to qualify, Francesca faces another dreaded villain from the video game, a guy that players of the game loved to hate – Doopliss! And wait until you see the spin on this freak-in-a-sheet's dueling strategy! **_

_**And find out what Fran's "Showstopper" card does!**_

**_Fans of the original _Star Trek_ will recognize the title of this chapter…_**

"_**Mirror, Mirror" is coming up next!**_


	32. Mirror, Mirror

_**In my tournament career, I've beaten a lot of tough opponents…**_

_**In one tournament, I defeated Black Luster Soldier – Envoy of the Beginning using a combination of Heavy Storm (destroying his Traps), Amazoness Fighter, and Amazoness Spellcaster. **_

**_Once I really earned a victory. I defeated a duelist who tried the infamous Last Turn/Jowgen the Spiritualist combo. I knew he was up to something when he did almost nothing except put up a 3,000-point Wall of Revealing Light. So when I got Heavy Storm in my hand, I waited. As I expected, he summoned Sangan and suicided it against my Fighter. Once he searched for what he wanted, he set two cards facedown. _Then_ I played Heavy Storm, wiping out the first Wall, the second, and his Last Turn, making the Jowgen he had searched for worthless. After that I went in for the kill and won. _**

_**I defeated a lot of tough opponents…**_

**_But I have _never_ faced an opponent with a strategy like this…_**

_**Mainly, because this strategy isn't supposed to exist…**_

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Mirror, Mirror**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

It was five minutes to one.

The Interdimensional Matter Transporter appeared outside of the well-named Creepy Steeple, and its portal opened, discharging its three passengers.

They walked out, and faced the doors of the large building.

They paused for a few minute.

"Well, here it is…" muttered Andy. "The Creepy Steeple."

"Creepy, isn't it?" asked Stan.

At that point, the Steeple's terrible bell tolled, striking one!

"Ooh!" gasped Andy, covering his ears. "I thought I blasted that blasted thing!"

"Apparently, someone fixed it…" scowled Francesca.

The front doors swung open…

Slowly, they walked inside.

The main entrance hall of the Steeple was just as spooky as before. Ghostly wisps floated through the hall.

"Come on," said Andy. "Francesca likely has to get to the belfry, and I remember the way…"

As he said those words, a chilling laugh echoed in the hall…

Suddenly, the ghostly wisps combined into a dark shape. It resembled a phantom, hooded man in a dark cloak with glowing, evil eyes! (1,500/1800)

"That's Invitation to a Dark Sleep!" gasped Andy.

"Don't worry," mumbled Francesca, flicking her Disk into place. "I'll handle it…"

She drew a card.

"Beautiful Headhuntress, go!" she shouted, throwing the card down.

The lovely young woman in her kimono carrying her cleaver appeared in midair. (1,600/800)

She flew towards Invitation to a Dark Sleep, and slashed with her cleaver, blasting him into pixels!

"If this guy thinks he can scare us with spooky Monsters," growled Francesca, as Headhuntress vanished, "he doesn't know how experienced we are!"

She reshuffled her deck, and they headed for the room where they had found the first set of stairs.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

No other Monsters threatened them on their way up to the summit of the Creepy Steeple. However, they were ready for anything as they opened the trap door that led to the belfry.

The strange mirrors were still there. And a new edition was added: an ornate chair at the far end.

"Well, at least Peten isn't here," muttered Andy.

"Peten was an idiot!" said a low voice. "I go away for two days and leave him in charge, and when I come back, the place is a mess!"

"Who's there?" shouted Francesca.

"I am the true master of the Creepy Steeple…" said the voice.

A throaty laugh echoed through the belfry.

And then, a small form appeared, seated on the chair…

It was a weird creature. It looked like a kid with a sheet draped over him, like some sort of makeshift ghost Halloween costume. His eyes and mouth looked like black cutouts with red orbs in the eyes. He had no hands, his "arms" merely being part of the sheet. To complete the hilarious picture, he wore a blue bow tie, wore red shoes, and his "head" was topped by a pointy blue hat with red stars on it.

"YOU?" said Andy, almost laughing. "_You're_ the dreaded, 'evil creature' who's been tormenting Twilight Town for so long?"

"That's right," answered the creature.

The three teens burst out laughing!

"Oh geeze!" laughed Stan. "I'm so afraid of sheets! Especially ones that wear funny birthday hats!"

The creature's eyes narrowed.

"My name is Doopliss, for your information…" he growled.

"Hear that guys?" laughed Francesca. "He even has a dumb name!"

"I take it you're here for the Citrine Star, Francesca," said Doopliss, ignoring the wisecrack.

Francesca turned serious.

"That's right," she said, "so get your Disk ready, assuming you can even put one on what passes for your arm!"

"Oh, I will," snickered Doopliss, standing up, "just as soon as I make a small adjustment…"

At that point, the lights dimmed in the room, and the mirrors started to glow! Doopliss's image appeared in half of them, and Francesca's appeared in the other half…

Doopliss started to emit shadowy energy, and he started to glow and change shape…

And after about a minute, the light came back, and the three teens were facing a shadowy figure…

They all gasped. The figure was a shadow, but the shape…

It took a minute or two to figure it out, but eventually they got it. The shadow in front of them was a shadowy silhouette of Francesca!

"Ready Fran?" asked Doopliss, now in a voice that sounded like hers, only somewhat fiendish.

A Disk appeared on its shadowy arm.

"How dare you!" shouted Andy.

"Take it easy, Andy," assured Francesca. "I can handle him… her… it… whatever it is…"

"Now," said Doopliss, as a deck appeared in his hand, "let's shuffle and get this thing started…"

As the two duelists shuffled, a voice sounded in Doopliss's cobweb-filled mind.

"_Doopliss!"_ ordered the Shadow Queen_. "Let me remind you that I'm still upset at you for your last screw up!"_

"_That was a thousand years ago!"_ answered Doopliss. _"Cut me some slack! And don't forget our agreement… I get Francesca's real body once I defeat her."_

"_I keep my promises, Doopliss,"_ answered the Queen. _"But defeat her first, or you'll never be more than just a freak-in-a-sheet!"_

"_Stop calling me that…"_ sighed Doopliss.

The shadowy silhouette plugged his deck into his Disk, and lifted it up… The holo-imagers shot out, and the Disk flipped into position.

Francesca repeated the move, and the scores set to 8,000 apiece.

"The first move is yours," said the shadow, drawing five cards.

"All right pal," answered Francesca, drawing six. "Normally I'd say I'd wipe the smile off your face, but frankly, you don't have one!"

She looked at her hand.

_Not bad…_ she thought.

She placed a card down.

"I'll start by summoning Amazoness Fighter in Attack Mode!" she announced.

The powerful form of Amazoness Fighter appeared in front of her, ready to fight. (1,500/1,300)

"Very interesting…" said Doopliss with a chuckle.

He made his draw.

"Now I'll summon a Monster in Attack Mode, and I believe you'll recognize her…" he said.

He placed a card down, and a figure appeared…

Fran gasped, and so did her Warrior. The Monster that Doopliss had summoned was also Amazoness Fighter – but she was very different. Her clothing was black, she had bat-like wings growing from her back, horns on her forehead, and a barbed tail growing from her spine. (1,500/1,300)

"What is _that_?" demanded Francesca.

The sinister Fighter gave an evil grin to the normal one…

"My own version of Amazoness Fighter," chuckled Doopliss. "Quite a looker isn't she?"

"That is questionable…" growled Francesca.

"Let me explain…" laughed Doopliss. "When I cast the spell that made me alter my form, I also altered the forms of my deck's Monster Cards. Now, the Monster Cards in my deck are the same as yours – with a few differences…"

"Differences?" asked Francesca, starting to sweat.

"Yes," snickered Doopliss. "Take the main occupants of your deck, the Amazons. Most of them are Warrior Monsters, and all of them are Earth Monsters. However, MY versions are all Dark Fiends, although they have the same effects as yours.

"And as for the other cards in my deck, the Magic and Trap Cards, they're mostly _not_ the same as yours, being able to work with my unique brand."

"You beast!" shouted Andy. "You're practically mocking Francesca's Monsters by corrupting them!"

"If I wanted your opinion, I'd ask for it, Andy!" answered Doopliss. "Now where were we? Oh yes… I end my turn…"

Francesca angrily drew…

"I'll summon Amazoness Chain Master in Attack Mode!" she exclaimed.

She placed a card down, and the Amazon in the fur bikini appeared, swinging her spiked grapple. (1,500/1,300)

Chain Master looked confused. She looked at her ally, and then at her enemy…

She stopped looking confused, and started looking a bit pissed…

"I think Fran's Amazons are as mad at you as she is," growled Andy.

"I don't care!" exclaimed Doopliss. "My turn?"

"Go on…" dared Fran.

Doopliss drew.

"To keep you guessing, I place this card facedown," he said, "and that's all for me…"

He fit a card into his Disk, and a facedown card appeared.

Francesca drew.

_Bingo,_ she thought. _Now's my chance to really damage his Life Points!_

She switched cards on her Disk.

"I sacrifice my Fighter to summon my Penumbral Soldier Lady!" she exclaimed.

Amazoness Fighter vanished, and the mighty Warrior of Shadows arose! (2,100/1,400)

"Go!" shouted Francesca. "Take out that sorry excuse for an Amazon!"

Penumbral Soldier Lady raised her sword and charged at the fiendish Amazoness Fighter…

"Not so fast, Francesca!" laughed Doopliss. "I'm activating my Trap…"

His Trap Card lifted.

"A little thing called Bark of Dark Ruler!"

"Bark of Dark Ruler?" questioned Andy.

"It isn't very commonly used…" muttered Stan.

The frightening image of Dark Ruler Ha Des appeared behind the Fiend Amazon!

"I can activate this Trap Card when you declare an attack on one of my Fiends," sniggered Doopliss, "and I can spend Life Points to decrease the attacking Monster's Attack Score by the same amount! So… let's see… 700 should be enough…"

His Life Points fell to 7,300, and Penumbral Soldier Lady's Attack Score fell 1,400. The evil Fighter gave her a kick, and she shattered into pixels.

Francesca's Life Points slipped to 7,900.

"That move cost _you_ more Life Points than it did _me_!" she laughed, as the Dark Ruler vanished.

"Maybe my ultimate strategy is too complex for your feeble mind to comprehend!" laughed Doopliss.

"Just move…" she growled.

"Gladly…" chuckled Doopliss.

He drew, and grinned.

He put a card down.

"I'll summon my Amazon Archer in Attack Mode!" he exclaimed.

Another fiendish twin of one of Francesca's Warriors appeared. She looked like Amazon Archer, but again, her clothing was black, she had wings, horns, and a tail, and her bow and arrows were seemingly made of iron. (1,400/1,000)

Francesca scowled…

"And now…" grinned Doopliss.

He flicked his Field slot open.

"I'll play this… Mystic Plasma Zone!"

Lightning crackled above the room, and an uncanny darkness spread over the whole playing field.

"Oh no…" muttered Andy. "If all of his Monsters are Dark…"

"They'll gain 500 Attack Points in exchange for losing 400 Defense Points!" affirmed Stan.

It was only too true. Amazoness Archer's stats changed to (1,900/600), while his Fighter changed to (2,000/900).

"Now my Archer," commanded Doopliss. "attack her Chain Master with your black arrow!"

The Fiend Archer laughed and fired her bow, skewering Chain Master in the heart! She gasped and fell over before shattering.

"Amazoness Fighter!" shouted Doopliss, "attack Francesca directly!"

Francesca gasped as the evil Fighter ran up and kicked her in the gut.

Fran pulled herself off the floor with a look of hate in her eyes. This was the first time she had been attacked by an Amazon…

And she didn't like it.

She looked at her Disk. Her Life Points were at 5,500…

…soon to be lower.

Doopliss laughed out loud.

"How does it feel Francesca?" he laughed. "How does it feel to be on the receiving end of Amazoness Fighter's kick?"

"Laugh while you can, jerk," answered Francesca. "Because I'm activating Chain Master's special ability!"

"WHAT?" gasped Doopliss. "But your Life Points are too low…"

"I don't care," answered Francesca. "Since you destroyed her, I'm spending 1,500 of them…"

Her Life Points fell to 4,000.

"…to take one Monster Card from your hand!"

She walked over to Doopliss's side of the field.

"Out of my way, imposters!" she snarled to the two Fiends.

They glared at her, but they let her pass by.

Doopliss hesitated, and showed her his hand.

"WHAT?" shouted Francesca in surprise. "You had a Paladin in your hand and you didn't summon her?"

"I was waiting until I summoned more Amazons…" sulked Doopliss.

Francesca snatched it.

"Doopliss, you may have evil versions of my Monsters," she said as she walked back to her spot, "but you are clearly _not_ an Amazon Duelist."

Francesca gave a look at the card.

The symbol for Dark was there in place of the one for Earth, and word "Fiend" was in place of "Warrior", but other than that, this was the same as her own two Amazoness Paladin cards.

"Anything else you'd like to do before I move?" asked Fran.

"No…" growled Doopliss.

"Then I'll summon the Monster you gave me!" she said, putting the card down.

A Fiend version of Amazoness Paladin appeared. Her clothes were the same, but she had black skin and hair. She had claws, and her wings were like those of a raven. Her sword was made of iron. (1,700/300)

"I don't like using an evil version of one of my Amazons," said Francesca, "but I'll do anything to win this duel and get into the Thousand Year Door! Understand?

"Since I now have one Amazon on the field, her Attack rises by 100 points. And due to your own Field Card and her Dark nature, her Attack rises _another_ 500 points!"

(2,300/0)

"Fiend Paladin," shouted Francesca, "attack his Archer!"

The Paladin spread her wings and flew forward, striking down the Archer with her sword! The evil Archer was blasted into pixels.

Doopliss's Life Points fell to 6,900.

"And I'm not done yet, you copycat!" exclaimed Francesca. "I'll place these three cards facedown on the field…"

She threw cards into slots, and they appeared before her.

"Next," she continued, "I'll get rid of all three, with Emergency Provisions!"

She placed a card in a slot, and a huge mouth appeared, devouring the three cards. Her Life Points went up to 7,000.

Doopliss gasped.

"Finally, I'll play Card of Sanctity!" she shouted, throwing a card into a slot.

A bright flash lit up the darkness above, and Francesca drew five cards. Doopliss grunted and drew three.

"Now do you see why I was so eager to use Chain Master's effect?" asked Francesca with a smile. "Make your move…"

Doopliss growled… He made his draw…

"I'll summon Amazoness Blowpiper in Defense Mode…" he growled.

He put a card down, and a Blowpiper appeared. She was a wicked version of Fran's, who looked part Amazon and part lizard, with scaly skin and snake-like eyes. Again, her clothing was black. (800/1,500) –) (1,300/1,100)

"My move now…" said Fran, drawing a card.

She placed the card facedown, and it appeared behind the Paladin.

"Now I'll summon my second Fighter!" she announced.

She put another card down, and another Amazoness Fighter appeared. (1,500/1,300)

Francesca's Paladin rose to 2,400 Attack.

"Ladies," she said, pointing, "take down his freaks!"

The Fiend Amazon and the normal one charged forward. The Paladin obliterated the imposter Fighter, and the Fighter smashed the evil Blowpiper.

"All right!" shouted Andy. "That freak-in-a-sheet has no Monsters left!"

Doopliss was very angry. He drew.

_Hey, I have an idea,_ he thought.

He put a card down.

"I summon Amazoness Swords Woman in Attack Mode!" he shouted.

He put a card down, and a Fiend version of Swords Woman appeared. Her bikini was made of black leather, and she was barefoot. Again, she had batlike wings and horns, and her huge sword was made of blackened metal. (1,500/1,600) –) (2,000/1,200)

"Go!" shouted Doopliss. "Attack her Fighter!"

The evil Swords Woman lifted her sword.

"I activate Waboku!" shouted Francesca.

Her Trap Card lifted, and Doopliss's Swords Woman was stopped dead in her tracks. The duplighost hissed.

"My move now…" said Fran, making a draw.

She put a card down.

"I summon Amazoness Tiger, in Attack Mode!"

A roar echoed over the room, and the fierce tigress appeared. (1,100/1,500)

"Having three Amazons on the field brings my Paladin up to 2,500 Attack Points, and the Tiger up to 2,300!" laughed Francesca. "Now my Tiger, attack that harlot!"

Doopliss gasped as the Tiger pounced on the evil Swords Woman, tearing her apart.

Francesca closed her eyes and chuckled as her Life Points fell to 6,700.

"You thought I wouldn't attack because of her effect, didja?" she giggled. "Having to pay 300 Life Points is in order to inflict 4,000 on _you_ is quite a bargain!"

Doopliss gasped!

"Paladin, Fighter, attack that creep directly!"

The Paladin flew forward and slashed at Doopliss with her sword! Fighter charged forward and kicked at him!

Doopliss staggered back a little as his Life Points fell to 2,900, but strangely, he didn't appear to have suffered as much pain as taking those two hits should have done.

"Make your move," chuckled Francesca, "unless your tired of getting hurt and want to give up!"

_Fool,_ he thought_. I can't feel pain because I have nothing to feel! But once I win this duel and steal your form, it will be a pleasure!_

He drew.

_And this will help out immensely…_

He placed a Monster on his Disk, and a facedown Monster appeared.

He waved his hand to signal the end of his turn.

"That's it?" asked Francesca.

Doopliss was silent.

"Fine…" she said, drawing.

She looked at the card.

"Fighter," she ordered, "attack that facedown Monster!"

Amazoness Fighter charged…

And then a Cyber Jar appeared!

Fran watched in horror as her three Monsters were sucked into the pod and it exploded!

"I don't have _that_ in my deck!" she shouted.

"Did I say I couldn't have a Monster you don't have?" chuckled Doopliss. "Did I?"

Francesca scowled. They each picked up five cards.

Francesca smiled.

Doopliss threw down three cards.

"I summon Amazoness Chain Master, Beautiful Headhuntress, and another Amazoness Paladin!" he shouted.

First a Fiend Paladin appeared, looking much like the first one. (1,700/300) –) (2,300/0). Then an evil version of Beautiful Headhuntress appeared. Her kimono was tattered, she also had sinister wings and horns, and her cleaver was stained with blood. (1,600/800) –) (2,100/400) Finally, a demonic Chain Master appeared. She had raven-wings and horns, and her chain was rusty and even nastier than that of her normal counterpart. (1,500/1,300) –) (2,000/900)

Francesca put her cards down.

"I summon my own Amazoness Paladin, Warrior Dai Grepher, and Yoshi the Loyal Steed!" she shouted.

First Amazoness Paladin appeared, this one her true self. (1,700/300) –) (1,800/300) Then the mighty Grepher appeared, holding his longsword. (1,700/1,600). Finally, the short, scrappy Dinosaur appeared, and did a fist-in-the-air leap! (1,600/1,000)

Even without a face, Doopliss looked dumbfounded.

"Yoshi the Loyal…" he gasped. "How on earth? That isn't in my deck! How could you have a Monster that I couldn't copy? My powers _can't_ fail!"

"Idiot," sneered Francesca. "This isn't just a Monster. The soul of a great warrior who aided my ancestor lives inside this Monster's card! Did you actually think a soul of goodness could be duplicated by evil magic?"

Doopliss paused for a minute.

And then he laughed.

"Big deal!" he laughed. "So I wasn't able to duplicate it. Your pathetic dino only has 1,600 Attack Points! Neither it nor your other two Monsters can defeat mine…"

He paused again.

"Unless…" he gulped.

"It's still my turn, pal!" shouted Francesca, throwing a card into a slot. "I'm fusing Amazoness Paladin and Warrior Dai Grepher together with Polymerization!"

The card showed itself, and a vortex opened, drawing in the two Warriors!

"Amazoness Queen, come forth!" she shouted!

The Queen of the Amazons, dressed in her splendid armor and cape, holding her two swords, emerged with a fierce look! (2,500/1,700)

Doopliss growled.

_So, my old enemy…_ he thought. _Your avatar returns…_

"And if that weren't enough," said Francesca with a grin, "my 'pathetic dino' is a Union Monster that I can Equip to any Warrior! Amazoness Queen, your steed awaits!"

Yoshi bent down, and the Queen got on his back.

"And now your mockeries pale in comparison to my ultimate Amazon!" laughed Francesca. "I'll place two cards facedown, and end my turn."

She fit two cards into slots, and they appeared in front of her.

Doopliss drew shakily…

"I'll shift my three Monsters into Defense Mode..." stated, turning his cards, "and I'll end my turn."

He discarded three of his nine cards.

"Good," said Francesca, with a smile.

She drew. She placed a card down.

"I summon Command Knight!" she exclaimed.

In a blaze of fire, the splendidly dressed female Warrior appeared. (1,200/1,900) –) (1,600/1,900)

"And now my Amazoness Queen grows even stronger!" shouted Francesca.

Amazoness Queen's Attack rose to 2,900.

"Amazoness Queen, wipe out her Headhuntress!"

The Queen galloped forth on Yoshi, and cut the evil Headhuntress down!

"And thanks to Yoshi's effect, she gains 400 Attack Points whenever she destroys a Monster!"

(3,300/1,700)

"Now, Command Knight, wipe out his Chain Master with blazing sword!"

Command Knight's sword burned with fire, and she struck the demon Chain Master, blowing her to pixels.

"You're free to use her effect if you want…" chuckled Francesca, "but even I wouldn't spend 1,500 Life Points if mine were at 2,900…"

"And neither would I…" muttered Doopliss. "Is it my move?"

"Yes…"

"Fran can't lose!" laughed Andy. "Her Queen is stronger than a Blue Eyes, and she's just going to get stronger!"

"Man, what was the Shadow Queen thinking using this loser to guard a Crystal Star?" laughed Stan.

"Loser…" mumbled Doopliss under his breath. "I'll show them losers…"

He fit a card into a slot.

"I play Graceful Charity!" he shouted.

The angel flew out of the Disk, and handed him three cards.

He handed her two of them.

"Now I'm going to take control of this duel, Francesca!" he threatened. "First I'm going to get rid of your Command Knight!"

"You can't!" answered Francesca. "She can't be attacked so long as I have at least one other Monster on the field!"

"I'm not attacking her!" replied Doopliss. "I'm casting her out of play by playing Dark Core!"

He fit a card into a slot.

"I'll just discard one card…" he continued.

He discarded a card, and a black hole opened above the field! Command Knight screamed as she was sucked into it!

"You idiot!" shouted Francesca. "You could have gotten rid of Amazoness Queen!"

"I'm not done with her!" cursed Doopliss. "Let's just say I want to prolong _her _suffering for as long as possible! This is personal!"

_He has a grudge against my Queen?_ thought Francesca, confused. _But why?_

"Now I'll play… Heavy Storm!" shouted Doopliss.

He threw another card into a slot, and fierce winds blew across the field.

"NO!" yelled Fran as her Mirror Force and Dramatic Rescue blew away. "My Trap Cards are gone!"

"And so is your Queen's mount!" laughed Doopliss.

It was only too true. Yoshi screamed and shattered into pixels.

"How can Heavy Storm destroy a Monster?" gasped Andy.

"Yoshi is a Union Monster," answered Stan. "When he's Equipped to another Monster, he's considered a Magic Card. But on the plus side, Doopliss also had to destroy his Field Card."

The darkness went away. Unfortunately, with Command Knight and Yoshi gone, Amazoness Queen was now at her original Attack Score of 2,500.

"Now I'll play my own Card of Sanctity!" shouted Doopliss.

He played the card, and a bright light flashed above the belfry. Francesca grimaced. This time, she only got to draw one, card, but Doopliss got to draw three.

"And now I'll place these two cards facedown, and end my turn," laughed Doopliss.

Francesca drew.

"Amazoness Queen, attack his Paladin!" she shouted.

Amazoness Queen charged forward.

"I activate Magic Cylinder!" laughed Doopliss as his Trap Card lifted.

Energy flowed into one of the cylinders, and blasted out the other, plowing into Fran. She toppled over, her Life Points falling to 4,200.

"Ooh…" she groaned.

"That hurt?" asked Doopliss. "Good… My turn now…"

He drew.

"Heh, heh…" he chuckled. "I might not be an Amazon Duelist, Fran, but I'll tell you one thing… I'm a fast learner!"

He placed a card into a slot.

"I'm doing just what you did, playing Polymerization to fuse my Paladin with my own Warrior Dai Grepher, and I think you know what that does!"

"Good lord…" gasped Andy, as the two Fiends in the shape of Warriors were drawn into the portal. "He's going to create Amazoness Queen's evil twin!"

The creature that came out of the portal was, by far, the worst corruption yet. She wore black, one-piece armor with a great deal of cleavage, and a dark crown shaped like a flame. She wore armbands and anklets in the shape of demonic faces. Her skin was pale white, her eyes had no pupils, her hair was jet black instead of blonde, and her wings were larger than any of the previous Fiend Amazons. The two swords she carried blazed with black flame. (2,500/1,700)

"You're despicable…" growled Francesca.

"Thank you, Francesca!" laughed Doopliss.

"You do know that we have a standoff, right?" replied Fran. "Your Queen may look scary, but she's no stronger than mine."

"For now," replied Doopliss. "I end my turn."

Fran drew.

"Eh, I pass…" she muttered.

"Fine," said Doopliss, drawing.

He fit a card into a slot.

"And now I'll Equip my Queen with Sword of Dark Destruction!" he exclaimed.

The evil Queen's swords vanished, and a nasty rapier with a demonic face on its hilt appeared in her right hand.

"This weapon increases the Attack Score of any Dark Monster by 400 in exchange for 200 Defense Points!" laughed Doopliss. "But I really don't intend on defending with her now!"

(2,900/1,500)

"Now my Demon Queen," laughed Doopliss, "attack your better half with dark blade strike!"

The evil Queen lunged forward and struck, slicing Amazoness Queen in half!

Francesca's Life Points fell to 3,800.

"And now," chuckled Doopliss, "I'll activate my Trap Card…"

His second facedown card lifted.

"Soul Demolition!"

"What?" muttered Francesca.

"If I have a Fiend on the field, for the bargain price of 500 of my Life Points," sniggered Doopliss, as his Life Points fell to 2,400, "we each get to choose a Monster from each other's Graveyard to remove from play!

"And I chose to send your Amazoness Queen to oblivion!"

Francesca growled.

"Fine!" she cursed. "I'm doing the same to your first Amazoness Paladin!"

An Amazoness Paladin slipped out of Doopliss's discard slot.

"Ironic, isn't it, Francesca?" he chuckled. "Your Queen was destroyed utterly by her doppelganger…

"Just like you will be… My revenge will be all the sweeter."

"What do you mean?" asked Francesca. "Revenge? I've never even met you before today!"

Doopliss chuckled.

"It isn't against you personally, Francesca," he explained. "It all started when your accursed ancestor came to this island with her two friends…"

He clenched his shadowy fist…

"Back then, I had a body, and I was a powerful sorcerer serving the Shadow Queen. My favorite spell was the ability to disguise myself as others – I could spread mischief in someone else's form, and the real person would be punished for what I did…"

"That's horrible…" muttered Francesca.

"Maybe…" answered Doopliss. "Unsporting, perhaps, but a guy has to do what he has to in order to get ahead in life. And furthermore, it was _fun_! Anyhoo, I invented a device that I thought could do something special – steal a person's shadow! My theories almost proved that if I could steal the shadow of a sentient being, that being would become the slave of whoever owned the shadow… and could cause the person to die by destroying it!

"Then the Three Heroes started causing trouble. I volunteered to use my shadow stealer on them – anything to please the Shadow Queen. She didn't approve of the idea, because I hadn't tested the device yet, but said if I wanted to take a risk, it was up to me.

"So I lured the Warrior Queen into a battle of spells… My magic was no match for hers… So I tried to lull her into a false sense of security, preparing to use my shadow stealer…

"But when I actually used it, I discovered that some tattletale had warned her in advance! She was on to me all along! And when I used it, the magical protection she had on herself caused it to backfire!

"And _boy_ did it backfire… My body was destroyed… I was forced to fuse with the closest flexible object I could find before my soul was lost, which unfortunately was that ridiculous 'freak-in-a-sheet' costume you saw.

"Most of my powers were now gone, but I still had the power to change forms, albeit only to shadowy silhouettes, like this one… A mockery of my favorite pastime.

"Francesca! I've waited a thousand years for my chance! And the Shadow Queen has promised me that once I defeat you, I'll finally have a new body… That of my enemy's descendent…

"_Yours…"_

He chuckled.

"I'll end my turn by playing this card facedown," he calmly said.

He fit a card into his Disk, and it appeared.

Francesca looked shocked.

Then her eyes narrowed.

"If you're trying to blame her for what happened to you, you're deluded," she answered. "You dug your own grave a long time ago.

"And if you want me, you'll have to defeat me first… And it's my turn!"

She drew.

"Perfect!" she said. "I'll play Premature Burial, to bring back Warrior Dai Grepher!"

Her Life Points fell to 3,000, and Warrior Dai Grepher rose out of the floor. (1,700/1,600)

"And that's not all…" continued Francesca. "Now I'll sacrifice Grepher for a Monster that I also doubt you have in your deck…"

Grepher shattered.

"Meet Madame Flurrie of the Fog!" she exclaimed.

A foggy cloud congealed, and Madame Flurry appeared in all her splendor! (1,800/1,000)

"Now watch as she blows away your Queen!" shouted Fran.

She discarded two cards.

Madame Flurrie took a deep breath, and blasted her fierce Gale Force. The evil Amazoness Queen staggered against the wind, but was blown over, and shattered!

Doopliss was speechless.

"Now I end my turn," said Francesca. "So just try to take me down now!"

Doopliss drew.

"I'll play Pot of Greed…" he said, playing the card.

He fit the card into a slot, and the wicked jar handed him two more cards.

He snickered and added them to his hand. He took another card from it.

"I play Nightmare Steel Cage!" he shouted, throwing another card into a slot.

Flames erupted around Francesca, and an iron, domed cage studded with spikes formed around her and Flurrie!

"Now you can't attack me for two of your turns!" laughed Doopliss.

"By the same token, _you_ can't attack _me_," answered Francesca.

"I have no problem with that," chuckled Doopliss. "First I'll play my facedown card, Call of the Haunted!"

His Trap Card lifted.

"I'll use it to bring back my other Paladin from the grave!" he chuckled.

The demonic Paladin appeared again. (1,700/300) – (1,800/300)

"Now," continued Doopliss, "I'll play Premature Burial, to bring back my Amazoness Fighter…"

He played the card, and his Life Points fell to 1,600. The Fiend Fighter returned. (1,500/1,300)

"Next," he said, "I'll play Monster Reborn, to bring back my Swords Woman!"

He played another Magic Card, and the demon Swords Woman appeared, holding her blade. (1,500/1,600)

_Strange,_ thought Francesca. _He had three recovery cards, and he didn't use any of them to bring back his Queen! Something's up…_

"Finally," laughed Doopliss, "I'll sacrifice my Amazoness Fighter to summon my own Penumbral Soldier Lady!"

The Fighter and the Premature Burial card vanished, and a frightening form arose. This version of Penumbral Soldier Lady looked even darker, with black hair down to her waist, and glowing red eyes. (2,100/1,400)

"Well, that's enough for one turn," chuckled Doopliss. "Over to you…"

Francesca drew…

She looked at the card strangely…

She stared at it for a minute.

"Stan…" whispered Andy. "What do you think Fran just drew? I've never seen that look on her face before…"

"Must be something special…" answered Stan with a shrug.

Francesca fit the card into a slot.

"I'll place a card facedown, she said, softly.

The card appeared in front of her.

She chose another card.

"And now I'll summon Amazoness Fighter in Attack Mode," she continued.

She placed the card down, and the wild Amazon warrior appeared, holding her huge sword aloft. She glared angrily at her imposter through the bars of the cage. (1,500/1,600)

Doopliss chuckled.

"She won't help you," he laughed.

"Say what you will," muttered Francesca. "I'm ending my turn…"

"Fine," answered Doopliss.

He drew.

And then he laughed out loud!

He switched two cards on his Disk for another…

"I sacrifice my Swords Woman and Paladin…" he snickered.

The two Amazon imposters vanished…

_He couldn't…_ thought Francesca.

"…and I'll summon my Guardian Angel Joan!" exclaimed Doopliss.

The creature that appeared could not be believed. It looked like Joan would appear as if she were a _fallen_ angel. Her feathered wings were blackened, her skin was grey, her hair was black, and she had small horns. In place of her splendid silver gown was a ragged black one. (2,800/2,000)

Francesca looked at him in disgust.

"How dare you!" she cursed. "How dare you create a Fiend version of Joan? That is the lowest you could ever sink to!"

"Save it!" answered Doopliss. "I have, and I'll use her to crush you! Now make your last move!"

"All right…" snarled Francesca.

She drew.

_I'll save this one,_ she thought.

She put a card down.

"I'll summon Amazoness Blowpiper in Attack Mode!" she shouted.

The teenage Amazon appeared, holding her blowgun by her side. (800/1,500)

"WHAT?" shouted Doopliss. "Blowpiper is WEAK! Why the heck would you play her in Attack Mode?"

"My decision…" replied Francesca. "I end my turn…"

"Has Fran gone nuts?" asked Andy. "What the heck…"

"Wait…" whispered Stan. "Her facedown card…"

"But what could it be?" whispered Andy back. "Her Mirror Force is already gone!"

The Nightmare Steel Cage crumbled, and faded into mist…

"Now to finish you off!" laughed Doopliss. "I draw one card…"

He made his draw…

"Hold it right there, Doopliss!" shouted Francesca. "I'm activating a Trap! Behold the power of… Showstopper!"

Her facedown card lifted up, revealing a frightening picture of three shadowy figures blasting Gate Guardian with a burning beam of energy.

"To activate this Trap, I first have to sacrifice three Monsters!" exclaimed Fran. "So I sacrifice Flurrie, Swords Woman, and Blowpiper!"

Flurrie blew a kiss to Doopliss before she and the two Amazons vanished into pixels.

"Then I have to pay half my Life Points!" continued Francesca.

Her Life Points fell to 1,500.

"And in exchange for that, all of the cards on your side of the field and in your hand go straight to the Graveyard!" she shouted.

A series of spotlights shot down from the ceiling, creating a multicolored lightshow! Doopliss's Penumbral Soldier Lady and Guardian Angel Joan screamed, and were blasted into nothing! Then the cards in his hand were pulled away and yanked into his discard slot!

"ARRGHH!" shouted Doopliss. "Where on earth did you get THAT?"

"You can thank my ancestor for that too," said Francesca with a smile. "Now since you have no cards to play, it's my move!"

She whipped a card from the top of her deck.

"And now I summon Amazoness Priestess!" she shouted, placing a card down.

In a flash of light, the young Amazon with her bikini top and long gown carrying her gem-topped staff appeared. (1,500/1,500)

"With seven of her comrades laid to rest in my Graveyard," announced Francesca, "her Attack Score is a mighty 2,200, which is more than enough to take you down once and for all!"

Even with no face, it was clear that Doopliss's expression was one of fear.

"Amazoness Priestess, attack with spiritual magic attack!" shouted Francesca.

The Priestess fired her beam of pure energy, striking the duplighost in the chest, and wiping out his Life Points! Doopliss screamed and fell over…

Shadows fled from his form, and he reverted to his sheet-like form, only now he was unconscious.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Francesca opened her eyes, unaware that she had closed them.

She was in a void of light, and facing her was Madame Flurrie and Yoshi.

"Good work, darlin'," chuckled Flurrie. "to bad we couldn't see the look on Doopliss's face – it would have been priceless!"

"That was a dynamite duel!" laughed Yoshi. "I've heard people say that a person can be her own worst enemy, but I've never seen it put into practice before."

"Well, you guys helped…" muttered Francesca.

"And we'll keep helping you!" exclaimed Yoshi. "We'll help you storm the Thousand Year Door!"

"Believe in yourself, honey," added Flurrie, "and we'll never be more that a draw away…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

A light shone from the top of the room…

A small crystal in the shape of a star, but this one yellow in color, lowered from the ceiling, and fell into Francesca's hands.

"Wow, the Citrine Star!" exclaimed Andy, coming up to her. "Congratulations, Fran, I knew you could do it…"

He looked at her nervously.

"I never had any doubts…" he stammered. "The way you handled that creep was so… uhm… so… great. You can duel so well, I mean you…"

He paused…

She sighed.

"Will you just come here?" she purred, grabbing him by the collar.

And then, she kissed him deeply on the lips…

Andy was shocked. At first he wanted to pull away…

But then he closed his eyes.

_Hey, this isn't so bad… _he thought, putting his arms around her.

Stan nervously waited. After about a minute, Francesca let go.

"Well," sighed Francesca, looking at the star, "two of us have them, and now only Andy needs one."

"Then let's go find you a duelist," said Stan, "unless you'd rather stay here and fool around with your girlfriend…"

Andy and Fran blushed…

They left the bell tower, leaving Doopliss groaning on the floor…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Well, that was very sweet," muttered the Shadow Queen, sarcastically.

She got off her throne and started to pace.

"Things are getting serious. By the end of the day, Andy should have one too…

"Well, enjoy Francesca's sweet kisses while you can, Andy, because pretty soon, love is going to be replaced by darkness and despair…

"For behind the Thousand Year Door, love can't protect you from the nightmares that lurk in every corner…"

**0**

**0**

**0**

**SHOWSTOPPER (Trap Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Trap  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description: **Image of three shadowy figures blasting Gate Guardian with a burning beam of energy. Offer three face-up Monsters on your side of the field (other than Tokens) as aTribute, andpay half your current Life Points. Every card on your opponent's side of the field is destroyed, and he must discard his current hand.

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**Coming up next:**_

**_A strange duelist appears, and let me tell you folks, this is one of the strangest ones yet! As Andy fights for his seventh Crystal Card, he must face a strategy that most duelists hate…_**

**_A chapter called "Tick Tock" is coming up next!_**


	33. Tick Tock

_**You know, the name of this game is "Duel Monsters". The name is quite easy to understand – two players are supposed to duel each other using Monsters.**_

_**Thing is, a lot of people don't get the spirit of the game. They make very annoying decks that regulate their Monsters to the sidelines, and let their Magic and Trap Cards do you in. These sort of decks can be among the hardest to defeat. It can be difficult to attack when all your Monsters are disabled, or your deck has been sabotaged.**_

_**The table is split as to whether these duelists are cunning… Or simply cowardly folks who can't bear to be hurt. **_

_**This guy I'm facing doesn't exactly strike me as a coward… And if he's cunning, he has a funny was of hiding it…**_

_**But just by looking at him, I think I see why he made his deck the way he did…**_

_**His strategy is quite the same as his personality.**_

_**And that doesn't make him any less dangerous…**_

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Tick Tock**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

The time on their watches read two PM, and the darkness of Twilight Town was behind them.

They were walking along the shore on the road to Keelhaul Key again, and Andy was more energetic than ever.

"All right!" he shouted. "Who wants a piece of Andy Markova!"

_Wow…_ thought Francesca, _who'd have thought one kiss would get him THIS riled up?_

She giggled.

_Maybe I should do it more often!_

She sighed…

_What's going to happen when I go back to Boston and he goes back to Florida?_ she thought. _I'm almost sure now one of us can win this tournament and we can defeat the Queen, but what then?_

"Come on!" shouted Andy. "I'll take you all on!"

"Andy?" sighed Stan. "You just challenged a group of trees."

"Oh, right…" muttered Andy.

He paused.

"Well, I've got to find someone," he mumbled. "And we've got to keep looking… I mean, it isn't like I'm just going to trip over a duelist or…"

The moment he said that he stopped short, just in time to stop himself from tripping over someone.

Sprawled beneath a tree was a young man, fast asleep.

They looked at him. They figured he'd be a little over six feet tall if he were standing up. His clothes were all thrown together – loose trousers, loose shirt, and a loose jacket, all of them grey. He was barefoot. He had mussed up brown hair.

He had a Duel Disk tucked under his shoulder.

"Wow…" muttered Stan. "Most duelists get nervous during big tournaments… this one takes naps…"

Andy tapped him on the shoulder.

"Hey, Rip Van Winkle!" he urged.

The young man slowly roused, but he didn't get up. He yawned.

"Ergh," he groaned. "Right in the middle of a good dream…"

He yawned and looked at them.

"What?" he asked, looking up.

"Aren't you worried that someone might come along and swipe your cards?" asked Andy.

The youth chuckled.

He pointed to a case on his belt, a leather deck protector. It was locked shut, and chained to his belt.

"I'm not stupid," he said, slowly.

There was a tired drawl to his voice.

"Well, uh, buddy…" said Andy, suspiciously, "that's… clever… Are you interested in a duel?"

"Well…" said the youth.

He let out a large yawn, still not bothering to get up.

He paused for a minute.

"I suppose…" he said. "It isn't like I have anything better to do…"

"Oh forget it…" muttered Andy. "It wouldn't be any fun dueling someone who isn't a challenge…"

He turned to leave…

"You saying I'm not a challenge?" asked the youth, reaching into his pocket.

"Uh, Andy…" said Stan, tapping him on the shoulder.

Andy looked back, and saw that the prone youth was holding six Crystal Cards.

_Well,_ thought Andy, _appearances are deceptive…_

"You have a name?" he asked.

The youth yawned again.

"Gerald," he answered. "Gerald Laxina."

"Fitting," muttered Andy. "So where are you from?"

"The United States," answered Gerald.

Andy gave him a strange look.

"Uh, can you narrow that down a little?" he asked.

Gerald sighed.

"If you want to know where I live, that's going to be hard to pinpoint," he sighed. "I don't really have a hometown. My parents' job… it requires a lot of relocating. So far, I've lived in over twenty towns. So I really don't bother calling any one of them mine."

He took a key from out of his pocket and undid the lock on his deck protector.

"Anyway, I did manage to pick up one thing growing up…" he said as he shuffled. "…aside from learning how to play chess and grow bonsai trees. I was relaxing on a bench at this mall one day when they were having a tournament, when an angry duelist threw his deck away right at my feet. I think I heard him cursing about losing to a Yata Lock… And I found out after giving the cards a try that dueling was one of the few things I could do well…"

He started to shuffle.

"In other words," said Andy, shuffling, "you lucked out…"

"That duelist had a poor deck," answered Gerald. "I made it much better… But I did luck out the next year. Some… moron left a rare card in the library while using it as a bookmark, and I found it. That card has helped me win countless times… Wait until you see it."

He gave a smirk as he strapped his Disk onto his arm and plugged the deck in.

"Uhm, aren't you going to stand up?" asked Andy.

Gerald shrugged.

"Why bother?" he asked, leaning back. "I can duel perfectly well this way…"

Andy couldn't believe this. He had found the laziest duelist alive.

"Be careful, Andy…" warned Francesca, coming up to him. "He does have six Cards… He likely has a secret strategy…"

"I know…" muttered Andy.

"All right, Gerald," he continued. "I hate to hit a guy when he's down, but you leave me no choice…"

The holo-imagers shot out, and the Disks flipped into position. The Life Point counters hit 8,000.

"_It's time to duel!"_ shouted Andy, drawing five cards.

"Whatever," sighed Gerald, drawing five.

Andy sighed.

"Why don't you make the first move, Gerald…" he said.

"'Kay…" said Gerald with a shrug, drawing his first card.

He added it to his hand and crossed his legs.

"I'll place this in Defense Mode…" he said.

He placed a card on his Disk, and a facedown Monster appeared.

"Now I'll place two cards facedown, and that will be my turn," he continued, placing two cards into slots.

Two facedown cards materialized in front of him.

_Well, this is off to a slow start…_ thought Andy.

He drew a card.

_Yes!_ he thought with glee. _I drew my Tyrant Dragon on my first draw! All I need to do is get two Monsters on the field, and this guy will sweep the duel!_

He added it to his hand and chose another card.

"I summon Twin Headed Behemoth in Attack Mode!" he shouted.

He placed a card down, and the fierce two-headed dragon appeared. (1,500/1,200)

"Attack his facedown Monster!" shouted Andy.

Twin Headed Behemoth shot forth twin blasts of flame…

An odd object appeared on Gerald's card…

The creature cackled before it was burned to ashes.

"ARGH! A Morphing Jar!" shouted Andy.

"Uh huh…" muttered Gerald. "So now we have to toss our hands and draw five new cards…"

Andy was clearly very upset… Tyrant Dragon wasn't the only good Monster he had in his hand…

"Later, guys," he muttered, discarding his hand.

He made five new draws.

"That's my turn…" sighed Gerard.

Gerald made a draw.

"Well let's see…" muttered Gerald, looking at his cards. "What to summon? This one is good…"

He looked at another two cards.

"But then again, there's always these…"

"Come on…" urged Andy.

"Patience…" said Gerald. "Good moves take time. I never do anything unless I think it through for awhile. You ever hear the old saying 'Slow and steady wins the race'?"

He took a card from his hand.

"Okay, I guess this guy will do…" he said, placing it on his Disk. "I'll summon Ryu-Kishin Powered in Attack Mode."

He placed a card down, and a fiendish, clawed gargoyle made of black rock appeared. (1,600/1,200)

"Uh…" mumbled Gerald, "uh, attack his Behemoth! Gargoyle claws attack!"

The Fiend flew forward and slashed at Twin Headed Behemoth with its talons, blasting it to pieces!

Andy's Life Points dropped to 7,900.

Andy raised his hand, and Twin Headed Behemoth returned. (1,000/1,200)

"All right," sighed Gerald, "that's my turn."

_And you're in for a surprise…_ he thought.

Andy drew.

_Yes!_ he thought.

"I sacrifice my Behemoth to summon Luster Dragon #2!" he exclaimed.

Behemoth vanished, and the huge, emerald-studded Dragon appeared, and let out a roar! (2,400/1,900)

"Now my Dragon, attack…" he started to say.

Luster Dragon reared up its head…

"WAIT!" shouted Andy. "Check that…"

He paused.

_Huh?_ thought Francesca. _Andy called off his attack?_

Andy took a good look at the two facedown cards behind Ryu-Kishin Powered…

_Somehow I remember seeing a strategy like this somewhere…_ he thought. _A Dark Monster and two cards facedown…_

He paused.

_Maybe I SHOULD take my time and think about this…_

He paused again.

_That's right!_ he thought as it came to him. _I was watching the Battle City finals on tape!_

_Seto Kaiba set two facedown cards with his Vorse Raider out… And when his opponent attacked, he activated both of them. One was Shrink, which cut Vorse Raider's Attack to below 1,000, and the other was his Crush Card, which he was able to use because Vorse Raider was now weak enough!_

He took a card from his hand.

_Well, I'm not falling for it…_

"I play Stamping Destruction!" he shouted.

He threw the card into a slot, and Luster Dragon stamped its foot, sending a shockwave that caused Gerald to cringe! One of his facedown cards, revealed to be a Crush Card as Andy had feared, lifted and shattered.

"Clever…" muttered Gerald, as his Life Points fell to 7,500.

"Luster Dragon, attack his Ryu-Kishin Powered!" shouted Andy.

"ANDY!" shouted Francesca.

A ball of energy appeared in Luster Dragon's mouth.

"Too late," said Gerald with a grin. "I activate Shrink!"

Andy gasped. He had forgotten that Gerald could have used that on _his_ Monster too…

Luster Dragon shank to half its size, and its Attack fell to 1,200! The Gargoyle lashed out with its claw, and it shattered!

Andy's Life Points fell to 7,500.

Andy sighed.

"All right," he muttered. "That's all for my move."

"Fine," sighed Gerald drawing.

He lay down in a prone position, with his arm supporting his head.

"Ryu-Kishin, attack directly!" he ordered.

The gargoyle charged forward, and raked at Andy with its claws! He yelped!

His Life Points fell to 5,900.

_At least my deck is safe…_ he thought.

"That should do it for now…" mumbled Gerald.

"Man, Andy is taking a beating…" gasped Francesca.

"Don't worry," assured Stan. "He's been in tougher spots…"

Andy drew.

"All right!" he exclaimed. "I'll summon my old friend Cave Dragon in Attack Mode!"

He put a card down, and the elderly, wingless Dragon appeared. (2,000/100)

"Since it can't attack right now, I'll end my turn," he said.

Gerald slowly drew.

"I'll summon my Grand Tiki Elder in Defense Mode…" he said, placing a card down.

A fiendish witch doctor in a frightening Tiki mask appeared in mid-air, shielding itself. (1,500/800)

_Huh,_ thought Andy. _He must have a lot of Monsters to use the Crush/Shrink combination with…_

"…and I'll shift Ryu-Kishin Powered to Defense too," continued Gerald.

The gargoyle knelt and crossed its arms.

"It's your move," he said with a yawn.

Andy made a draw.

_Hmm,_ he thought.

"I'll summon Divine Dragon Ragnarok in Attack Mode," he exclaimed.

He put the card down, and the wispy Dragon made of clouds appeared. (1,500/1,000)

"Now my Dragons, wipe out his Monsters!" he shouted.

Cave Dragon belched forth a wave of gas, disintegrating Ryu-Kishin! Ragnarok breathed forth a beam of light, vaporizing Grand Tiki Elder!

"Your move, Gerald," laughed Andy. "You'd best get a good draw this turn…"

Gerald licked his index finger and drew a card…

He placed it on his Disk.

"Dark Elf in Attack Mode," he said, casually.

A dark shadow fell across his side of the field, and the wicked twin of Mystical Elf appeared. (2,000/800)

"Lovely," sighed Francesca. "He put up an offensive wall…"

"That's all for me this turn…" sighed Gerald.

Andy grimaced as he drew.

_This guy is making a fool out of me…_ he thought.

He looked at his card.

_All right!_ he thought.

He placed another card on his Disk.

"I summon my favorite Monster!" he exclaimed. "Meet Lord or Dragons!"

The Spellcaster with his black outfit and cape with his claw-like helmet appeared. (1,200/1,100)

"Now," continued Andy, "I'll play Polymerization, to fuse him together with Divine Dragon Ragnarok!"

He played the Magic Card, and the Dragon and Lord of Dragons were drawn into the portal…

Dark energy flowed from the portal, and the immense form of King Dragun trudged out! (2,400/1,100)

"All right!" cheered Francesca. "I was wondering what happened to that guy!"

"That will be all for my turn…" said Andy with a smirk.

"Impressive," sighed Gerald, making a draw.

He turned the card on his Disk.

"I'll shift Dark Elf into Defense Mode…" he sighed.

Dark Elf knelt in Defense.

"And I'll also summon Mechanicalchaser in Defense Mode," he said, placing a card down.

A large, spherical robot, with a skull-like face, wings, a sword-like tail, and a collection of spindly arms appeared. It shielded itself. (1,850/800)

"Your move…" he said with a shrug.

_Man, Mechanicalchaser isn't a Monster you see every day!_ thought Francesca. _You only find them in Tournament Packs that you get for winning tournaments. This guy is no rookie…_

Andy drew.

_Darn,_ he thought. _No Monsters to summon, even with King Dragun's effect. At this rate, I'll never get at his Life Points…_

"King Dragun, wipe out his Mechanicalchaser with divine wrath!"

King Dragun blasted forth a breath of black flames, and Mechanicalchaser blew up.

"Cave Dragon, destroy his Dark Elf!"

Cave Dragon blasted forth a wave of gas, and Dark Elf gasped. She shattered.

"Your move, Gerald," he said, "and next turn, I'll be able to hit you with everything I've got!"

Gerald made a draw.

And then he sat up as he looked at the card.

He smirked, and added it to his hand. Then he chose another card and placed it in a slot.

"I play Pot of Avarice!" he announced.

A large jar with a really goofy face on it appeared in front of him.

"Pot of Avarice?" exclaimed Andy. "What does that do?"

"It's not exactly common," answered Gerald. "First, I take five Monsters from my Graveyard and return them to my deck."

Five cards slid out of his discard slot. Gerald combined them with his deck, and reshuffled it.

Then he plugged the deck back in.

"Then, I get to draw two more cards," he continued.

Just like they had seen their Pot of Greed cards do so many times, a spectral arm reached out of the Pot of Avarice, took two cards from the top of Gerald's deck, and handed them to him.

_Interesting…_ he thought.

"Next, I'll place two cards facedown on the field," he stated.

He played two cards, and they formed in front of him.

"Now I'll play this Magic Card," he said. "The powerful Spell Sanctuary!"

He played the card, and it revealed itself. It was a strange card, bearing the picture of an ancient temple on a hill with a glowing portal of light above it.

"Spell Sanctuary?" asked Andy. "What's _that_?"

"Let me explain how this works," started Gerald, reaching for his deck again. "First, we each get to take any Magic Card we desire from our decks and add it to our hands. So you'd best choose wisely…"

_And I know just which one I want,_ he thought, leafing through his deck.

Andy took out his deck.

_That's odd,_ thought Andy. _Why on earth would he let me search for any Magic Card I wanted?_

"By the way," continued Gerald, "before you make your choice, you should know that Spell Sanctuary has another effect. So long as this Continuous Magic Card remains on the field, both of us are allowed to activate any Magic Card during the opponent's turn."

Andy stared at him for a moment.

He looked back to his deck. He almost picked out Heavy Storm, but then he decided against it – this Spell Sanctuary might be too useful to wipe out. He finally took Scorching Ruin, and then shuffled his deck.

Gerald shuffled his, and then plugged his deck back in.

"Now," he said with a gleam in his eye. "Prepare to meet the horror of that card that I found because an idiot left it behind in a library while using it as a bookmark!"

He held a card aloft.

"What?" gasped Andy. "That wasn't your Crush Card?"

Gerald paused.

"No," he said with a chuckle. "The Crush Card I earned. I won it at a tournament at the Mall of America.

"THIS is the kill-card of my deck!"

He threw a card into a slot.

"I activate… **FINAL COUNTDOWN!**"

His Life Points fell all the way to 5,500, and a wave of energy surrounded Andy! Francesca gasped in fear, as two sets of chains circled his chest!

A black box appeared where the two chains crossed, and a digital number "20" appeared on it.

"**Final Countdown has been initiated,"** said a computerized voice.

"What is this?" gasped Francesca.

"Final Countdown is a rare and powerful card…" gulped Stan. "Gerald had to pay 2,000 Life Points to activate it… but now, this duel isn't going to last more than twenty more rounds between the two of them…"

"What do you mean?" shouted Francesca.

"That thing on Andy's chest," shuddered Stan. "It's a bomb. A time bomb, to be precise. As each round ends, the number on it will decrease by one. When it reaches zero, it will explode, taking all of Andy's Life Points with it…"

"Can Andy stop it?" asked Francesca, starting to panic.

"No…" muttered Stan. "Gerald's Magic Card has already left the field. Final Countdown is… irreversible…"

"Oh my God…" cried Francesca.

"Get ahold of yourself!" shouted Stan. "If you can't take it, think of how Andy must feel!"

"I'll finish up by placing a Monster in Defense Mode," said Gerald.

He set a card on his Disk, and a facedown Monster appeared.

"I'm ending my turn," said Gerald, "and that was round one…"

He leaned back into a reclining position, and the bomb on Andy's chest fell down to 19.

Andy drew.

"You think I'm beaten, you slacker?" shouted Andy. "I'll defeat you long before the twenty rounds are up!

"Cave Dragon, attack his facedown Monster!"

Cave Dragon shot forth his deadly stream…

Gerald yawned, and hit a button on his Disk…

A Trap Card lifted…

Mirror Force!

The blast was deflected, blowing Cave Dragon and King Dragun to pieces!

"Didn't I tell you that you should think things out before you do them?" sighed Gerald. "Good things come to those who wait.

"Now I'll activate my other Trap… Wall of Revealing Light!"

His other facedown card lifted, and a bright barrier sprang up between the two duelists.

"I may have to pay 3,000 Life Points to let it reach its true potential…" sighed Gerald.

His Life Points fell to 2,500.

"But unless you can somehow summon a Monster with more than 3,000 Attack Points, you can't touch me!"

"Fine," grumbled Andy. "It's your move…"

Right now, he was _really_ regretting not getting Heavy Storm when he had the chance…

Gerald drew a card.

He reached into his pocket and took a pack of bubble gum out.

"You ever try these two-flavors-in-one gums?" he asked, unwrapping a piece. "One guy I met told me that this strawberry-lemonade flavor was 'sweet in a tart way', but frankly, I just think it's just _good_ in a _good_ way, if you know what I mean…"

"Will you just move?" said Andy, annoyed.

Gerald popped a piece in his mouth and chewed. He took a card from his hand.

"I'll flip my facedown Monster from Defense to Attack Mode," he continued.

The card flipped, and the Monster revealed itself. It was a long, purple worm with three spines on its front. (750/600)

"A Needle Worm!" shouted Andy.

The top five cards flew off of his deck and flew into his discard slot! Andy gasped.

"And I'm not done," continued Gerald. "Attack directly!"

The Needle Worm darted forward and stabbed at Andy with its spine! Andy grunted, and his Life Points fell to 5,150.

_That was adding insult to injury…_ thought Andy.

Gerald sat up, and placed a card into a slot. It appeared in front of him.

He slowly blew a bubble with his gum and snapped it.

"That's my turn," he said.

**_Seventeen rounds before Gerald's automatic win by Final Countdown._**

Andy seethed as he drew.

"Then I'll draw…" said Andy, doing so.

"I'm activating my Trap!" chuckled Gerald.

His facedown card lifted.

"Activate Fiend Comedian!"

Two goofy creatures resembling comical Fiends in stand-up comics' outfits appeared in the center of the arena.

"Fiend Comedian?" gasped Francesca. "I don't like the sound of that…"

"It's a very risky Trap Card…" answered Stan. "Not many duelists use it. Those two comedians are going to spin a coin, and Gerald is going to call it. If he calls it right, then all the cards in Andy's Graveyard are removed from play. But if he calls it wrong, Gerald has to discard a number of cards equal to the number in Andy's Graveyard from his deck…"

The two comedians laughed, and produced a Lincoln penny nearly as big as they were. They gave it a spin!

"Heads!" shouted Gerald.

The coin spun…

Andy bit his lip…

The coin started to wobble…

And it fell.

It was tales!

"HA!" laughed Andy. "You lose!"

He looked at his discard slot.

"And in case you lost count, I had eighteen cards in my Graveyard!"

Gerald shrugged.

"Very well," he said, taking his deck.

He started to discard cards.

"Uh, Stan…" muttered Francesca. "Is it me, or does Gerald not seem to care that he just lost almost half his deck on that move?"

"Well," sighed Stan, "a good duelist knows how to make a good situation out of losing on Fiend Comedian. He gets to choose which cards he'll put in his Graveyard – and it's easier to get cards from your Graveyard than your deck…"

"But…" said Francesca. "Now he's lost…"

She did a quick tally…

"…thirty-two cards so far! He has just enough to last until the Final Countdown expires!"

Andy took a minute to take this in. Clearly, Gerald had to have a plan…

"I'll summon my Masked Dragon in Defense Mode, and that will be all," said Andy.

He put a card down, and the metallic Dragon appeared, folding its wings. (1,400/1,100)

"Okay…" sighed Gerald, making his draw.

He placed a card into a slot.

"I play Book of Moon," he said with a yawn. "This Magic Card flips my Needle Worm into facedown Defense Mode…"

Needle Worm faded, and was replaced by a facedown card.

Andy gasped. He knew what was coming next.

"Now I'll just flip-summon it again!" said Gerald with a chuckle.

The Needle Worm reappeared, and again, five cards flew off Andy's deck and into his discard slot!

_He wiped out a quarter of my deck with one card!_ he thought in fear.

"Now I'll summon Cure Mermaid," continued Gerald.

He placed a card on his Disk, and a beautiful mermaid in a pink dress with red scales and blonde hair appeared. (1,500/800)

"Lovely," said Stan. "Cure Mermaid will restore his Life Points by 800 during each of his turns…"

"Cure Mermaid…" ordered Gerald, "attack his Masked Dragon with song of the siren!"

Cure Mermaid let out a lovely, high pitched song, and Masked Dragon howled. It shattered.

Andy looked down at his Disk. A card slipped out.

Luckily, he still had one of his three Masked Dragons left. He placed it on his Disk, and it appeared in Defense Mode. (1,400/1,100)

"Your move," he said.

Andy drew a card.

"I'll place this card facedown, and end my turn…" he said.

He fit a card into a slot, and it appeared in front of him.

Gerald drew.

Cure Mermaid sang a beautiful tune, and his Life Points went up to 3,300.

He added the card to his hand.

"I'll play another Pot of Avarice!" he stated, fitting a card into a slot.

The goofy jar appeared in front of him again.

"Which, as you know, lets me add five Monsters from my Graveyard to my deck, and then let's me draw two cards."

Five cards slipped out of his discard slot, and he combined them with his deck. The Pot handed him two more cards.

"Now I'll play… Spell Reproduction!" he stated.

He fit a card into a slot.

"This lets me discard two Magic Cards, and in return, replay one Magic Card I've already played."

He discarded two cards.

"And I choose… Book of Moon!"

The Needle Worm vanished, and was replaced by a facedown card again.

"Now…" he started to say.

"Not so fast, Gerald!" shouted Andy. "Reveal facedown card!"

His facedown card lifted…

It was Nobleman of Crossout.

"Thanks to your own Spell Sanctuary, I can play this card like a Quickplay Card, which means your Worm is history!"

The armored knight appeared and stabbed his sword into the card. Needle Worm appeared, and shattered.

"Clever," muttered Gerald. "Cure Mermaid, attack his Masked Dragon!"

Cure Mermaid sang her song, and the second Masked Dragon was blown apart.

_Come on…_ thought Andy, looking at his deck. _I have to have a Dragon left with low enough Attack…_

A card slipped out of his Disk.

_This will do…_

"I summon The Dragon Dwelling in the Cave in Defense Mode!" he stated, placing it down.

The rocky, wingless Dragon appeared. (1,300/2,000)

"I'll end my turn…" sighed Gerald.

Andy drew.

"Oh, I pass, there's nothing I can do…" he pouted.

**_Twelve rounds before Gerald's automatic win by Final Countdown._**

Gerald drew a card. Cure Mermaid sang again, and his Life Points went up to 4,100.

"I warn you, Gerald," said Andy, "so far your deck has lost thirty cards…"

"Well," answered Gerald, "I won't have to worry about decking out thanks to this powerful card…"

He showed him the card.

"It's called Grave Trade," he said.

He played it.

"Huh?" asked Andy.

"This powerful card lets me remove cards in my Graveyard from play, and in return, add an equal amount from there to my hand."

His discard pile came out off the slot, and he looked through it.

"Since I now have twenty-six cards in my Graveyard," he said, "I'll remove thirteen that I won't need, and add another thirteen to my deck."

He quickly made his choices, placed thirteen cards in his Removed From Play pile, and then shuffled hiseight remaining cards into thethirteen cards he had recovered. He placed the new deck back into the holder.

"And that's my turn…" he said with a sigh.

Andy grimaced and drew.

_Draconic Offering…_ he thought.

He looked at his hand and grinned.

_And I have Snatch Steal too_… _time to show this guy the true nature of Dragons…_

He placed a card into a slot.

"I play Snatch Steal!" he exclaimed. "And I'll take control of your Cure Mermaid!"

He played the card. Cure Mermaid floated over to Andy's side.

"I suppose you're going to sacrifice her now…" said Gerald with a yawn. "Big deal…"

"Yes," said Andy with a sinister grin, "but not in the way you think. I'm playing a Magic Card called Draconic Offering!"

He played the card, and a card with the image of a princess bound to a stake with a large shadow looming over her appeared.

"To play this card, I need to have one Dragon and one non-Dragon on my side of the field," explained Andy. "Then I can sacrifice the non-Dragon and gain Life Points equal to its Attack or Defense Score."

He smirked.

"Dragon Dwelling in the Cave," he laughed, "dinner is served!"

Cure Mermaid drew back in fear as the huge Dragon bore down on her.

Gerald sat up in surprise as his Mermaid was devoured.

"I gotta say this about Andy," said Stan in shock, "he's full of surprises…"

Francesca laughed.

"GO ANDY!" she shouted. "That was awesome!"

Andy's Life Points went up to 6,650.

"That wasn't very nice, Andy…" muttered Gerald.

"You should read more books, Gerald," said Andy with a grin. "Dragons _aren't_ very nice!"

"Yeah?" snapped Gerald, showing some emotion for a change, "well once that bomb clicks down, all the Life Points in the world aren't going to help!"

"Fine," answered Andy, "I'll end my turn."

**_Ten rounds before Gerald's automatic win by Final Countdown._**

Gerald made a draw.

"I'll play normal old Pot of Greed this time…" he said.

The Pot handed him two more cards.

"I'll place a Monster facedown in Defense Mode, and also a card facedown," he said.

He set the cards, and a hidden Monster appeared, followed by a facedown card.

"It's your move…" he said.

"Fine," answered Andy.

He made a draw.

"I'll summon Grey Wing in Defense Mode," he said, placing a card down.

The brown lizard with insect-like wings appeared. (1,300/700)

"I don't think so…" muttered Gerald.

His Trap Card lifted.

"I activate Final Attack Orders!"

Andy gasped as his two Dragons moved to Attack Mode!

"So long as this Continuous Trap remains on the field," explained Gerald, "all face-up Monsters are shifted into Attack Mode."

"So I see…" said Andy, nervously. "Then it's your move."

Gerald drew a card.

"I'll flip my facedown Monster into Attack Mode," he said. "Meet Don Zaloog!"

The card flipped up, and the eyepatched bandit holding a rapier and dagger appeared. (1,400/1,500)

"Aw no!" shouted Stan. "Not HIM again!"

"And now," stated Gerald, putting another card down, "I'll summon _another _Don Zaloog!"

He put the card down, and a twin of the first warrior appeared. (1,400/1,500)

"Now," he said, placing two cards into slots, "I'll Equip one of them with Axe of Despair, and the other with Malevolent Nuzzler!"

A huge axe appeared in one of the Don Zaloogs hand, and his Attack went up to 2,400. Then a demonic woman with green skin appeared behind the other one, and his Attack went up to 2,100.

"Attack his Dragons!" shouted Gerald.

The two bandits charged, and sliced apart The Dragon Dwelling in the Cave and Grey Wing.

Andy's Life Points fell to 4,750.

"And due to their effect…" continued Gerald.

Two cards were torn from Andy's hand and flew into his discard slot!

"Well," sighed Gerald, "it's your move… And even if you could attack me, I don't think you can summon something with more than 2,400 Attack Points… I doubt you even have something that strong left…"

He leaned back and reclined again.

_**Seven rounds before Gerald's automatic win by Final Countdown.**_

_Darn,_ thought Andy. _The hard truth is, he's right… his Morphing Jar and Needle Worm made me discard practically every strong Monster I have!_

He looked at the three cards he had left in his hand.

Troop Dragon. That was hardly any good, because he had lost the other two. Super Rejuvenation – that was no good… Scorching Ruin…

He thought for a minute…

He could use these three cards to clear Gerald's field, but he needed to draw the right card now.

He went for his deck…

He drew…

The card shone in the light…

"I summon Troop Dragon to the field!" he shouted.

He placed a card down, and the three Dragon-men appeared, holding their swords. (700/800)

"And now," he continued, placing a card into a slot, "I play Monster Reborn!"

The glowing symbol of the holy ankh appeared over him!

"Huh?" said Gerald, getting up. "What are you bringing back?"

"A Dragon so powerful," answered Andy, that in order to bring it back from the Grave, I have to sacrifice one other Dragon first. So, Troop Dragon, begone!"

Troop Dragon shattered.

And then a huge form appeared from the ground…

"I give you… _Tyrant Dragon_!" shouted Andy.

(2,900/2,500)

"Nice try…" chuckled Gerald. "But pointless. That Monster may be powerful, but it still comes up 101 Attack Points too short to get though my Wall…"

"We'll see," said Andy with a smirk. "But first I'll play Super Rejuvenation!"

He fit his card into a slot.

"This lets me draw one card for every Monster I sacrificed during this turn, and I sacrificed one, Troop Dragon."

He drew one card and gave it a look.

"And I'll place it facedown," he said, fitting it into a slot.

"Now I'll play… Scorching Ruin!" he shouted. This increases the Attack of any Dragon by 1,000 points for the remainder of the turn! That makes Tyrant Dragon's Attack 3,900, more than enough to break through your Wall!

"And by the way… Tyrant Dragon has the ability to attack two Monsters at once…"

Gerald and the two Warriors in front of him gasped.

"Tyrant Dragon…" ordered Andy, "barbecue his two Dark Scorpions with imperial inferno!"

Tyrant Dragon launched two balls of flame, incinerating the two Don Zaloogs!

Gerald's Life Points fell to a mere 800.

"And I end my turn," said Andy. "Do your worst!"

Tyrant Dragon's Attack went back to 2,900.

Gerald shakily drew…

_There's only 101 Attack Points keeping that Dragon at bay,_ he thought. _And he has three more rounds to find a way to increase its score again – or destroy my wall. And thanks to my Final Attack Orders, any Monster I place in face-up position has to be in Attack Mode…_

_But I can still set them facedown in Defense Mode… So all I have to do is set Monsters in Defense, and he'll never be able to touch me…_

He placed a card on his Disk.

"A Monster facedown, and that will be all," he said.

The facedown Monster appeared.

**_Five rounds before Gerald's automatic win by Final Countdown._**

_Okay,_ thought Andy. _Only one card in my deck can win this, and I just have to draw it…_

He drew.

_Koops the Bashful? Man, he can't help now…_

"I'll pass for this turn…" he said.

"Very well," said Gerald.

He drew.

"I'll place another Monster facedown in Defense Mode," he said.

Another facedown Monster appeared.

"That will be all…"

**_Three rounds before Gerald's automatic win by Final Countdown._**

Andy drew.

_Admiral Bobbery? _he thought. _Man, I have my Companions, but they can't help at all!_

"I pass again…" he said.

Gerald drew.

"I set a third Monster in Defense Mode," he said. "And I end my turn."

A third facedown Monster appeared before him.

"I'd suggest giving up if I were you, Andy," yawned Gerald. "This next round is the last, and I doubt you have any way to win now…"

**_The final round before Gerald's automatic win by Final Countdown._**

Andy looked at his deck…

"Think of something, Andy!" shouted Francesca.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Andy closed his eyes as he reached for his next draw…

He envisioned himself in a dark vortex, facing a door that looked like the back of a Duel Monsters card with a knob.

He looked down at the ticking bomb on his chest, with a glowing red number that read 01.

_This is the last door to open…_ he thought. _The last card to draw. This door can bring me to victory… or defeat…_

_Will this door be a dead end? Or the light at the end of the tunnel?_

Then Koops and Bobbery appeared beside him.

"Stay strong lad," said Bobbery. "There's no turning back. Forward is the only way to go."

"Don't let fear overtake you!" pleaded Koops. "I made that mistake so many times… As grim as this situation looks, I'm more than certain that time won't run out!"

Andy slowly reached for the door…

"We're standing behind you lad…" said Bobbery.

"We always will…" said Koops.

Andy threw the door open…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Andy held the card aloft…

"Time to end this, Gerald!" he shouted.

"Huh?" asked Gerald.

"First I'll activate my facedown Trap Card…" continued Andy. "Dragon's Rage!"

The card lifted.

"This gives all my Dragons a trampling effect, meaning your three defensive Monsters can't defend your Life Points!"

"Next," he continued, fitting his card into a slot, "I play Power Lift!"

The card appeared.

"This allows me to add Tyrant Dragon's Defense Score to its Attack Score, giving it an Attack Score of 5,400 for this round! That's plenty strong enough to bust through your wall… In exchange for that, I have to send it to the Graveyard at the end of my turn…

"But this duel will be over before I reach the end of my turn! Tyrant Dragon… choose a target!"

Tyrant Dragon blasted forth its flame, and it thundered towards the Monster in the center! The image of Melchid the Four-Faced Beast appeared before it was vaporized!

Gerald's Life Points fell to zero…

"**Final Countdown averted,"** said the computerized voice.

The chains on Andy's torso crumbled and fell to dust.

"I win…" said Andy.

"So you do…" muttered Gerald, as the holograms shut down.

"Great shot Andy!" shouted Stan. "That was one in a billion!"

Gerald started to reshuffle his deck.

"I believe you owe me something…" said Andy, walking over to him.

"Eh? Oh, sure…" muttered Gerald, still with a bored look on his face.

He took a Crystal Card out of his pocket and handed it to Andy.

"Easy come, easy go, I always say…" he sighed.

He placed his deck back in the case and fit the key back in the lock.

"But still," said Andy. "That was a pretty good duel. You almost…"

"Yeah, whatever," muttered Gerald. "Good luck using those cards…"

And then he curled up against the tree and fell asleep again.

Andy shrugged.

"Think we'll ever see him again?" asked Stan.

"Dunno," said Andy with a shrug. "He has skill, but he needs motivation."

And then Francesca grabbed him.

"You did it, Andy!" she shouted. "Seven Cards!"

"All right, Francesca, all right," replied Andy. "It's time to use them now. I can get the Crystal Star tonight, and we'll be heading for the Thousand Year Door tomorrow morning…"

He placed his seven Cards into his Disk, and again, it glowed.

Again a map of Monster Island appeared.

"Congratulations, contestant!" said the female voice again. "You have won seven Crystal Cards!"

The map changed, going beyond Monster Island until it showed the image of Glitzville.

"You have been selected to compete for the Ruby Star," continued the voice. "Win this Star, and you can enter the Thousand Year Door at any time.

"At this locale, go to the Glitz Pit and speak to Jolene about the Ruby Star. She will handle the rest."

"Jolene?" asked Andy. "That organizer who arranged my match with Tyson? The one who gave me the Power Lift card?"

The Interdimensional Matter Transporter appeared and the portal opened.

"Enter the Transporter, and you will be taken to Glitzville. Good luck."

Andy sighed.

He walked into the portal, followed by his two companions.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**GRAVE TRADE (Magic Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Magic  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description: **Image of a cemetery with one group of spirits rising from the ground, and another group flying into it. Remove any number of the cards in your Graveyard from play. Add an equal number to your deck.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**DRACONIC OFFERING (Magic Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Magic  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description: **Image of a princess bound to a stake with a looming shadow in front of her. You can activate this card when you have at least one DRAGON-Type Monster and at least one Monster of another Type on your side of the field. Offer one Monster of a Type other than DRAGON as a Tribute and gain Life Points equal to the Tributed Monster's current ATK or DEF.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**SPELL SANCTUARY (Magic Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Magic/Continuous  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description: **Image of an ancient temple on a hill with a glowing portal above it. Each player takes one Magic Card of his choice from his or her deck and adds it to his hand. Each player then shuffles his or her deck. While this card is on the field, players can activate facedown Magic Cards during their opponent's turns.

_Note: "Spell Sanctuary" was first used by Kaiba in the anime episode "Clash in the Coliseum (Part One)". All creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**If you liked Gerald Laxina, well, sorry folks, but he won't be appearing in this fic again… But he WILL be appearing in a fic of his own!**_

_**My friend, Man Called True, a fellow writer who created the character, will soon be writing a new fanfiction in which Gerald, the laziest duelist alive, will star as the most unlikely hero! So look up Man Called True, and then watch for it!**_

**_Coming up next in this fic:_**

_**Andy returns to the Glitz Pit for an encore performance, and his opponent this time is another notorious villain from the video game. Prepare to be rawked by the fury of the ferocious Rawk Hawk! **_

_**And finally find out what "Supernova" does!**_

**_It's a chapter I just had to call "Duelamania!" And it's coming soon…_**


	34. Duelamania

_**Glitzville… The lights, the sights…**_

…_**and the fights…**_

_**The last time we were here, two big things happened. One, Fran was forced into a life-or-death duel with an assassin who happened to be her best friend who had been brainwashed. Yumi was cured, and Fran got her next Crystal Card.**_

_**The other thing was, I signed up for a dueling contest, not knowing it was a trap arranged by Tyson, the Shadow Spawn of Fire. I defeated him, mainly because he was an idiot, and I received my valuable Power Lift card as a reward.**_

_**I didn't expect to come back to this city in the sky, but now I have to if I want to get into the Thousand Year Door with Stan and Francesca. **_

_**It's time for Markova the Dragon Master to step into the ring again…**_

_**After all, as a great showman once said, always give the public what they want…**_

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Duelamania!**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

The Interdimensional Matter Transporter deposited them in the center of the bustling square of Glitzville. People were about, and vendors were busy as they ever were.

"Well," said Andy, looking at his watch.

It was three-thirty.

"Let's get to the Glitz Pit and see what the deal is. The two of you had to duel freaks of nature to earn your Crystal Stars, so logic assumes I'll have to do the same…"

As they walked towards the largest building, Francesca spoke up.

"Say, I wonder if…" she started.

"FRAN!" shouted a familiar voice.

Francesca turned to see the smiling face of Yumi running up to greet them.

"So good to see you guys again!" laughed Yumi, hugging her.

"Great to see you too," answered Fran. She eyed the Duel Disk on Yumi's arm. "I do hope you've been taking our advice and staying away from dueling…"

"I learned my lesson," replied Yumi, looking at the Disk nervously. "But I still keep this and my Ninja Deck close by in case the Queen's goons come back to start something… Say…"

She pulled three Crystal Cards out of her pocket.

"I still have the three I had left after you beat me Fran! If any of you guys need another one we could…"

"That won't be necessary, Yumi," interrupted Andy. "We all have the required Cards, and I only need to compete for something called the Ruby Star…"

"Then we're off to the Thousand Year Door," continued Stan, "to teach the Queen a lesson for what she did to you."

"We just need to speak to Jolene again," said Andy. "I might have to duel in public again."

"Well," said Yumi, as they started to walk towards the auditorium, "Miss Jolene has been holding dueling competitions ever since I got here. I've been watching all the ones I could afford…"

She sighed.

"I just wish I could afford to see the big duels… Like the ones with Rawk Hawk…"

"You mentioned him the last time were here…" mentioned Stan. "Who is he?"

"The best duelist in Glitzville," answered Yumi. "I've seen pictures of him…"

She chuckled.

"Picture Big Bird on steroids, and you've got an adequate likeness. But don't make fun of his appearance to his face! I've heard rumors that this guy eats raw meat…

"…for breakfast…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

In her office, Miss Jolene was typing something on a laptop.

She was incredibly nervous. Word on the grapevine was that six contestants of the Monster Island Tournament had qualified, and she was paranoid that her usefulness would soon be outlived…

She typed a passage in the document she was composing.

_To my cousin Trisha, I leave my collection of autographed sports memorabilia. I realize you never particularly wanted it, but Patrick does, and I do NOT want him to get his paws on it! He'd likely get tired of it and sell it all on eBay eventually anyway. Also…_

"Miss Jolene?" said an aide.

She shrieked!

"Oh…" she gasped. "It's you Roland…"

"Not that it's any of my business…" sighed Roland, "but have you ever considered switching to decaf?"

"WHAT DO YOU WANT?" she shouted.

"Andy Markova here to see you…" he answered.

Jolene looked surprised.

She hit the "Save" command on her computer and turned it off.

"Send him in," she said, closing it.

Two minutes later, the four teens walked into the office.

"Andy!" said Jolene, cheerily, getting up. "How are you? Come for an encore performance?"

"I don't know…" muttered Andy. "Depends…"

Jolene looked at him strangely.

"My Disk told me to come here…" he continued. "I was supposed to speak to you about the Ruby Star…"

Jolene sighed. She slumped into her chair.

"Ironic…" she muttered. "It was you…"

"What?" asked Andy. "Are _you_ my opponent?"

Jolene laughed.

"No," she chuckled. "I'm just a novice. But I was told that someone would likely win seven Cards today, so I was to schedule my part of the Crystal Star competitions…"

She sighed.

"At seven o'clock tonight," she continued, "the biggest duel in Glitzville since the Tournament started will be held in the Pit. In one corner, the holder of seven Crystal Cards, and in the other, Glitzville's reigning champion…"

"Rawk Hawk?" asked Yumi.

Jolene nodded.

"It goes without saying that you have to win in order to get the Star," sighed Jolene. "But after you beat Tyson, hey, I wouldn't be too worried.

"Trust me, Rawk's bark is worse than his bite, and so far he's refused to duel anyone who might be an actual challenge…"

Her voice sank to a whisper.

"He's afraid of losing… It would be the worst humiliation…"

"So, what can I expect?" asked Andy.

Jolene chuckled as she went to the closet.

"Well, I can't tell you _that_ much!" she laughed. "I can't give away a duelist's strategies."

"Here," she said, handing him a box. "I saved your costume and had it dry-cleaned…"

"Aw, not that thing again!" protested Andy. "I look ridiculous in it!"

"If you think _that_ looks ridiculous, you should see Rawk," chuckled Jolene. "Now, I'll have room service bring dinner for you and your three friends to the Green Room. Remember, seven o'clock… this match is going to be sold out."

"Come on, Lord of Dragons," teased Francesca. "Best get your clothes off…"

"Quit it…" sighed Andy.

"Hey, I thought you looked good in spandex," replied Fran.

As they left, Jolene slumped in her chair again.

_If I was Pinocchio, my nose would be the size of a yardstick…_ she thought. _Andy's got his work cut out for him… And if he loses to Rawk…_

She sighed.

_But if he manages to win, maybe I can finally stop living like this…_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Andy sighed as he looked at himself in the mirror of the Green Room.

"This is seriously messed up…" he mumbled.

"I told you," giggled Francesca. "You look cute…"

"Do you have any idea how much this cape weighs?" asked Andy, sarcastically. "And this stupid helmet cuts off half of my line of sight! How on earth is anybody supposed to command dragons in this getup?

"Besides, I don't think you'd find it very cute if someone was making _you_ dress up like one of your Amazons… Don't they have any decency anyway? They look like something from a _Sports Illustrated_ swimsuit special!"

"I wouldn't dress like them," muttered Francesca. "But they're _strong_ women, Andy, and they dress however they want.

"Besides, some say that the reason for their skimpy clothing is to stun male enemies with their beauty so they can get in the first strike."

Andy shrugged.

"Touché," he sighed.

"Hey, relax, Andy…" said Stan, who was sitting at a table laden with food. "Have a bite to eat – there's no sense in going in there in an empty stomach…"

"Not very hungry…" muttered Andy.

At that point, Roland came to the door.

"Stan, Francesca, Yumi," he said. "I can show you to your seats now – we got good ones in the front row."

"Well, break a leg, Andy!" said Yumi, as the three of them left. "Uh, on second thought, forget I said that…"

Andy started to shuffle his deck…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

As the hands on their watches neared seven o'clock, it was clear to Stan, Francesca, and Yumi that Jolene wasn't lying.

The Glitz Pit was crowded even more than last time. Clearly, discount tickets had been given out for this match, and they had been eagerly bought up.

"Yumi," asked Francesca, "do you know anything about Rawk Hawk's dueling strategy?"

"I asked a guy who saw him duel," answered Yumi. "The guy said he uses a Beastdown Deck."

"Don't you mean a 'Beatdown Deck'?" asked Stan.

"That's exactly what I asked the guy," replied Yumi. "But he told me, 'If I had _meant_ Beatdown, I would have _said_ Beatdown'."

"Odd…" muttered Francesca.

Music started to play from an electric organ above the seats, and Jolene appeared in the huge, circular ring.

"Ladies and gentlemen!" she announced. "Tonight we present a special event! One of the greatest contestants of the Monster Island Tournament, versus the Glitz Pit's reigning champion!"

The crowd cheered.

"Introducing the challenger," she continued, "hailing from Florida, a young man with a full seven Crystal Cards on his person… making his triumphant return to the ring… MARKOVA THE DRAGON MASTER!"

As Andy walked up to the ring, a few people cheered, but not as many as he'd have liked. It was clear he wasn't exactly the favorite here this time…

"And now," continued Jolene, "introducing the Glitz Pit's undefeated, uncontested champion, the one, the only… RAWK HAWK!"

Ominous music played and the lights dimmed, as Andy's opponent entered from the opposite side of the arena…

This was a sight Andy would not soon forget. Yumi's description of "Big Bird on steroids" was somewhat accurate, but this guy was even more intimidating than that. He stood a full seven feet tall, and was as muscular as a pro wrestler. His face and visage resembled that of a golden eagle – it was difficult to tell whether this was his true face or some costume. His skin seemed to be covered in a fine coating of golden feathers, and his head sported a huge plume of gold. His dress was limited to trunks, a belt, large collar, boots, armbands (all of those gold), and a silver headband. He wore a Duel Disk which also seemed to be made of gold.

He got up on the ring and looked at Andy.

And then he chuckled.

"Lookee here," he mocked. "The Lord of Dragons… I hope your dueling is better than your fashion sense, meatball!"

"I must be doing something right," answered Andy.

"Yeah, right," laughed Rawk. "I'm gonna take you down in three rounds!"

"Assuming a lug like you can count that high!" snapped Andy back. "You're nothing but a muscle-bound moron."

The crowd gasped.

"HEY!" shouted Rawk, clenching his fist. "Don't call me names! I _hate_ it when people call me names!"

"Oh, is that so?" chuckled Andy. "Then you're also an ugly birdbrain."

"That's it!" shouted Rawk, walking up to him. "I'm gonna take this Disk and stick it where the sun don't…"

"Rawk, please!" cautioned Jolene. "Take your aggression out in the duel!"

Rawk calmed down a little.

"Fine," he scowled. "I eat pieces of garbage like guy this for lunch!"

"You eat pieces of garbage for lunch?" asked Andy.

The crowd laughed. Rawk stared at him.

"What's the matter?" asked Andy. "Upset because you've finally found an opponent who isn't afraid of you?"

Rawk was about to answer, but then a voice sounded in his head.

"_Rawk Hawk,"_ said the Shadow Queen's voice_. "Listen to me carefully…"_

"_Boss lady?"_ answered Rawk.

"_Yes,"_ replied the Queen. _"Here's an incentive… Defeat Andy, and you're getting a big raise. Lose, and I'm docking your pay!"_

"_Don't worry,"_ answered Rawk. _"I'll defeat this meatball…"_

"_And here's a word of encouragement,"_ continued the Queen.

"_Yeah?"_ he answered.

"_Don't do anything stupid!"_ she snapped.

Rawk started to shuffle his deck, and Andy did the same.

"All right!" shouted the champion, loading his deck into his Disk. "This is starting now, Markova! Prepare to be **RAAAAAAAWWWWKED!**"

The Disks flipped into position, and the Life Point counters rose to 8,000, both on the Disks and on screens all around the arena. As the holo-imagers on the sides of the ring blazed, the crowd cheered.

_Good luck Andy_, thought Francesca.

"You make the first move, meatball!" dared Rawk, drawing five cards.

"Whatever you say, pal," answered Andy, drawing six.

His opening hand wasn't as good as the one he had when he faced Gerald, but he did have a few good ones…

"I'll summon Twin-Headed Behemoth in Attack Mode," he stated.

He placed a card down, and the two-headed Dragon of Wind appeared, making a double roar. (1,500/1,200)

"Interesting…" chuckled Rawk.

He placed a card down.

"I'll set one Monster facedown in Defense Mode, and that will be my turn," he declared.

He placed a card on his Disk, and a facedown Monster appeared.

"Your move, meatball," he chuckled.

Andy made a draw.

_A Monster facedown,_ he thought. _It could be stronger than my Behemoth, but if what I've seen of this guy is any indication, he's bluffing…_

"Twin Headed Behemoth, attack his facedown Monster!" he shouted.

The Dragon shot forth a blast of flames…

And a form appeared on the card. It was a short, scrappy kangaroo with green fur, a purple jacket, and red boxing gloves and sneakers. (1,500/1,700)

As Behemoth's flames shot towards the creature, it threw its fist forward in a thundering blow! Twin-Headed Behemoth was blown to bits!

"What?" gasped Andy.

"I believe in Australia the saying is, 'g'day mate'!" chuckled Rawk. "That was a Des Kangaroo, and since its Defense was stronger than your Dragon's Attack, you not only lose 200 Life Points, but your Dragon is destroyed!"

Andy's Life Points fell to 7,800.

"Yeah, well, he's not _staying_ destroyed," muttered Andy.

Twin-Headed Behemoth returned. (1,000/1,200)

"I'll end my turn by summoning Koumori Dragon in Defense Mode," he stated.

He put a card down, and the small, winged, Dragon of Darkness appeared, folding its wings. (1,500/1,200)

Rawk chuckled as he made a draw.

"Lovely," he said, "but this is gonna be a pretty dull duel is we only play stuff in Defense Mode!"

He slid a card into a slot.

"First I'll play this Magic Card… the lethal Poison Fangs!"

The Magic Card appeared on his side of the field.

"Now, whenever a Beast damages your Life Points, you'll lose an _additional_ 500 Life Points!"

"Oh great…" muttered Andy.

"Now I'll summon… Mad Dog of Darkness!" laughed Rawk, placing a card down.

A savage dog with orange skin, huge fangs, and demonic horns appeared. (1,900/1,400)

"Now, I'll just shift Des Kangaroo into Attack Mode…" he continued, turning his card.

Des Kangaroo hopped up and put up his dukes.

"Mad Dog of Darkness, take down his Behemoth with rabid bite attack!"

The Beast leapt forward and seized Twin-Headed Behemoth by the left neck with its fangs! The Dragon roared and then shattered.

Andy's Life Points fell to 7,100. Then the Poison Fangs card glowed, and they dropped to 6,600.

"Des Kangaroo!" ordered Rawk. "Attack his other Dragon with destruction punch!"

Des Kangaroo charged fist-first, slamming his glove into Koumori Dragon and blowing it into shards!

The crowd let out a cheer.

"And that's my move…" he said with a chuckle.

_Be careful, Andy…_ thought Stan.

_From the look of things, Rawk Hawk's "Beastdown Deck" is relying on powerful Beasts and Beast-Warriors. But while it's true that these Monsters are powerful, they're… unsubtle. _

_A good strategy could possibly defeat them…_

Andy drew.

"Well look at this, birdface!" he exclaimed. "It's a good friend of mine… called Cave Dragon!"

He placed the card down, and the huge, aged Dragon appeared. (2,000/100)

Rawk scowled.

"Since it can't attack when it's alone, that will be my turn," continued Andy. "It's your move, leadhead."

"I told you," shouted Rawk, making a draw, _"quit callin' me names!"_

He looked at his card.

"I'll move Des Kangaroo and Mad Dog of Darkness to Defense Mode, and that will end my turn," he said, turning the cards.

Des Kangaroo raised its gloves defensively, and Mad Dog of Darkness sat.

"Great," said Andy, drawing.

He placed a card down.

"I'll summon my Luster Dragon #1 in Attack Mode!" he chuckled.

The beautiful Dragon made of sapphire appeared, sparkling in the light. (1,900/1,600)

"Now to get rid of your Magic Card," he continued. "I'll play Stamping Destruction!"

He threw the card into a slot, and Cave Dragon stomped his foot down! A shockwave smashed the Poison Fangs card to pieces and threw its owner down!

"No way!" shouted Rawk Hawk as his Life Points fell to 7,500. "You actually hurt me!"

"And I'm just getting started!" shouted Andy, clenching his fist. "Cave Dragon, attack his Mad Dog of Darkness with noxious gust!"

Cave Dragon belched forth a blast of poison gas, blowing the Mad Dog away.

"Luster Dragon, send that Kangaroo back to Australia with sapphire flash blast!"

Luster Dragon blasted forth a beam of brilliant blue energy, and Des Kangaroo was blasted into shards.

The audience was silenced.

"Your move," said Andy, with a grin.

"You'll pay for that, meatball!" cursed Rawk, drawing.

He looked at his card. A slight grin formed on his beak.

He placed a card into a slot, and the facedown card appeared in front of him.

"That's my turn," he said.

Murmurs broke out among the crowd.

"No Monsters?" asked Andy. "Come on! I _dare_ you to tell me that's not a Trap Card!"

"Okay, it's _not_ a Trap Card," answered Rawk, staring at him.

Andy made a draw.

_He's obviously lying,_ he thought. _But I don't have to summon anything right away…_

Rawk stared at him.

_Attack me, Markova…_ he thought. _I'll bet you don't even have the guts…_

Andy stared back.

"Cave Dragon, Luster Dragon!" he shouted. "Attack him directly!"

_So he _does_ have the guts…_ thought Rawk.

The two Dragons prepared to fire their attacks…

Rawk hit his Disk.

"I activate Scapegoat!" he shouted.

The Quickplay Magic Card lifted, and four colored sheep appeared. The blasts from the two Dragons vaporized two of them.

"I told ya it wasn't a Trap," chuckled Rawk. "For a minute there, I thought that you thought I was a liar!"

"Yeah, that was pretty much what I thought!" answered Andy. "Make your move."

Rawk made his draw.

He looked at the Magic Card.

_Perfect,_ he thought. _This is just what I needed…_

He placed another card on his Disk.

"I summon a Beast known as Berserk Gorilla!" he shouted.

A huge, very angry-looking gorilla appeared. Its fur was fiery red, and steam poured from its nostrils. (2,000/1,000)

"What?" said Andy. "That was a poor move, pal! I know that thing's weakness… It _has_ to attack every round it's able to. You might be able to take out my Luster Dragon, but when you have to attack my Cave Dragon with it, both of them will be destroyed!"

"Actually," snickered Rawk, "I'll going after your Cave Dragon first, as soon as I play this Magic Card…"

He slid a card into a slot.

"It's called The Big March of Animals!"

Andy looked dumbfounded.

"What does that do?" he asked.

"For every Beast I have on the field," explained Rawk, "each one of them gains 200 Attack Points for one round. Since I have the Gorilla and two Scapegoats, that's a 600-point increase!"

Berserk Gorilla's Attack rose to 2,600.

"Go Berserk Gorilla!" shouted Rawk. "Wipe out his Cave Dragon with blazing berserk breath!"

Berserk Gorilla breathed forth a wave of flame, and Cave Dragon exploded!

Andy's Life Points fell to 6,000.

The crowd cheered again.

"Go on, meatball!" laughed Rawk.

_Got to take out Donkey Kong there…_ thought Andy.

He made a draw.

_Or better yet…_

He placed a card down on his Disk.

"I'll summon Warrior Dai Grepher in Attack Mode!" he shouted.

The mighty Warrior in black leather armor holding his steel sword appeared. (1,700/1,600)

"You think that scares me?" laughed Rawk. "My Gorilla is stronger than both your Monsters!"

"I know," chuckled Andy, placing a card into his Disk. "So why don't I just take it from you? I play Snatch Steal!"

Rawk gasped as the card revealed itself, and the sneaky bandit appeared. He dove into Berserk Gorilla's body, and the Beast vanished, only to reappear on Andy's side.

"Warrior Dai Grepher, Luster Dragon, wipe out his Scapegoats!" shouted Andy.

Grepher sliced one of the two remaining tokens in half! Luster Dragon blasted its breath weapon and vaporized the last!

"Berserk Gorilla, attack directly!" shouted Andy.

Rawk Hawk screamed as his own Monster's burning breath plowed into him, knocking him back five feet!

His Life Points tumbled to 5,500.

The crowd was silenced for a minute…

And then they cheered!

"YES!" shouted Francesca. "Go Andy!"

"I knew he'd find a way to beat those beastly bullies!" cheered Yumi.

Rawk groaned… He got up.

"That has to be the first time anyone has _dared_ hit me with a direct attack!" he cursed.

Andy smiled and closed his eyes.

"It won't be the last, fellah," he said. "I have a feeling you've ruled this arena through fear since you arrived, through use of scary Monsters and brutal methods. And by doing so, no one has had the courage to actually put up a decent fight against you…

"But once I defeat you, I have a feeling that more competent duelists will have the courage to stand up to you, and your record will sink until you're in the minor leagues!"

"We'll see about that!" cursed Rawk. "You haven't seen an inkling of what waits in my deck! And it's my move!"

He drew.

_Darn,_ he thought.

"You may have blasted me for 2,000 Life Points," he gloated, "but since you have Snatch Steal in effect, I gain 1,000 back!"

His Life Points went up to 6,500.

"Now," he continued, "I'll play Stray Lambs!"

He fit a Magic Card into a slot, and two Lamb Tokens appeared.

"That's my turn…" he said, nervously.

Andy drew.

_Yes!_ he thought. _Just the card I needed…_

"Well Rawk," he said, offhand, "since I don't feel like you giving you any more Life Points, I'm moving this Gorilla into Defense Mode…"

Berserk Gorilla knelt.

"…which, as you probably know, destroys it."

The Gorilla shattered.

"Now I'll use Polymerization!"

He slid the Magic Card into a slot.

"This will fuse Warrior Dai Grepher with my Spirit Ryu!" he chuckled.

Spirit Ryu appeared on the field, and it and Grepher were both drawn into the portal.

"And together they form a draconic Warrior feared by humans and Dragons alike, one by the name of… Ryu Senshi!"

The tall, armored form of Ryu Senshi leapt out of the portal, holding his silver sword aloft! (2,000/1,200)

"The rules state that Fusion Monsters have to wait one turn before attacking!" snapped Rawk.

"I know _that_!" sighed Andy. "What do you take me for, an idiot? Luster Dragon, wipe out one of his Lambs!"

Luster Dragon blasted forth his breath, and one of the tokens was vaporized.

Andy chuckled.

"You know Rawk," he said, "Dragons are notorious for preying on livestock…"

"Big whoop!" answered Rawk.

"Aw, make your move," sighed Andy.

Rawk drew.

"I'll play my Pot of Greed!" shouted Rawk, throwing a card into a slot, "and I'm sure everyone knows what THAT does!"

The Pot handed him two more cards.

He laughed.

And then he laughed harder!

"Want to let me in on the joke, meathead?" asked Andy.

"Stop calling me names!" shouted Rawk. "But I'll gladly 'let you in on it'! First, I'll play Premature Burial, which I'll use to bring my Des Kangaroo back from the Graveyard!"

He fit the card into the slot, his Life Points fell to 5,700, and Des Kangaroo reappeared.

"And now," he said, taking a few steps back, "I'll sacrifice Des Kangaroo and my other Stray Lamb to summon a Beast so savage, it will bring you to your knees!"

He placed a card down, and Des Kangaroo and the token vanished.

A huge form started to take shape…

The creature was beyond belief. It was ten feet tall, twenty feet long, and resembled a bison in shape, but far more feral. Its muscular body had purple skin, and its paws were clawed. Its head had horns, sharp teeth dripping with saliva, and glowing eyes. It had a mane of thick, purple hair, and a huge tail. (2,700/1,500)

"Meet **_Behemoth the King of All Animals_**!" shouted Rawk.

(2,700/1,500)

"And," continued Rawk, "just by summoning it, I get to retrieve one Beast from my Graveyard for each Monster I sacrificed to summon it!"

Two cardsslipped out of his discard slot.

He looked at his Mad Dog of Darkness and Berserk Gorilla.

_I'll save these guys for my BIG surprise_, he thought.

"Now my Behemoth," he shouted, "trample his Luster Dragon!"

The King of All Animals charged forward, striking Luster Dragon and smashing it to pieces!

As Andy's Life Points fell to 5,200, the crowd cheered again.

"Has it sunk in wimp?" asked Rawk. "I can't be beaten!"

Andy drew.

"I beg to differ, pal," he said with a grin. "I just drew a Monster that will destroy your Behemoth!"

"And just how do you plan on doing that?" chuckled Rawk.

"First I'll take a page from your playbook," answered Andy. "I'll play my own Premature Burial, using it to bring back Twin-Headed Behemoth…"

He played the card, and his Life Points dipped to 4,400 as his two-headed Dragon arose.

"Next," continued Andy, taking another card from his hand, "I'll sacrifice my Behemoth to summon a Dragon called Des Volstgalph!"

Twin-Headed Behemoth shattered, and Des Volstgalph appeared with a roar! (2,200/1,700)

"What good will that do you?" laughed Rawk. "It's 500 Attack Points weaker than my Monster!"

"I'm also playing this!" added Andy, placing a card into a slot. "Scorching Ruin! This Magic Card will not only raise the Attack Score of any Dragon by 1,000 for one round, but it will raise Des Volstgalph's Attack by _another_ 200 because I'm playing a Magic Card!"

Des Volstgalph roared again, as its Attack rose to 3,400!

"Des Volstgalph!" shouted Andy. "Show him that animals are no match for the supernatural fury of Dragons!"

Des Volstgalph blasted its fired breath, and Behemoth the King of All Animals roared before it was blasted to bits!

Rawk stared in disbelief as his Life Points went down to 5,000.

"And when Des Volstgalph destroys a Monster, you lose 500 _more_ Life Points!" laughed Andy.

Rawk growled as his Life Points fell further, to 4,500.

"And now, heeeeere's Ryu Senshi!" shouted Andy. "Go! Attack directly with dragon soulsword!"

Ryu Senshi raised his sword aloft, and a flaming, dragon-like form appeared behind him! He charged, and smote the brute with his sword, knocking him over!

Rawk Hawk fell over and his Life Points dove to 2,500.

The crowd's applause was now deafening!

"Yes!" shouted Francesca. "Andy's just taken a huge lead!"

Des Volstgalph's Attack returned to its original level.

Rawk Hawk was now clearly angry…

He pulled himself up, and drew the card from the top of his deck…

"Markova…" he growled. "You're a low-down, underhanded, two-bit, dirty… thug…

"But enough with the compliments…

"I'm gonna take you down, and I'm gonna take you down _hard_!"

He fit a card into a slot.

"I play Cost Down!" he exclaimed. "I'll just discard this…"

He discarded a card.

"…and now my favorite Monster is downgraded from six-star to four-star!"

He placed a card on his Disk.

"Say hello… to Manticore of Darkness!"

A huge creature appeared with a bellowing roar. It had the muscular, bipedal body of a lion, wings of a huge, black bird, and a snaky tail. (2,300/1,000)

"Now I'll play this Magic Card," he chuckled, placing a card in a slot. "Predator and Prey! When this card is played and a Beast, Winged Beast, or Beast-Warrior like my Manticore attacks, I gain Life Points equal to the Attack Score of the Monster it destroys!"

_This guy must be really stupid,_ thought Andy. _He obviously doesn't realize that by playing two Magic Cards, he's brought Des Volstgalph's Attack Score up to 2,600, and that's stronger than his Manticore…_

"Manticore of Darkness," shouted Rawk, "attack Ryu Senshi with hellfire blast!"

The Manticore blasted a stream of fire from its jowls, incinerating the Dragon Warrior!

Andy cringed as his Life Points fell to 4,100.

Even worse, Rawk's Life Points rose to 4,500.

_Okay, so maybe he isn't stupid…_ thought Andy.

"Oh great…" muttered Stan. "This is trouble…"

"Huh?" asked Yumi. "That Manticore is strong, but it isn't unbeatable…"

"It just might be, Yumi," responded Stan. "If a duelist knows how to play Manticore of Darkness right, that Monster could well be…"

He gulped.

"…immortal…"

Andy drew one card.

He gave it a look.

"I'll place one card facedown," he said, "and move Des Volstgalph into Defense Mode."

The card materialized, and Des Volstgalph lowered and folded its wings.

"That the best you could do?" chuckled Rawk, drawing a card.

He looked at the card.

_Well, THIS will certainly be good for my ultimate combo…_ he thought.

He added it to his hand, and placed another card down.

"I'll summon back an old friend," he chuckled. "You remember Berserk Gorilla, dontcha?"

Berserk Gorilla reappeared, even angrier than before. (2,000/1,000)

"Berserk Gorilla, attack his…" he started.

"Activate Threatening Roar!" shouted Andy.

His Trap Card lifted, and the great beast appeared behind him, letting out a bellowing roar! Manticore of Darkness and Berserk Gorilla cringed…

"All right, fine," muttered Rawk. "It's your move."

Andy made a draw. Then he placed a card into a slot.

"I play Sweet Feast!" he shouted.

"Eh?" said Rawk, dumbfounded, as the bountiful cornucopia appeared over Andy.

"Now, since your strongest Monster has six stars," continued Andy, "I gain six thousand Life Points!"

His Life Points skyrocketed to 10,100!

The crowd let out a cheer!

"And I also get to draw six cards!" continued Andy.

The six cards flew off of his deck, and he took them.

"Clever," muttered Rawk. "Too bad you aren't an Exodia duelist."

Well, since I played that card, I can't play any other cards this turn," said Andy, "so, since I have seven cards in my hand now, I'll discard this card…"

He discarded his Wingbeat of Giant Dragon.

"…and end my turn."

"I really don't care!" shouted Rawk, drawing.

_This Trap Card will be good for later_, he thought, adding it to his hand.

"Berserk Gorilla, destroy his Des Volstgalph!" he shouted.

Berserk Gorilla blasted forth his fiery breath, and Des Volstgalph was blown to pieces.

"Manticore of Darkness, attack him directly! Hellfire blast!"

Andy cringed as the Monster's flames covered him…

He gasped as his Life Points sank to 7,800, and the crowd started to cheer again.

"Feeling the heat yet, meatball?" mocked Rawk.

"It's my move now, pal," said Andy, drawing a card, and I'm going to wipe your Manticore out!"

"Yeah, how?" laughed Rawk.

"First I'll play Monster Reborn!" shouted Andy, throwing a card into a slot.

Once again, Twin-Headed Behemoth appeared on the field.

"And now," said Andy, switching cards, "I'll sacrifice him again, to summon Luster Dragon #2!"

He put a card down, and the Behemoth shattered. In its place rose the huge Dragon with emerald scales. (2,400/1,900)

"Oh, another Dragon… I'm so scared…" mocked Rawk, sarcastically.

"In case you didn't notice," sneered Andy, "my Dragon is 100 Attack Points stronger than your Manticore. The first rule of Duel Monsters is, the Monster with the lower score loses!"

"Then attack!" laughed Rawk. "I dare ya!"

Andy paused. Doubt started to form.

_Could that Manticore have some sort of special effect that might let it resist attacks?_ he thought. _Maybe I should be careful…_

"I _double_ dare ya!" mocked Rawk.

Andy's eyes narrowed.

No way this guy was going to double dare him and get away with it…

"Luster Dragon, attack his Manticore with emerald flash blast!" he shouted.

Luster Dragon breathed forth a stream of green energy, blowing Manticore of Darkness into pixels!

Rawk chuckled as his Life Points fell to 4,400.

"Impressive…" he said. "But, unfortunately, pointless, due to Manticore of Darkness's special effect!"

"What effect?" snarled Andy. "I just sent it to the Graveyard."

"That's the whole point!" cackled Rawk. "When Manticore of Darkness is sent to the Graveyard by _any_ means, I can send one Beast, Beast-Warrior, or Winged Beast on the field or in my hand to the Graveyard to bring it back!

"So watch this nifty trick…"

He took a card from his hand and discarded it.

"First I'll discard my second Manticore of Darkness, which will bring back the first…"

Manticore of Darkness reappeared in an explosion of flames!

"Next…" continued Rawk, "I'll sacrifice the Berserk Gorilla I have on the field…"

Berserk Gorilla shattered.

"…which will summon to the field the Manticore I just discarded!"

A second Manticore of Darkness appeared beside the first in another explosion!

(2,300/1,000 x2)

"What did I tell you…" muttered Stan. "Practically immortal…"

"Don't give up, Andy!" shouted Fran.

"All right," snarled Andy. "I end my turn…"

Rawk drew.

_Vorse Raider…_ he thought. _I'll just keep it and Mad Dog of Darkness in my hand in case he finds a way to destroy the Manticores again…_

"I don't know how you intend to defeat my Dragon with those two monstrosities…" stated Andy.

"I'll show you how!" chuckled Rawk, flicking his Field slot open. "I play the Forest Field Magic Card!"

He inserted the card, and all of a sudden, trees and shrubs sprouted all around the ring!

"This Field Card ups the Attack and Defense of all Beasts and Beast-Warriors by 200 points!" exclaimed Rawk. "That's just enough for them to put a hurt on you!"

(2,500/1,200 x2)

"Why Forest?" asked Andy. "Why not Gaia Power?"

"Because Manticore of Darkness is a Fire Monster, stupid!" snapped Rawk. "That would make Gaia Power pretty useless in this situation, wouldn't it?

"A lot of my Monsters are Earth, but some of them are Fire, and others are Dark, so an Attribute-based Field doesn't cut it. But all of them get a boost from the Forest!

"But enough chit-chat! Manticore #1, attack his Luster Dragon!"

The first Manticore blasted forth a blaze of flame, and Luster Dragon was incinerated.

"Manticore #2, your turn!" shouted Rawk. "Attack him directly!"

The second Manticore blasted forth his wave of fire, and Andy was knocked down, his cards scattering all over the place!

His Life Points had plummeted to 5,200.

Andy groaned. He slowly got up and gathered his cards…

"Summon whatever you like," laughed Rawk. "Next round, you'll be overwhelmed!

"I'll place one card facedown, and that will end my turn…"

He slid one of his three cards into a slot, and it appeared behind his Manticores.

_I've already got a strategy on the off chance he manages to summon something stronger than my Manticores,_ he thought evilly. _As soon as he declares an attack, I'll activate my Malevolent Catastrophe Trap, which will destroy every Monster on the field! Then I'll discard Vorse Raider and Mad Dog of Darkness to revive my two Manticores, and attack directly, bringing him down to a mere 200 Life Points. After that, he'll never summon anything strong enough to keep me from finishing him off…_

Andy looked at his current hand of five cards…

_Let's see…_ he thought. _Red Eyes, Lord of Dragons, Divine Dragon Ragnarok, Super Rejuvenation, and…_

He shuddered at the sight of the last card…

He really _didn't_ want to use that card!

He paused before making his draw…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

In his mind, he was falling through a void of stars. The card that he was afraid of was in front of him, larger than life…

Then, Koops and Bobbery appeared to either side of him.

"Andy!" snapped Bobbery. "Those Manticores are dangerous, lad! They'll just keep coming back no matter what you do! If you want to win this duel, you _must_ use that card!"

"Cut him some slack, Bobbery!" gulped Koops. "When the Three Heroes used that spell for the first time, I nearly soiled my shell!"

"What if it backfires, guys?" asked Andy. "I have no idea what his facedown card is! If it's Hallowed Life Barrier or Barrel Behind the Door, I've had it!"

"You've got to believe, lad," assured Bobbery. "You said it yourself – once you defeat Rawk Hawk, he won't be able to rule by fear any more!"

"I have to admit, Bobbery is right…" muttered Koops. "That card is your only chance to win the duel… No matter how scary it is…"

Andy reached out and touched the card…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_They're right…_ thought Andy. _This card is the only way to win… I have to use it…_

_The only problem is, I can't… not without two more specific cards…_

He reached for his deck.

_C'mon Heart of the Cards, show me some love…_

He drew.

"And my card is Pot of Greed!" he shouted, playing the card.

The Pot handed him two more cards.

Andy almost squealed with delight upon seeing them, but he caught himself.

"Okay Rawk, it ends NOW!" he shouted.

He placed a Magic Card into a slot.

"I play… Fusion Recovery!" he shouted. "This card lets me take one fusion material Monster and one Polymerization card from my Graveyard and add them to my hand!"

Polymerization and Warrior Dai Grepher slid out of his discard slot, and flew into his hand.

"Now I summon… Lord of Dragons!"

He placed the card down, and a Spellcaster dressed exactly like him appeared, striking a pose. (1,200/1,100)

"I'm not impressed…" muttered Rawk.

"Just wait!" chuckled Andy. "Now I'll use this accessory card… The Flute of Summoning Dragons!"

He placed a card in a slot, and the trumpet-like flute appeared in Lord of Dragons's hand.

"All right Lord of Dragons," ordered Andy, "hows about playing some corn on that old golden horn?"

Lord of Dragons put the flute to his lips, and played a haunting melody.

"Having done that," continued Andy, "I can now summon two Dragons from my hand!"

He put two cards down.

"So meet Red Eyes Black Dragon, and Divine Dragon Ragnarok!"

First, the mighty Red Eyes appeared. (2,400/2,000) Then the wispy, smoky Divine Dragon Ragnarok appeared next to him. (1,500/1,000)

"I'm _still_ not impressed!" mocked Rawk.

"Not done!" continued Andy. "Now I'll play Polymerization! This will fuse Lord of Dragons and Ragnarok together!"

The portal opened, and the Spellcaster and the Dragon were drawn through it.

The portal flashed with energy, and the huge form of King Dragun emerged from it! (2,400/1,100)

The two powerful Dragons turned to each other. They nodded and roared.

"Heh, heh…" chuckled Rawk. "HA, HA, HA, HA, HA! Good effort, Markova! Not many duelists can summon two seven-star Monsters in a single turn! But you wasted your time! Both of your Dragons are weaker than my Monsters by 100 points!"

"Indeed," said Andy. "So I'll place one card facedown, and end my turn…"

He fit a card into a slot, and it appeared behind the two Dragons.

Rawk drew.

_Heh, heh, Enraged Battle Ox,_ he thought. _Now I have three cards that I can discard…_

"I'm activating a Trap!" shouted Andy.

His card lifted.

"The almighty**_ Supernova_**!"

Stan and Francesca got up in shock.

"Supernova?" gulped Stan.

"He's actually using that?" gasped Fran.

The card revealed itself, bearing the image of Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon being blasted by burning energy from the heavens…

"This Trap Card doesn't actually involve the explosion of a very large star in which the star may reach a maximum intrinsic luminosity one billion times that of the sun," explained Andy, "but it's powerful nonetheless! Using this card is all… or… nothing!

"In order to activate Supernova, I have to have at least two non-token Monsters on the field, and they all have to have the same Type, Attribute, and star level. As you can clearly see, both Red Eyes and King Dragun are Dark-Attribute, Dragon-Type, and have seven stars!"

A blinding light started to appear above the arena…

"And then, I have to give up most of my Life Points!" continued Andy. "I have to spend all of them but one!"

The crowd gasped, as his Life Point counter fell to 1.

"And in exchange for all that, I get to destroy one Monster for every Monster I have that qualifies!"

The light got brighter!

"Big deal!" laughed Rawk. "I still have enough cards to discard to bring them back!"

"Oh really?" replied Andy. "You also lose Life Points equal to the current Attack Scores of the Monsters this card destroys, meaning that you'll now lose 5,000 Life Points!"

Rawk gasped, as two burning beams of light blasted down from above! The two Manticores howled and exploded in a furious lightshow, and Rawk was thrown off his feet!

His Life Points plummeted to zero, and he was out cold!

"Phew!" gasped Andy.

The crowd let out a thunderous applause! Jolene came up to the ring.

"And the winner is…" she announced, "Markova the Dragon Master!"

The crowd cheered again.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Andy envisioned himself in the void of stars again, and again, Koops and Bobbery were in front of him.

"All right Andy!" cheered Koops. "Way to put that bully in his place!"

"You did it lad," chuckled Bobbery. "You used the Three Heroes' most powerful spell like a pro… Even _they_ were scared to use Supernova! In fact, I believe that was the spell that finally brought the Shadow Queen to her knees…"

"I might not have dared try…" sighed Andy, "but you guys talked me into it…"

"Well, now you, Stan, and Francesca are finally going to be going to the Thousand Year Door," said Koops, "and the two of us will be right beside you, just like always!"

"Count on it, mate!" answered Bobbery. "Believe in your Heart, and we'll never be more than a draw away…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Andy opened his eyes to see Rawk Hawk being helped off the field in a daze, and everyone in the arena shouting his name. Jolene lifted his arm into the air.

"May I present the new champion of the Glitz Pit," she announced, "Markova the Dragon Master!"

This was indeed a little embarrassing, but it was nice to have the spotlight for a while…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

One hour later, the uncomfortable Lord of Dragons costume was just an unpleasant memory, and the team was back in Jolene's office.

Jolene handed Andy a glowing, red star made of crystal.

"Here it is, Andy," she said, "the Ruby Star. Take good care of it…"

She paused. Her voice sank to a whisper.

"And promise me that you'll defeat the Shadow Queen," she said with her voice in a tremble. "Don't let her hurt anyone else…"

Andy gave her a look before they left the office.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The four teens walked out into the night air.

"Well that was…" started Andy.

"Well done, kids!" laughed a voice.

They all looked up. It was Merlee.

"Hey, Merlee," said Stan. "Well, we made it… We're ready to take on the Thousand Year Door!"

"Perhaps," said Merlee. "And I'm here to take you back to Rogueport. You can spend the night there, and maybe you can get some help tomorrow morning."

"Eh?" asked Francesca.

"All will be revealed tomorrow," replied Merlee. "But let's get going – it's late, and I'm sure you're all exhausted."

"Don't worry about me," said Yumi. "I'll just stay in Glitzville and keep myself occupied.

"You were right Andy… Now that you stood up to Rawk, I have a feeling he's going to be facing some tougher challenges.

"Have fun storming the palace!"

"Be careful, Yumi," answered Fran. "Remember what I said…"

Merlee waved his arm, and a glowing portal appeared.

He stepped through it, and the three teens followed.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The Shadow Queen was keeping a close eye on another duel in progress.

Finally, the finishing blow landed, and another of her henchmen went down.

"Grodus…" she said.

"Yes my Queen?" answered the council member.

"The eight finalists have been decided. Tomorrow I have no doubt that the Palace of Shadow will begin to receive visitors…

"Stan, Andy, and Francesca will be among them.

"It is time to enact the next part of our plans. We'll run our guests through the gauntlet and see how well they fare…

"And if all else fails, the tournament finals will be a pleasure to conduct…

**0**

**0**

**0**

**PREDATOR AND PREY (Magic Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Magic  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description: **Image of a Leogun pouncing on a Mystical Sheep. You can activate this card before declaring an attack on an opposing Monster using a BEAST-, BEAST-WARRIOR-, or WINGED BEAST-Type Monster. If the attack is successful, add the base Attack Score of the attacked Monster to your Life Points.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**MALEVOLENT CATASTROPHE (Trap Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Trap  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description: **Image of fiendish creatures flying in a dark hurricane. This card can be activated when your opponent declares an attack. Destroy all Monsters on the field.

_Note: "Malevolent Catastrophe" was used by Marik in the multi-part anime episode "The Darkness Returns", and was later made into a real card for the Japanese Marik Structure Deck. It has not yet been released in the United States._

**0**

**0**

**0**

**SUPERNOVA (Trap Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Trap  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description: **Image of Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon being blasted by burning energy from the heavens. You can activate this Trap when at least two Monsters (not including Tokens) with the same Type, Attribute, and star level are on your side of the field. You cannot conduct your Battle Phase during the turn you activate this card. Reduce your Life Points to 1. Destroy one opposing Monster for every qualifying Monster on your side of the field. Your opponent takes direct damage equal to the total current Attack Scores of the destroyed Monsters.

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**Coming up next:**_

_**Act One is over! But this fanfic is only half done!**_

_**Next chapter, after a brief interlude in Rogueport, Stan, Andy, and Francesca travel to seek the destination they've been yearning for so long! But it's going to be a long road ahead, for the Palace of Shadows holds many hazards!**_

_**And wait until you learn the new dueling rules that will be in place!**_

_**In Act Two, the Monsters will be fiercer, the Magic will be trickier, the Traps will be deadlier, the dangers will be like nothing you ever saw before!**_

_**And what Yu-Gi-Oh fic would be complete without a few Shadow Games? We'll be getting to those…**_

**_Don't miss the first chapter of Act Two, "False Start", coming soon…_**

**_And a message to Metal Dragoon – the idea you sent me will show up eventually._**


	35. False Start

_Greetings fellow readers!_

_And welcome to Act Two!_

_You know the story…_

_One thousand years ago, an evil tyrant called the Shadow Queen strove for world domination, using armies of darkness and powerful Shadow Games. But she was opposed by three brave heroes…_

_One was known as the Dark Sorcerer, a wizard of unparalleled skill. Another was called the Warrior Queen, a master of the sword who could outfight any man. The third was the Dragon Master, a strange man who was rumored to have the blood of dragons, and who could tame these great beasts…_

_Together they invaded the island that was the Queen's home, recruited a band of loyal Companions, and eventually, stormed her palace. After a great and terrible battle, the Shadow Queen was defeated, and a curse cast by the Three Heroes made her a prisoner of her grand abode._

_Now, one thousand years later, still locked behind the Thousand Year Door, the Queen has only one escape route – defeat the blood heirs of her three heroes in a fair contest. As fate would have it, all three of the heirs are duelists, so she has lured them to a tournament in which they can be defeated in style._

_Little does she know, the original Three Heroes almost hoped this would happen…_

_For they intended the Queen to perish forever, and only in a second defeat could that happen. _

_They couldn't do it, so they planted the seeds of heroics in their bloodlines, and preserved the souls of their Companions in fine art, so that they could aid their descendents when the time was right._

_The stage is set… And the Thousand Year Door is about to open…_

_Let the duels commence…_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**The Thousand Year Door…**_

_**Beyond those huge, iron doors lie nightmares beyond imagining… Terrors that a woman with demonic powers dreamt up…**_

_**In all my years on Monster Island, I've snuck into the Palace of Shadow a few times. I've never stayed long. I can mask my presence from the Shadow Queen for a short time, but not forever…**_

_**Yesterday, the last of my three allies gained the ability to enter that accursed place, and as much as I fear for their safety, I can't stop them. They are the only ones with the power to topple the Shadow Queen.**_

_**I only wish I could say for certain that they'll be successful…**_

_**Because the ancient prophecies foretold a battle between the descendants of the Three Heroes and the Shadow Queen…**_

…_**but the prophecies did not reveal who the victor would be… **_

_**So will Stan, Andy, and Francesca be able to repeat what happened one millennia ago?**_

_**All I can say is… I hope so…**_

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**YU-GI-OH!**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**The Thousand Year Door**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Act Two**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**False Start**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

Francesca woke up to find herself in a very nice bedroom, in a comfortable feather bed.

Memories of last night came back to her…

Using some sort of magic, Merlee had transported her, Stan, and Andy back to Rogueport, and booked them into the best inn in town. He said something about "a surprise" in the morning.

She looked at her Duel Disk on her bedside table. A note was attached to it.

She looked at it:

_**Francesca,**_

_**Shower up, and meet me in the common room for breakfast at eight. I have something to tell you and your friends. **_

_**Trust me, you'll want to listen.**_

_**- Merlee**_

Francesca shrugged and headed for the shower.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

When she got to the common room, Stan and Andy were already there. Sticky buns, muffins, scones, and orange juice were set up at a table.

"You guys got the note too?" she asked.

"Uh huh," replied Andy. "Wonder what he wants? We've got to get to the Door soon."

"So how's our three f-f-finalists?" asked Merlee's voice.

He appeared, seemingly from nowhere, and sat down.

"So what's this surprise?" asked Stan, suspiciously.

Merlee took a muffin and started to butter it.

"First," he explained, "g-g-go to Marty's General Store, t-t-two blocks east of h-h-here. Tell Marty that you w-w-want to buy two bunches of bananas, three t-t-tubes of toothpaste, and one b-b-box of salt."

"Why the heck…" asked Francesca.

"Y-y-you'll see," replied Merlee. "After you're done there, take the north r-r-road out of town. It l-l-leads straight to the Thousand Year Door."

He paused for a minute as he chewed the muffin.

"My friends," he said, "I'll st-st-still be able to give you a little help, b-b-but from now on, it will be minimal. My presence in the Palace of Shadow m-m-might be dangerous."

He got up.

"Good luck," he said.

And then he left.

He turned back and grabbed a scone.

"One for the road," he added.

The three teens paused.

"Should we check out this store?" asked Andy.

"When has Merlee ever lied to us?" asked Francesca. "Let's go check it out…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Marty's General Store looked like an old-fashioned mom-and-pop store, with weather-beaten siding that was in need of a paint job. The three teens entered, feeling somewhat out of place.

An old man with no hair and thick glasses sat behind the counter, reading a newspaper.

"What can I do ya for, kids?" he asked, not looking up.

"Uh, yeah…" muttered Stan.

_This is going to sound so embarrassing…_ he thought.

"We need… two bunches of bananas, three tubes of toothpaste, and one box of salt," he said as quickly as possible.

The old man looked at him.

He put his paper down and adjusted his glasses.

"So…" he said softly. "You know the password…"

"Password?" asked Andy. "What…"

Before he could finish, the old man hit a button under his counter. The floor opened up in the middle of the store, and a stairway going down was revealed.

"Follow me," he said, walking to it. "You can call me Marty, by the way…"

The followed the old man down into a cellar.

"What is this?" asked Francesca.

"A powerful magician who was part of a sect dedicated to overthrowing the Shadow Queen entrusted me with some things," replied Marty. "He told me to open up this cellar to any duelist that had been given the password. Only a few members of his sect know the password, so I think you can be trusted…"

They reached the bottom of the stairs, and Marty turned on a light.

The three teens couldn't believe their eyes! The basement was set up like a card store! There were bins and racks full of Duel Monsters cards everywhere!

"You three are free to take anything from here that you like to make your decks stronger," explained Marty. "The cards are grouped by class and type."

"Wow…" muttered Andy. "I'm like a kid in a candy store!"

He went to the Dragon cards first. One dragon caught his eye…

_This guy might do good…_ he thought. _And I heard he works well with Warrior Dai Grepher…_

He went across the room and looked at a few Magic and Trap Cards.

He remembered his duel with Gerald Laxina…

_This might work… _he thought, taking it.

He took a few more Magic and Trap Cards, and then something hit him.

He went over to another Type of Monster, and looked through.

_Bingo!_ he thought, pulling out three identical Monsters. _I'll replace my Troop Dragons with these, and then it's watch out Shadow Queen!_

Francesca went to the Trap Cards first, and found a few good ones.

_This, and this, and this,_ she thought.

She went to the Warrior's section.

_Hello? _she thought, looking at a female Warrior. _This gal would feel right at home with my Amazons…_

She then went to look at the Amazon cards, but she didn't find any new Amazons…

But she did find a card that caught her eye…

_Wow,_ she thought. _This is much better than Gaia Power! I can't wait to try it out!_

Stan was looking though the Spellcasters section.

_My mentor used this gal a few times,_ he thought. _She might come in handy…_

He paused.

_Oh, this guy is rare! I can replace Mind On Air with him – he's much better…_

He found a few Spellcaster accessories he hadn't even heard off. All of these could make his deck almost perfect!

He took a few more Magic and Trap Cards that he had heard about but never got the chance to own. Finally, he went to the bin for more general Monsters and took a very rare one.

_This will help a great deal,_ he thought.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

After thanking Marty, the three teens sat on the gallows in the center of town and remade their decks.

They now had a few more than the minimum of forty cards, but they weren't too big to be unmanageable.

"One last thing," said Stan, going to his spare cards.

He took a card out.

"I'm going to add that card that Aesop gave me now."

They each gave their decks a thorough shuffle.

"We have powerful decks," muttered Francesca. "Whatever the Queen throws at us, we can take."

They all put their hands together.

"So, to the Thousand Year Door?" asked Andy.

"You bet!" answered Stan.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Inside her Nightmare Steel Cage, Melissa sighed.

There hadn't been much to do for the past several days except count the cracks in the walls of the cavern (which she had: 3,569).

She looked over at her siblings. At least she was luckier than they were – they could barely move, if at all.

This was far from the first time her mother had punished her like this. The first time was when she was only nine. She had snuck into her mother's private sanctum, a place that was _completely_ forbidden. She had been "grounded" via Spellbinding Circle for a week.

And she was still lucky… Of all her siblings, she had been punished the least.

When push came to shove, the Shadow Spawn didn't truly love their mother, and they doubted that she loved them; but they had never considered the possibility of leaving... After all, where were they to go?

And truth be told, they didn't really want to leave their mother…

Because when she was freed of her curse, they would be the prince regents of her new empire, and their power would be a thousand times greater.

That would be when they stopped getting punishments and started dolling them out.

At that moment, the Shadow Queen appeared in the room.

_Lovely,_ thought Melissa, _our jailer's here…_

The Shadow Queen flicked her Duel Disk into position and produced a card…

Heavy Storm.

She fit it into a slot, and a fierce wind erupted around the room. The restraining devices holding the Spawn shattered!

They groaned and picked themselves up off the ground.

"All right kids, listen up!" snapped the Queen. "Stan, Andy, and Francesca are heading for the Palace as we speak. That means I need every available servant ready, including you six!"

They all looked at each other.

"So start reviewing what all your Monsters can do under the new rules," she continued. "I don't want any more screw ups!"

She turned and faded into the shadows.

"Those three kids are coming here?" asked Melissa. "Ooh, I wanna strangle that Francesca!"

"So do I…" muttered Maria.

"One thing matters now," cursed Tyson. "Revenge!"

Vladimir sighed.

"People, control yourselves," he warned. "are you that anxious to have to face mom's hickory stick again?"

"They embarrassed us, Vladimir!" shouted Kurtis. "They embarrassed all of us!"

"And we're going to show them what the Shadow Spawn can truly do…" growled Leopold. "Even if it means getting our hands dirty…"

Vladimir sighed again.

"I'll have no part in this, people," he said. "I'm going to go review my cards…"

He started to walk away…

"Vladimir!" shouted Leopold. "It will only work if we're all in it!"

Vladimir turned to them.

"Then it doesn't work," he said with a shrug.

"Let the coward go," said Maria, as they watched him walk off. "Once those three brats get here, we'll show them that revenge is a dish best served cold…"

She gestured, and a beam of ice shot from her hand, coating the wall with frost…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The road north of Rogueport was barren and broken.

All around were weeds and dead trees. The mountain loomed ahead of them, and the three teens felt a strange presence around them.

They remembered Sydney's warning at the start of the tournament:

"_The north road leads directly to the Thousand Year Door. I advise you to steer clear of that one for now. If you don't have a Crystal Star… well, we can't guarantee your safety if you go near it."_

They did have Crystal Stars, but that didn't make this hike any less unnerving.

After about three hours, with the clocks at high noon, they reached their destination…

A huge cliff-face was in front of them. And set into the face, was a huge set of iron doors, covered with runes.

When they looked at it with a second glance, they saw writing painted on it. Somehow, they knew it was writing that only a few could see:

**_There is no treasure here. There is no glory to be sought here. All that lies beyond these doors is death and incredible evil. If you value your life, do not proceed._**

They paused, and then the message started to change… A longer message appeared:

_**We are leaving this message to our own blood, if our lineage has survived this long, for only you can see this. We urge you never to give up, and not to let the horrors beyond this door deter you. We did all we could, but more must be done. The Shadow Queen's evil must be extinguished forever, and only you can make that happen.**_

**_Proceed. You, our heirs, are the Three Heroes now._**

At that point, the last lingering traces of doubt were erased from their minds.

They held their Stars up the door, and they glowed. It slowly creaked open…

They walked in, and into a huge room. It was circular, with a tiled floor, and a domed ceiling. What really shocked them were the doors. There were doors all around the circular wall, each with a number on them. the door to their left had the number 1, and the door to their right had the number 60.

"Well, which door to take?" asked Andy.

"I wouldn't take any door yet," said a sinister voice. "It might be bad…"

A man-shaped form appeared in the middle of the room. He wore a purple tuxedo and derby. His skin was orange, and his ears were fiendishly pointed. His hair was long and white, and his teeth were fangs.

"Witty Phantom?" exclaimed Stan.

The three teens flicked their Disks into position…

The Fiend chuckled. He removed his hat and spun it on his finger.

"Now, now, children, I'm not here to fight…" he said. "I'm here to guide you through this room. Choosing the right door is part of a riddle…

"And you'd better get it…"

"A riddle?" asked Francesca.

"Indeed," said the Phantom. "But first…"

The Life Point counters on their Disks all set to 8,000.

"Now, let me explain the rules of this little intro game," started the Phantom. "As you might remember, there are new rules in effect for all contestants that get this far. I'm not here to tell you them – only the Five God Dragon can…"

"The Five God Dragon?" asked Francesca, shocked.

"You know it?" asked the Phantom, surprised.

"How could I forget…" muttered Fran. "It took out my D.D. Warrior Lady… and me with her!"

"Well, I promise you it won't hurt you now," chuckled the Phantom, "but you've got to find its lair.

"Only one of these doors leads to it… The other doors have Monsters behind them waiting to attack you.

"Now, you might want to write what I'm about to tell you on paper… This is hard to remember…"

Francesca paused. She pulled a notebook and pen out of her duffle.

"Splendid," started the Phantom. "Now listen well, because I'm not going to repeat myself.

"As you can see, each door has a number… And Five God Dragon has five heads.

"The Dragon's head of Fire hates prime numbers, but only if its head of Ice hates the number 45; if not, the head of Ice hates numbers that are not prime.

"The Dragon's head of Thunder hates odd numbers, but only if its head of Fire hates the number 57; if not, the head of Thunder hates even numbers.

"The Dragon's head of Ice hates multiples of five, but only if the head of Darkness hates the number 24; if not, the head of Ice hates multiples of three.

"The Dragon's head of Wind hates perfect squares, but only if the head of Thunder hates the number 18. If not, the head of Wind hates perfect cubes.

"Finally, the Dragon's head of Darkness hates numbers containing two different digits, like 37 or 42, but only if the head of Wind hates the number 8; if not, the head of Darkness hates numbers with two of the same digit, like 33 and 44.

"Only one door has a number that is not hated by any of the five heads. The Five God Dragon's lair is behind that door.

"Got all that?"

"Yeah…" muttered Francesca writing the last clue down.

"One more thing – you only have two hours," said the Phantom. "Is it all understood?"

They nodded.

"Then good luck, my friends," said the Phantom, tipping his hat.

"You'll need it…"

And then he vanished into shadows.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

In another part of the Palace, Lord Crump was sneaking around.

He edged towards a door that said **"Alchemy Lab". **He nudged the door open and went in.

He eyed rows of tests tubes, beakers, and flasks, some of them containing colored liquid.

_The Queen would punish me good if she caught me in here…_ he thought. _But she'd reward me if I could take down those kids…_

_Only problem is, I don't think I can! She's right… I am a coward, I've always been a coward, and I always will be a coward!_

_But maybe there's something that the Queen's been working on that will help with that…_

He looked at the test tubes.

_Potion of stone skin, potion of flaming breath, love potion #10… Ah, these are no good for dueling…_

Then a large flask of clear liquid caught his eye.

"**LIQUID COURAGE"**

_Wow, liquid courage!_ he thought, picking it up. _This is just what I need!_

He paused.

_Of course, it might not be wise to drink this…_

He paused for a minute.

And then he drank the whole flask in three gulps.

"EEE-YUCK!" he shouted. "That tastes like my bowling shoes!"

And then he felt a change come over him.

He whipped a Duel Disk off of his back, and strapped it on his arm in one swift stroke.

"Watch out, you brats!" he said out loud. "This is gonna be the last duel you ever dueled!"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"I can't make heads or tails of this silly riddle…" muttered Francesca.

"Well, we have to do something," muttered Andy.

Francesca shrugged.

"Maybe we should try a door and see what happens…" she said.

She went over to door #10 and turned the knob.

The door opened, and a hulking Warrior in armor carrying an axe appeared…

Francesca screamed as Axe Raider struck her with his weapon and she fell backwards.

The Warrior slammed the door shut, and the counter on Fran's Disk fell to 6,300.

"Wrong door…" she groaned.

"All right…" muttered Stan. "We'll just fight them like we used to…"

He drew a card from his deck…

Skilled Dark Magician.

He went to door #20, and opened it…

A large green genie appeared and glared at him…

"Oh, La Jinn, huh?" sneered Stan. "Well this Fiend's no match for my Spellcaster…"

He threw the Monster Card on his Disk…

But to his surprise, Skilled Dark Magician did not appear…

"Huh?" said Stan in surprise.

La Jinn breathed forth a blast of flame from his mouth and Stan screamed!

He fell over, and the genie closed the door. The counter on Stan's Disk fell to 6,200.

"Okay…" muttered Andy. "I think I see the rules now…

"We aren't allowed to summon Monsters here… We open the wrong door, we get attacked and lose Life Points – and I'm betting none of these Monsters are weaker than those two."

"And if we lose all our Life Points, the Queen wins," muttered Francesca. "Even between all three of us, we can't risk trying doors at random. One of us is certain to hit zero before we find the right one that way."

"We only have an hour and a half left…" warned Stan.

"Either way, we're dead…" muttered Andy.

"Either way…" whispered Francesca.

She looked at what she had written down.

"Either way! That may be the key to the riddle!"

"Huh?" asked Andy.

"Look," said Francesca. "The head of Ice hates either multiples of three or five. So, _either way,_ it will hate 15, 30, 45, and 60, which are multiples of both numbers."

"Wow, beautiful _and_ smart!" exclaimed Andy.

Fran wrote down those numbers. She looked at what she had written down.

"And therefore," she continued, writing down numbers, "since the head of Ice does hate 45, the head of Fire must hate prime numbers. That eliminates 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13, 17, 19, 23, 29, 31, 37, 41, 43, 47, 53, and 59."

"Keep going…" urged Stan.

"And therefore," she said, writing down more, "since the head of Fire doesn't hate 57, since it isn't prime, the head of Thunder must hate even numbers, eliminating 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 32, 34, 36, 38, 40, 42, 44, 46, 48, 50, 52, 54, 56, and 58."

"Yeah, you're on a roll, Fran!" shouted Andy.

Francesca continued.

"Therefore," she said, "since the head of Thunder does hate 18, since that's even, the head of Wind must hate perfect squares, eliminating 9, 25, and 49."

"And therefore…" urged Stan.

"Yes, therefore," continued Francesca, "since the head of Wind doesn't hate 8, since it isn't a perfect square, the head of Darkness must hate numbers with two of the same digit, eliminating 55 and 33."

"Okay, what else?" asked Andy.

"Finally," replied Francesca, "since the head of Darkness does not hate 24, since it has two different digits, the head of Ice must hate multiples of three, eliminating 21, 27, 39, and 51."

She paused. She counted.

"The only door that hasn't been eliminated is door #35," she said.

They all looked to that door.

"Let me open it," sighed Andy. "I'm the only one who hasn't lost Life Points."

He opened the door…

A bright light emitted from the room within.

There didn't seem to be any Monsters blocking them, so they all went in.

They found themselves in a huge dungeon. Skulls and bones littered the ground, and more skeletons were bound to shackles on the walls.

Their Disks shut down, and the numbers vanished.

A sound that sounded like five beasts roaring at once echoed through the dungeon, and a huge form arose in front of them…

They gasped as the huge image of Five God Dragon appeared in front of them!

They drew back in fear, as steam poured from the mighty Dragon's five sets of nostrils…

An intimidating voice entered their minds.

"Welcome duelists," it said. "Congratulations for getting this far. As you have already been told, there are new rules for all duels that occur within the Palace of Shadow – and I will do my best to explain them.

"These new rules are a complex system called simply… the Deckmaster System."

"Deckmaster?" said Stan, in wonder.

"To start," said the Dragon, "before you start any duel, you and your opponent must choose any Monster from your deck to act as a Deckmaster. Any Monster in the entire game can serve as one, and every Monster has a special ability while serving as a Deckmaster.

"To demonstrate, let's watch Sonya and Calvin duel using this system…"

Two teenagers wearing Duel Disks appeared at the Five God Dragon's feet. One was a girl with blonde hair and a ponytail, wearing a schoolgirl dress. The other was a boy in jeans and a jean jacket.

The three teens guessed that they were holograms of some sort.

The two virtual duelists activated their Disks.

Sonya chose a card from her Disk.

"My Deckmaster is Total Defense Shogun!" she announced.

She held the card aloft, and the well-armored Warrior appeared… Standing behind her. (1,550/2,500)

Calvin chose a card from his own deck.

"My Deckmaster is Flame Swordsman!" he announced.

He held the card into the air, and the blue and orange-armored Warrior with his bronze sword appeared, also behind him. (1,800/1,600)

"LET'S DUEL!" they both shouted.

The numbers 8,000 appeared above them.

"And so the duel starts," said the Dragon, "and Sonya has the honor."

Sonya placed a card on her Disk.

"I summon Vorse Raider in Attack Mode!" she shouted.

The wicked Beast-Warrior brandishing his axe appeared, as a Monster usually did. (1,900/1,200)

Calvin drew a card.

"I summon Gearfried the Iron Knight in Attack Mode," he exclaimed.

He put a card down, and the mighty Gearfried appeared. (1,800/1,600)

"And now…" exclaimed Calvin, "I use my Deckmaster's special ability, lowering his Attack Score by 200 to increase Gearfried's by 200!"

The three onlookers gasped, as Flame Swordsman's Attack Score fell to 1,600 and Gearfried's rose to 2,000.

"Attack her Vorse Raider!" shouted Calvin.

Gearfried charged forward, striking the Beast-Warrior with his blade and destroying it, dropping Sonya's Life Points to 7,900.

"As you can see," said Five God Dragon, "Calvin used his Deckmaster's ability, known as Warrior Support, right away. He can lower the Attack Score of his Flame Swordsman to increase the Attack Score of any of his Warrior Monsters by the same amount."

Sonya drew.

"Uh, oh, it appears Sonya's hand isn't too good right now…" quipped the Dragon.

"I pass this turn…" said Sally.

"You might think Sally is crazy," said the Dragon, "ending her turn without a single card on the field… Likely she's in for a painful direct attack in a few seconds…"

Calvin drew a card.

"Gearfried!" he shouted, "attack her Life Points directly!"

Gearfried charged forward…

"I activate my Deckmaster's ability!" shouted Sonya.

She discarded two cards, and Total Defense Shogun glowed…

Gearfried was thrown back, and was blasted into pixels.

"As you now see," commented the Dragon, "Sonya's Deckmaster has a useful ability as well. Total Defense Shogun's Total Defense Barrier allows the duelist to destroy a Monster that tries to attack directly if she discards two cards.

"Now, take note of this fact. For the most part, a Deckmaster stays behind you on the sidelines. In this state, it's indestructible, immune to attacks and any card effects. On the other hand, it can't do anything in this state except its Deckmaster ability.

"Now back to the duel…"

They watched as Sonya made a draw.

"It seems that Sonya is still having bad luck with her draws," continued the Dragon, "and she can't keep discarding cards forever…"

"I summon my Deckmaster to the field in Defense Mode!" she commanded.

Total Defense Shogun moved onto the playing field, and took a stance.

"As you can see," said the Dragon. "Sonya has summoned her Deckmaster. At all times, this is considered a Special Summon, and does not require any special requirements if the chosen Monster needs any to be summoned. You can even do so during your opponent's turn.

"Now Total Defense Shogun has all his normal effects, which to him means the ability to attack while in Defense Mode…"

"Attack directly!" commanded Sonya.

The Shogun took a swipe with his sword, and Calvin fell backwards. His Life Points fell to 6,450.

"Unfortunately for Sally," continued the Dragon, "she seems to have forgotten about Calvin's Deckmaster…"

Calvin drew.

"I summon Warrior Dai Grepher!" shouted Calvin, placing a card down.

Grepher appeared, holding his large sword. (1,700/1,600)

"And now I'll take 1,000 of my Deckmaster's Attack Points and add them to Grepher's!" he yelled.

Flame Swordsman went down to 600 Attack, and Grepher went up to 2,700.

"Attack!" shouted Calvin.

Grepher struck Total Defense Shogun, and blew him into pixels! Sonya was thrown back, and her Life Points fell all the way to zero.

"This duel is over…" said Five God Dragon. "You see, if a duelist's Deckmaster is destroyed, he or she loses automatically."

"That's something to think about…" muttered Stan.

"A few more things to consider," said the Dragon, as Sonya and Calvin vanished. "Once you choose a Deckmaster, you can't change it. The only way to change a Deckmaster is to alter it in some way, such as through a fusion. A Deckmaster cannot be offered as a sacrifice – such an attempt simply will not work. Also, if a Deckmaster is on the field, there is no way for an opponent to control it.

"I'm afraid we can't provide a manual of what each Monster does as a Deckmaster – after all, this game has more than two thousand Monsters. Some Deckmasters are more useful than others, but all have their uses. You'll figure it out as you go along…

"Now that that's out of the way…"

A large door appeared behind it.

"…the Palace of Shadow awaits!"

It disappeared, and the door creaked open.

The three teens took their decks and shuffled. They entered the door.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Stan, Andy, and Francesca looked around…

They were on a bridge of sorts, over water. The place was lit by eerie torches, and the water one hundred feet below was dark. The whole place was spooky.

"Keep on your toes, guys…" said Andy, as they started to cross. "I wouldn't be surprised if this place was crawling with Monsters…"

As they reached the middle of the bridge, the water below started to churn. They looked down…

Five pairs of glowing eyes looked back at them!

"WHA?" shouted Stan.

Five figures burst up out of the water and flew over them!

The three teens looked at them. It was the Shadow Spawn, minus Vladimir.

"Well, well," chuckled Francesca, "if it isn't the Brady Bunch's evil twins!"

"That's right!" shouted Melissa. "And we're here to get revenge!"

"Oh, save it…" muttered Stan. "You clowns couldn't duel your way out of a paper bag!"

"You just don't get it, do you?" laughed Leopold.

Flames surrounded Tyson's hands, and he shot forth a stream of fire at the three of them!

"HEY!" screamed Francesca.

"Why should we duel you when we could just blast you to pieces?" laughed Maria.

The five of them raised their hands, and energy coursed around them.

"Now what?" gasped Andy, panicking.

"We run like crazy…" answered Francesca.

They fled across the bridge towards the exit.

"Get them!" shouted Kurtis.

Blasts of wind, fire, ice, and burning light trailed behind them, and the stone floor started to shake as the three teens fled from the angry Spawn.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Meanwhile, the Shadow Queen entered the same alchemy lab that Crump had broken into.

This was the place where she created her special magical cards, and currently, a very special one was being worked on.

A metal sphere was being heated by a Bunsen burner, and foul-smelling odors came from it.

This particular card was going to be her strongest one. She'd only be able to use it once, and it would be way too costly to make more than one…

But once Stan, Andy, and Francesca were defeated, she'd use it…

…and that would ensure that their defeat would be _total_, freeing her forever.

Right now, she only had to add a few mundane ingredients to the concoction. She placed in a few rare mushrooms and some ginseng juice into the sphere.

Then she took a Duel Monsters card and placed it in a brazier. To make a magical card, you always had to use one or more normal copies of the card.

She set fire to it, and it quickly burned to ashes. She poured the ashes in the mixture, and it glowed with eldritch energy.

Most of her magical cards needed only one at least, or five at most copies of a normal card. This one would be so powerful, it needed a hundred.

That was the ninety-seventh one. Of course, one of her rules for her servants was that they were required to exchange any copies of this card that they had for another until she had enough.

But she had acquired enough some time ago, enough for her servants to use it again, and in a few days, the key to her freedom would be complete.

As she left the concoction to simmer, she went to her "cookbook". Maybe she could make a new servant before her victims needed to be viewed…

And then she noticed that the vial that contained the Liquid Courage was empty.

She growled. Her first thought was that one of her children had taken it, and when she found out who it was, he or she was going to be "dipped"…

Then she heard a voice.

"Uh, mom?" called Vladimir. "Can I come in? I have something to tell you…"

"What is it, Vladimir?" she sighed.

Vladimir walked in.

"Uhm," he said. "I really hate to be a tattletale, but there's something in sector A7 that you should look at…"

The Queen gave him a look. Then she motioned with her hand, and a globe appeared in it.

She gave a look of horror!

"THOSE IDIOTS!" she screamed.

She rushed out of the room.

"Vladimir, meet me at the dip pool!" she shouted as she rushed by.

Vladimir grinned.

"Well, I can't say I didn't warn them…" he said with a shrug. "This is gonna be great…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Stan, Andy, and Francesca were running across a huge antechamber with a red carpet, lit by torches. Two doors were on the opposite wall.

"Think we lost them?" asked Stan.

Five globes of energy shot out in front of them, and formed into the siblings.

"Uh, frankly, no…" gulped Andy.

They turned and ran the other way.

"Melissa, rings!" shouted Kurtis.

Melissa gestured, and threw a set of rings made of light. They encircled the three teens, pinning their arms and legs!

Kurtis gestured, and they were blown against the wall!

Then Leopold raised his hand, and stony arms grew out of the wall and held them in place!

They struggled as the five Spawn walked up to them.

"Consider this payback, guys," mocked Tyson. "We're gonna fry you up like a canoli!"

"Uh…" said Melissa.

"Um… muttered Kurtis.

"A canoli…" sighed Tyson, "it's an Italian pastry, very popular in New York bakeries! Doesn't anyone here ever eat out?"

"I knew what it was…" said Stan with a nervous chuckle.

"I'd keep quiet if I were you!" snapped Leopold.

"So who do we kill first?" asked Kurtis.

"I wanna do Francesca," said Maria. "Bet I can make her explode!"

"Explode?" gasped Francesca, struggling. "What are you…"

"Open wide, Fran!" laughed Kurtis, making a gesture.

Two windy hands forced Francesca's mouth open…

Then Maria cackled, and water shot from her hands, directly at Francesca's mouth!

"FRAN!" screamed Andy.

Then, suddenly, the room went dark, and it started to shake…

Maria stopped.

"Uh oh…" muttered Tyson.

The Shadow Queen appeared above all of them, her eyes glowing red!

She raised her hand, and a huge tornado made of darkness appeared. The Spawn were sucked into it screaming!

After a few seconds, they were gone.

The Shadow Queen landed and turned towards Stan, Andy and Francesca.

Her eyes glowed for a second, and the three of them shivered.

She snapped her fingers, and the light rings vanished and the stone restraints crumbled.

Her eyes stopped glowing and she smiled.

"Ah heh…" she chuckled. "Kids today… what _are_ you going to do with them?"

The three of them were too scared to answer.

"Look kids," said the Queen with a nervous laugh. "You must be really hungry… The room in the door to the left has a guy who'll make you anything you want. Just refresh yourselves, and we'll forget that this little… uhm… unprovoked assault ever happened, okay?"

They glared at her.

"Don't worry…" she said, grimly, "I'll discipline them…"

Stan was about to say something, but the Queen vanished.

"Did the Shadow Queen just save us?" asked Andy.

"And then offer us food?" asked Francesca.

"Well, I am pretty hungry…" muttered Stan. "We'll figure it out later…"

They wandered towards the door she had pointed to.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The five Shadow Spawn were really dreading what was about to happen.

They were in a dark chamber full of chains and gears. And they were in a bad predicament. They were suspended by chains from their ankles above a large pool of green, putrid slime.

"Uh, guys?" muttered Melissa. "I'm getting that queasy feeling that I get whenever I eat… anything healthy…"

"SHUT UP, MELISSA!" shouted Kurtis.

"Cut her some slack, Kurtis," moaned Maria. "Mom's never done this to her before…"

"Well it's high time she grew up…" said Vladimir's voice.

He appeared out of the shadows.

"You told on us, didn't you?" scowled Tyson. "You're always sucking up to mom!"

"Let me put it this way, Tyson," growled Vladimir. "I'm over _here_, and _you're_ up _there_. Where would you rather be?"

"Vladimir," shouted Leopold, "the second I'm free of this I'm gonna…"

"You'll do nothing, Leopold!" scolded the Queen's voice, as she stormed in.

She gazed at the five prisoners.

"Are you five stubborn, or just plain _stupid_?" she asked, angrily. "I have to defeat those three in a fair contest to leave this dump! Do you realize what would have happened if you had killed even one of them?"

There was a long pause.

"I'd have been stuck here until the end of time, that's what!" she shouted. "Why on earth did you try it?"

"Uh…" stammered Melissa. "We weren't thinking clearly?"

"_You weren't thinking clearly?"_ yelled the Queen. "Well then, I'm just going to have to clear your head…"

She looked at the pool.

"I'm going to dip four of you for two hours…" she continued.

They moaned.

"…but one of you," she continued, "is going to be punished for TWICE as long! Which one of you drank THIS?"

She held up the vial.

"Uh, what's that?" asked Tyson.

"Liquid Courage," replied the Queen. "A potion, looks like water, tastes like old sneakers… And someone drank about half a pint of it!"

"I think Melissa did it…" muttered Kurtis.

"Me? No!" protested Melissa. "I mean, I let those Kuribohs into Grodus's bathroom… I set that Faith Bird loose on Twilight Town… I turned Lord Crump into a Turtle Bird… and I still say he was happier that way…"

She chuckled.

"I totally booby-trapped Maria's bed with a Swarm of Scarabs…"

"That was you?" shouted Maria.

"Yeah…" chuckled Melissa. "But this… totally not me…"

All this time, the Queen was concentrating, studying the anatomy of the five of them.

"Fine," she said, "it wasn't any of you… But you still each get two hours…"

She walked to a lever.

"Mom, forgive us!" shouted Leopold.

"Have mercy!" screamed Maria.

The Shadow Queen paused.

"Didn't say 'please'…" she scolded.

"PLEASE!" begged all five of them.

"Mercy, huh?" sighed the Queen.

"I… don't think so…"

She pulled the lever, and the five siblings screamed as they were lowered into the pit.

"Uh, mom?" asked Vladimir. "What's so important about this Liquid Courage?"

"Let's just say I pity whoever drank it," scowled the Queen as they turned to leave. "It was a failed experiment. It makes whoever drinks it fearless – literally. Whoever drank it is now incapable of experiencing fear at all."

"So?" asked Vladimir. "What's wrong with that?"

"That can be incredibly dangerous," responded the Queen. "If you have no fear, you lose your ability to defend yourself. You stop using your smarts, and act only on your impulses.

"Whoever drank that is going to rush headlong into danger and get more than he bargained for…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The room that the three teens entered did indeed seem like a cafeteria, albeit a dark and sinister one. Tables and chairs with diabolic imagery were set up. Standing behind a counter among a stove and various utensils was a fiendish figure.

"The Bistro Butcher?" exclaimed Stan.

"Well, well, customers," chuckled the Butcher.

They drew back.

"Oh, sorry," chuckled the Fiend. "Did I scare you?"

"Uh…" muttered Stan. "The Shadow Queen said we could get anything we wanted to eat in here…"

"And that's my job," answered the Butcher. "Do you know any Duel Monsters who are better at gastronomy?"

They didn't exactly know how to answer that.

"So what could I get you?" he asked.

"Uh…" asked Andy. "Do you have hamburger?"

"Sure thing," said the Fiend. "Anything to go with that? Fries? Onion rings?"

"Three cheeseburgers and fries," said Stan, quickly.

They were still a little afraid of this creature, but they didn't exactly believe that the Shadow Queen would save them just to poison them.

"Give me five minutes," said the Butcher, turning to his stove.

At that point, the door to the cafeteria was thrown open.

Lord Crump entered.

"So," he laughed, "I've finally found you!"

"You!" shouted Francesca. "You're that little creep that's been spying on us this whole time!"

"What's the matter?" sneered Andy. "You afraid to face us in person?"

"I'm facing you right now!" laughed Crump, holding up his Duel Disk. "I'll take on each of you, one after the other!

"And don't think about slipping by me! There's no other way out of this room but the way you came!"

Stan sighed.

"Fine pal…" he said. "I've been wanting to teach you a lesson for some time… But let us at least eat before we duel."

"Very well…" chuckled Crump. "Enjoy your last meal. I'll be waiting in the chamber outside…

"And after I defeat you all, the Queen will finally give me the respect I deserve!

"It's a pity that your first duels in the Palace of Shadow will be your last…"

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**Coming up next:**_

_**It's Crump versus Stan! And a burning question will finally be addressed – is Crump a competent duelist, or is he just blowing a lot of hot air?**_

**_See some of the new additions to Stan's deck and find out, in a chapter called "Mage Versus Machine", coming soon…_**

_**Before I sign off, I have an announcement to make for all fans of Man Called True's spectacular fanfic "Shadow Realm: Fifteen". As a good friend of his, he has given me permission to use his great setting to start a Central Shadow Realm fanfic of my own.**_

_**So, a new fanfic called "Shadow Realm: PI" will appear soon, written by yours truly. If you have yet to read Man Called True's "Shadow Realm: Fifteen", why not read it? It's a great story set in a great setting.**_


	36. Mage Versus Machine

_A lot of questions came with the last chapter, like how the heck did I think up that riddle? And who are the other finalists?_

_Well, I confess, I got the riddle from a book of logic problems._

_As for who the other finalists are, you'll find out one by one. Read on for now._

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**Ever since we came to this island, the Shadow Queen has had a creep spy on us…**_

_**This weirdo in a funny suit has stayed just out sight, watching us, trying to learn about us, but never having the courage to face us. The one time Andy and Francesca caught him, he fled like a coward.**_

_**But it's strange – somehow he must have gotten a good deal braver, because right now, he's sought us out, and made a challenge to all three of us.**_

_**Well, I'm going to duel him now, as my first opponent in the Palace of Shadow. **_

_**I really don't think this Lord Crump guy is anything more than a lot of hot air. Heck, I doubt he's even a real lord. **_

_**At least, I hope he isn't anything more than hot air…**_

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Mage Versus Machine**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

The three teens had to admit something…

For a Fiend, The Bistro Butcher made really great hamburgers.

They just really hoped that the beef he made them with came from a cow, and not a Battle Ox (which was a small possibility).

"Anything more I can get you kids?" asked the Fiend, as he wiped his counter with a rag.

"No, we're fine," answered Stan. "These are great, by the way…"

His mother had told him a simple tip about politeness – always compliment the chef, no matter what the food tasted like. He guessed that was especially true when the chef was a nasty-looking demon with a sharp hook for a hand.

He whispered to Andy.

"How do you suppose he can cook with only one hand?"

Andy shrugged.

"Thank you," replied the Butcher. "Well, leave your dishes, I'll clean up… And by the way Stan…"

"Yeah?" answered Stan.

"When you go out and duel that guy, be sure to kick his butt good," sneered the Butcher. "No one in this Palace likes him very much…"

"Really?" asked Stan.

"Yeah," snarled the Fiend. "Take this little cafeteria I have. I'm bound to cook for anyone who asks… But every time he comes in, he orders me around like I were some slave, eats like a hog, and leaves a big mess that I always have to clean up. If the Queen wouldn't punish me, I'd…"

He raised his big cleaver menacingly…

"Don't worry, pal," answered Stan, "I'll teach him a lesson…"

He wiped his mouth and got up.

He shuffled his deck again, and started for the door, his two friends followed.

Lord Crump was leaning against the wall of the large antechamber where the Queen had rescued them, near the door that they hadn't taken.

"Well, well," he snickered. "So, you're finally finished. Now we can start."

"I'm gonna take you down, fatso!" warned Stan.

"HA!" laughed his foe. "You're hardly a match for…"

He paused.

"…LORD CRUMP!"

"Crump?" chuckled Stan. "So that's your name? Figures. Well then, let's get started…"

His Disk flicked into position, and the holo-imagers shot out.

Crump repeated the trick, and the Life Point counters set to 8,000 apiece.

"Oh, I almost forgot!" chuckled Crump. "Before we start, according to the new rules, you have to choose a Deckmaster!"

Stan paused. He took his deck out of its tray.

"It can be any Monster in your deck, so choose well!" laughed Crump.

_So many Monsters…_ thought Stan. _And I have no idea what any of them can do as a Deckmaster… Who to choose…_

And then a card flew out on its own!

"What?" exclaimed Stan.

The form of Vivian the Shadow Siren appeared beside him!

Crump laughed.

"Well, that's an interesting choice…" he chuckled.

"Wait!" protested Stan. "I didn't…"

Then Vivian's voice sounded in his head.

"_Don't worry Stan!"_ she urged. _"I can be a good Deckmaster! Honest! Just give me a chance!"_

Stan paused.

"_Okay, fine…"_ he replied, thinking out loud_. "What's your ability?"_

"_Uhm, uh…"_ answered Vivian.

There was a long pause.

"_I… I forgot…"_ she mused.

"You forgot?" shouted Stan out loud.

"Is there a problem?" laughed Crump.

"_I just wanted to help!"_ sobbed Vivian.

"_Vivian, don't cry, please!"_ sighed Stan.

"Crump, I have to make a change!" he demanded.

"Tough darts, Stan!" laughed Crump. "You know the rules! Once you chose a Deckmaster, you can't change it!"

Stan looked at Vivian.

"_Well,"_ he said, sort of annoyed. _"Looks like we're stuck together. For now, try hard to remember!"_

"Vivian the Shadow Siren is my Deckmaster!" announced Stan.

"And I'll gladly show you mine!" laughed Crump.

He held a card into the air, and a huge robot appeared behind him…

"Meet the mighty Machine King!" cackled Crump. "And I'll gladly tell you what its ability is. It's called Reserve Power! Every time I summon a Machine Monster, it will raise its Attack Score by one quarter of its Defense Score!"

"Man... That's powerful…" muttered Andy.

"Now, let's reshuffle and duel!" shouted Crump.

The two of them reshuffled their decks, and plugged them into the holders. They each drew five cards.

"Think Stan can beat this clown?" asked Francesca.

"Please…" muttered Andy. "This guy likely couldn't beat a preschooler…"

The Life Point counters each set to 8,000.

"Me first!" exclaimed Crump, drawing his first hand.

"My first card will be…"

He looked at the card.

"Graceful Charity!"

He played the card, and the angel flew out of the card, and handed him three cards.

_And I know just what to discard… _he thought, handing her two.

The angel flew into his discard slot with the two cards.

"And I'll play this Monster in Defense Mode…"

He placed a card down.

"Meet Cycroid!" he laughed.

A weird Monster that looked like a red bicycle with fists on its handlebars and an eye in the center of them appeared. (800/1,000) –) (1,050/1,000)

"HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA!" laughed Stan. "_That's_ a Monster? I've gotten better cards out of my store's discount bin!"

"This Monster is a special Machine," answered Crump, "known as a Vehicroid."

"I don't care what religion it is!" laughed Stan. "It's still weak!"

"It's your move…" muttered Crump.

"Is Crump serious?" asked Francesca. "That Monster is pathetic!"

"It must be part of a larger plan…" mentioned Francesca.

Stan made his draw.

"_Good,"_ urged Vivian, looking at his hand. _"You have plenty that can fix his little red bicycle!"_

"Let me show you a real Monster, Crump," warned Stan.

He placed a card on his Disk.

"I summon the mighty Magician's Valkyria!"

A light shone from above, and a Spellcaster appeared. She looked a little like Dark Magician Girl, but with a brighter, more ornate costume, and a fancier staff. (1,600/1,800)

"Valkyria!" shouted Stan. "Attack his Cycroid with bright rainbow blast!"

Valkyria aimed her staff and fired a stream of multicolored lights! Cycroid was blown into pixels.

"Now I'll place one card facedown, and that will end my turn," stated Stan.

He placed a card in a slot, and it appeared.

Crump chuckled as he drew.

"Good work, Stan," he said, "but Cycroid was merely a decoy to draw out one of your stronger Monsters…"

He looked at the card he had just drawn.

"First I'll play this Magic Card…" he said. "It's called… 7!"

He played the card. A spinning wheel like that in a slot machine, appeared above him, and the number seven appeared on it.

"And just what does your Magic Card do?" asked Stan, surprised.

"You'll see soon!" chuckled Crump. "And now I'll summon yet another Vehicroid… the mighty Patroid, in Attack Mode!"

He placed another card down, and another cartoonish Machine appeared. This one looked like a humanoid police car with arms and legs, eyes in place of headlights, and a patrolman's hat on its "head". (1,200/1,200) –) (1,500/1,200)

Crump chuckled.

"With this guy," he said, "I can see any one of your facedown cards once per turn! So, Patroid, show me what that facedown card is!"

Patroid produced a whistle and blew it! Stan's facedown card lifted, showing it to be Spellbinding Circle.

It went back down.

"Well, can't have that, can we?" snickered Crump. "So I'll just play Mystical Space Typhoon!"

He played the Magic Card, and Stan's Spellbinding Circle was shattered.

"Doesn't matter…" sneered Stan. "Your Patroid is still weaker than my Valkyria…"

"Not for long…" chuckled Crump, choosing another card. "Because I play Rush Recklessly! This will increase my Monster's Attack by 700 for one Battle Phase!"

He played the card, and Patroid's Attack shot up to 2,200.

"Patroid!" he shouted. "Attack his Spellcaster with long arm of the law!"

The Vehicroid's siren started to blare! It shot forward with its first and punched Valkyria, blowing her to bits!

Stan's Life Points fell to 7,400.

"_Stay strong, Stan…"_ urged Vivian._ "He just got a lucky start…"_

"_I hope so…" _answered Stan.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

It was at this point that the Shadow Queen was in her throne room, and decided to check up on her victims (a catch-all term that she was now using to describe all eight of the finalists). As she activated her viewing globe, she was quite surprised to see Stan dueling Crump.

"Grodus!" she yelled. "Get in here!"

Sir Grodus materialized before her.

"Yes, your excellence?" he responded, bowing.

"I seem to recall telling Crump that he was not allowed to duel those kids…" snarled the Shadow Queen.

"Uhm…" muttered Grodus. "He seems to have disobeyed you, my liege. Trust me, I had nothing to do with this…"

The Queen stared at him. She would know if he were lying, and clearly he wasn't.

She rubbed her chin.

"You want me to go stop the duel and bring Crump here?" asked Grodus.

"No…" sighed the Queen. "Let him have his fun for now… This actually might be good for a few laughs…"

The Queen thought for a minute.

_The way Crump is acting, there's no doubt in my mind,_ she thought. _HE was the one who stole the Liquid Courage. The jerk. Didn't his mother ever tell him never to drink from strange bottles?_

_Well, once this duel is over, we're just going to have to have a little talk…_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Who'd have ever thought that this blowhard would inflict the first wound?" muttered Andy.

"Don't worry," assured Francesca. "This duel is just starting."

Stan drew a card.

"I'll place two cards facedown on the field…" he stated.

He threw two cards into slots, and they materialized.

"Now I summon Gemini Elf in Attack Mode!" he shouted.

He placed the card down, and the two twin elves appeared. (1,900/900)

"Attack his Patroid!" yelled Stan.

The two elves shot forth bolts of lightning, blasting the Vehicroid into scrap!

Crump's Life Points fell to 7,600.

"Take a permanent vacation on the junk heap, pal…" mocked Stan.

"Very funny," snarled Crump. "Now it's my turn…"

He drew.

He chuckled.

"I summon one of my strongest Vehicroids!" he exclaimed. "The powerful Steamroid!"

He placed a card down, and a huge Machine appeared. This one looked like a humanoid steam locomotive with eyes and arms, rising up on its hind wheels. (1,800/1,800) –) (2,250/1,800)

Stan gasped!

"Oh, and by the way…" chuckled Crump. "You might be interested in knowing… Not only does my Deckmaster make this guy stronger than your elves, but Steamroid gains 500 extra Attack Points when it makes an attack!

"Steamroid, mow down his elves with freight train rush!"

The huge Vehicroid's Attack rose to 2,750; smoke shot out of its stack, and it charged forward, plowing into Gemini Elf! They screamed and were blasted into particles.

Stan's Life Points fell further, to 6,550.

"_Vivian…"_ said Stan to the Spellcaster by his side. _"His Deckmaster is giving him too much of an edge. Are you SURE you can't remember?"_

"_Not yet Stan…" _answered Vivian, sadly. _"But I can give advice… His Steamroid may look strong, but maybe it has a weakness…"_

"A weakness…" muttered Stan. "Hmmm…"

"I end my turn," said Crump.

Steamroid's Attack went back to 2,250.

Stan drew.

"I play Card Destruction!" he said, playing the card.

Crump shrugged. The two of them discarded the two cards they each had, and drew two more new cards.

"And now…" stated Stan, "I activate one of my Trap Cards… Disgraceful Charity!"

His Trap lifted, and a form flew out of the card. It was a female Fiend with black skin and black feathered wings, dressed in a peasant's outfit. She flew above the arena.

"Huh?" whispered Francesca. "Marie the Fallen One?"

The demoness pointed at both duelists with her claws, and magical energy struck their Disks.

"Thanks to my friend Marie here," explained Stan, "we both get back the cards we just discarded!"

Marie vanished, and two cards slipped out their discard slots.

Crump chuckled.

"Clever," he said. "But to help yourself, you had to aid me as well!"

"Perhaps," answered Stan. "But now I have a theory about your Steamroid, and I'm gonna test it!"

He placed a card down.

"I summon Skilled Dark Magician in Attack Mode!" he shouted.

Skilled Dark Magician appeared, brandishing his staff.

"Ooh, clever!" mocked Crump. "Do you actually think it will work?"

"Skilled Dark Magician!" shouted Stan. "Attack his Steamroid!"

"Stan, NO!" screamed Andy.

"Are you crazy?" yelled Francesca.

Skilled Dark Magician fired his dark spell…

And to everyone's surprise, the Vehicroid blew up!

Crump's Life Points fell to 7,450.

"I thought so…" muttered Stan.

"Huh?" asked Andy. "But Skilled Dark Magician was weaker!"

"Oh! I get it!" exclaimed Francesca. "Steamroid gets a 500-point bonus to its Attack Score when it attacks… but to make up for that power, it takes a 500-point _penalty_ when it's _being_ attacked!"

"Congratulations…" said Crump, sarcastically. "You figured it out…"

He drew a card.

"Well, he chuckled, "since one was so good, I'll play a _second_ 7 card!"

He fit a card into a slot, and another slot machine reel spun over his head. A second seven appeared next to the first.

"Two of those cards?" gasped Fran. "What's going to happen if he draws another one?"

""Wouldn't you like to know!" laughed Crump. "Now I'll summon this guy in Defense Mode – Gyroid!"

He put a card down, and a cartoonish blue helicopter with eyes and arms appeared, hovering in mid-air. (1,000/1,000) –) (1,250/1,000)

"And that's my turn…" he snarled.

Stan drew a card.

_This little guy might help later…_ he thought.

"Skilled Dark Magician," he shouted, "attack that… helicopter thing!"

Skilled Dark Magician fired a bolt of energy from his staff… An explosion burst at the point of impact…

But when the dust cleared, Gyroid was still there!

"What?" gasped Stan. "But my Monster's Attack was greater than its Defense!"

"Doesn't matter!" laughed Crump. "Thanks to Gyroid's effect, you have to successfully attack it _twice_ in one round to destroy it!"

_Twice?_ thought Stan. _What is it with these Vehicroids? How can I defeat Monsters with such weird powers?_

Vivian touched his hand.

"_Stan,"_ she said. _"I assure you, we will defeat these creatures. All machines have a weak point… Bugs and glitches. You simply have to find them…"_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

At this point, the Shadow Queen realized something.

"Grodus…" she said. "I just noticed that Stan is using one of his Companion cards as his Deckmaster…"

"So?" responded Grodus.

"First of all," answered the Queen. "Those cards aren't in our database. Their Deckmaster abilities were probably infused by whoever created them, and might be very powerful.

"And I've been watching those kids duel… These Monster Cards are more than just cards – every time I've seen them play one, I've felt a living soul residing in each. It's as if those Companions have been brought back to life and sealed in cards.

"Since one of them is serving as Stan's Deckmaster, Crump might be in bigger trouble than he thinks…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Can it be? My turn?" chuckled Crump, making a draw.

He chuckled as he looked at the card.

"I'm sure you'll remember this move, Stan!" he laughed turning the card on his Disk. "I'm switching Gyroid to Attack Mode…"

Gyroid prepared to attack…

"…and then using another Rush Recklessly!"

He threw another card into a slot.

"Gyroid, attack his Skilled Dark Magician with downward draft!"

Gyroid's Attack rose to 1,950, and its blade spun furiously! Skilled Dark Magician staggered against the windstorm, and he shattered!

Stan's Life Points slipped a little, to 6,500.

"And I'm not done!" laughed Crump. "I'm playing a Magic Card called Recycling Plant!"

He slammed a card into a slot.

"This clever card lets me fuse together one Machine Monster on the field with one in my Graveyard, with no Polymerization required!" explained Crump. "So I'll fuse together Gyroid and my destroyed Steamroid to summon Steam Gyroid, in Attack Mode!"

Steamroid appeared, and a portal resembling a giant gear flew into place behind them. The two Vehicroids were sucked through it…

And an enormous form trudged out! It looked, basically, like an evil combination of both Vehicroids, with a demonic face on the front, and the blades on it back spinning wildly. (2,200/1,600) –) (2,600/1,600)

"So," mocked Crump, "what do you think of my merged Machine?"

"Actually, I'm happy to see him!" exclaimed Stan.

"Huh?" replied Crump.

"By summoning that monstrosity," explained Stan, "you've enabled me to get the best use out of my Trap Card. I activate A Rival Appears!"

His Trap Card lifted, showing the image of White Magician Pikeru struggling with Ebon Magician Curran.

"Let me explain," said Stan with a grin. "By activating A Rival Appears, I can Special Summon from my hand any Monster who has the same number of stars as one of your Monsters. Since that thing has six stars, I can now summon this guy…"

He placed a card down.

"Meet my Cybernetic Magician!"

In a flash of light, a tall Spellcaster appeared. He was dressed in a pure silver coat with a mid-sized train, boots, and a peaked hat. He carried a silver punch-dagger. (2,400/1,000)

"Big deal!" laughed Crump. "Your fancy-pants Spellcaster is still weaker than my Machine!"

"We'll soon see," said Stan, "It's my move!"

He drew.

"Now I'm enacting Cybernetic Magician's effect," he said. "By discarding one card in my hand, he can change the Attack Score of any Monster on the field to 2,000 for one turn."

Crump laughed out loud.

"I see two things wrong with THAT!" he laughed. "One, you haven't got another Monster on the field! Two, even if you did, increasing one of your Monster's Attack Scores to 2,000 wouldn't be nearly enough!"

"You just don't get it do you?" sighed Stan.

Crump paused.

"I said that he can _change_ a Monster's Attack Score to 2,000, not just _increase_ it!" laughed Stan. "While he can indeed increase the Attack of one of my weak Monsters, he can also _lower_ the Attack of one of my opponent's strong Monsters!"

Crump was startled!

"Simply put, Crump, if the Monster you had in front of you was Kaiba's Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon, my Cybernetic Magician could still take it down.

"So I'll just discard this…"

He discarded one card, and Cybernetic Magician chanted. Steam Gyroid glowed, and its Attack fell to 2,000.

"Cybernetic Magician, destroy his Machine with cyber magic!"

Cybernetic Magician raised his dagger, and sparks of eldritch energy flowed from it! Steam Gyroid sparked and then erupted into a fierce explosion!

Crump shielded himself as his Life Points fell to 7,050.

"All right!" screamed Andy.

"Blow those Machines to smithereens!" shouted Francesca.

"Okay, now I'm angry…" muttered Crump, drawing a card.

He placed it down.

"I'm summoning Jetroid in Defense Mode," he stated.

Yet another Vehicroid appeared. This one looked like a cartoonish, red fighter jet plane with eyes on its cockpit and arms and legs. (1,200/1,800) –) (1,650/1,800)

"End turn," he said.

Stan sighed.

"_Vivian, anything yet?"_ he asked. _"I could sure use some help…"_

"_Sorry…"_ she moaned.

Her hands went to her eyes.

"_Oh, I feel so useless!"_ she sobbed.

"What the heck is wrong with that Deckmaster of yours?" laughed Crump. "It seems to be throwing a hissy-fit!"

He laughed.

"Can it even do anything? Looks like you picked a real loser, Stan old chum!"

Now Vivian _really_ started to cry.

"_Vivian, calm down!"_ urged Stan. _"You aren't a loser!"_

"_Yes I am!"_ she croaked. _"I wanted to help you, but I can't do anything but stand here! I can't do anything right!"_

"_That's your sisters talking…"_ replied Stan.

Vivian suddenly stopped short.

"_Now let's try to beat this creep,"_ he said.

"I draw one card…" he said, making a draw.

"And also, remember that card I discarded to activate my Magician's effect? It was a little critter called Sinister Serpent. When it's sent to the Graveyard by _any_ means, I can get it back at any time."

The card slipped out of his discard slot.

"Now then," he said, "Cybernetic Magician, attack his Jetroid!"

Cybernetic Magician took aim.

Crump chuckled.

"Sorry, Stan," he said, "but when Jetroid is attacked, I can activate any Trap Card from my hand that I want, and I _want_ to activate my Shadow Spell!"

He threw a card into a slot, and a mass of chains bound Cybernetic Magician! His Attack dropped to 1,700.

Stan growled.

"I'll place a Monster facedown in Defense and end my turn," he said.

He put the card down, and the concealed Monster appeared.

Crump drew.

"HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA!" he laughed.

"I think he got a good draw…" muttered Francesca.

"Look at this, Stan!" laughed Crump. "I just drew my third 7 card!"

He played the card, and another wheel spun, forming a third seven next to the other two.

"Now I can tell you what these cards do, Stan," he chuckled. "When one of them on the field is destroyed, I gain 700 Life Points…

"And when all three of them are on the field, I can destroy all three, not only gaining 2,100 Life Points, but drawing three cards in the process!"

The three cards shattered, and his Life Points went up to 9,150. Three cards flew off of his deck.

He chuckled again.

"Now then," he said, "to deal with your Monsters… I'll summon Drilloid in Attack Mode!"

He placed a card down, and a loud rumbling was heard. A new Vehicroid burst out of the ground, this one shaped like a drilling machine with eyes and an evil smile. Its arms had smaller drills in place of hands. (1,600/1,600) –) (2,000/1,600)

"I'll shift Jetroid into Attack Mode too!" he laughed, turning the card.

"Drilloid, drill the point home into Cybernetic Magician!" shouted Crump.

Drilloid's central drill spun rapidly, and it sped forward on its treads. It plunged its weapon into Cybernetic Magician and he shattered!

Stan's Life Points fell to 6,200.

"Ow…" muttered Francesca.

"That's gotta hurt…" mumbled Andy.

"Jetroid, destroy his facedown Monster with air strike!"

Jetroid launched a barrage of missiles at the facedown Monster! Sinister Serpent appeared on the card, and was blown to bits!

"And I'm not done!" laughed Crump. "Now I play the Magic Card… Peace Offering!"

He played a card, and a Magic Card showing Mystical Elf handing a fruit basket to an unseen receiver appeared.

"Huh?" asked Stan.

"This Magic Card lets me take any card from my hand and place it in your deck!" laughed Crump, holding a card aloft.

The card flew from his hand, and struck Stan's deck!

"What did you put in there, Crump?" demanded Stan. "A bomb?"

"I'm not telling!" laughed Crump. "I end my turn…"

"_Stan, be careful!" _warned Vivian. _"That card that he planted in your deck must be part of some sort of strategy!"_

"_I know,"_ answered Stan. _"But what?"_

He drew a card.

"Don't forget, I now get Sinister Serpent back," he said.

The card slipped out of his discard slot.

"And now I play… Pot of Greed!"

The evil jar appeared, and handed him two cards.

"_Perfect,"_ he thought.

"I'm summoning a Monster that a great duelist by the name of Aesop gave me," he stated. "I summon Watapon!"

He placed the card down, and the tiny, furry Fairy appeared. (200/300)

"HA!" laughed Crump. "That Monster is useless!"

"No it isn't," said Stan. "Since I drew Watapon using Pot of Greed, summoning it is considered a Special Summon.

"That means I can sacrifice it to summon this guy in Defense Mode…"

He switched cards on his Disk and Watapon vanished.

"Meet Neo Aqua Madoor!"

A blast of ice and snow hit Stan's side of the field, and the icy magician clothed in furs appeared. (1,200/3,000)

"He looks like a giant Eskimo!" sneered Crump.

"A giant Eskimo with 3,000 Defense Points!" laughed Stan. "You'll never get by him!"

"Oh, really?" laughed Crump, making a draw.

He added the card to his hand.

"Drilloid, attack his Madoor!" he shouted.

Stan gasped as Drilloid charged at Neo Aqua Madoor, drill first…

The Spellcaster groaned and shattered!

"Wha… Buh…" gasped Stan. "But his Defense was 1,000 points greater than that thing's Attack!"

Crump chuckled.

"Drilloid doesn't care if a Monster has a _million_ Defense Points!" he laughed. "Due to its effect, whenever it attacks a Monster in Defense Mode, that Monster is destroyed _automatically_! And I don't even take any damage!

"Now where were we?

"Oh yes… You had nothing to protect you, and I was about to attack you with my Jetroid! Jetroid, attack!"

The Vehicroid fired a barrage of missiles at Stan, and he screamed as they exploded around him!

His Life Points fell to 4,550.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"I wouldn't have believed this if I wasn't seeing it," mused the Queen. "Crump is actually doing a good job. Maybe that Liquid Courage actually gave him a lot of self-confidence as well…"

"So what should we do if he actually wins?" asked Grodus. "Will we still punish him?"

"Well, yeah…" muttered the Queen. "Breaking into my lab is a major no-no… But maybe I'll also give him a raise afterwards…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"All right horn-head…" growled Stan, "It's my draw…"

He drew.

_Not bad,_ he thought.

"I'll play a Monster facedown in Defense Mode, and that will be all," he stated.

"You don't fool me, Stan!" laughed Crump, making a draw. "You have a lousy hand, so you just set your worthless Sinister Serpent again."

Stan stared at him.

Crump drew.

"Jetroid, attack his Monster!" shouted Crump.

Jetroid fired its missiles…

… and a bent old witchdoctor appeared on the card.

"Old Vindictive Magician?" shouted a shocked Crump.

"Yes!" exclaimed Stan with a smirk. "And since you flipped him, I can destroy any Monster on the field I choose, and I choose your Drilloid!"

Old Vindictive Magician cast his curse at Drilloid, and it shattered into pixels. Then the Magician crumbled into pixels himself.

Crump growled.

"It's your move…" he stated.

Stan drew.

"I place one card facedown…" he said.

He threw a card into a slot, and it materialized in front of him.

"And I'll summon Ebon Magician Curran in Defense Mode!" he stated.

Curran appeared, and shielded herself with her switch. (1,200/0)

"That ends my turn…" stated Stan.

"Defending with a Monster with zero Defense Points," chuckled Crump. "Real bright…"

He made a draw.

"I'll place my own card facedown," he stated.

He fit a card into a slot, and it appeared.

"Jetroid, destroy Curran!"

Jetroid fired its missiles…

"Hold it right there!" shouted Stan. "I activate… Draining Shield!"

His Trap Card lifted, and an invisible barrier formed around Curran, stopping the missiles.

"Not only did I halt your attack," sneered Stan, "but now I gain Life Points equal to that Monster's Attack Points!"

His Life Points went up to 6,200.

Crump growled.

"I can't take all the credit for adding this Trap to my deck," chuckled Stan. "I was inspired by a friend of yours – Vladimir, the Shadow Spawn of Darkness!"

"_Friend?_" shouted Crump, obviously offended. "The Spawn aren't my friends! They do nothing but boss me and the rest of the Queen's servants around!

"Those spoiled brats know that the only one they have to answer to is the Queen herself, and if she isn't around, their word is law! Do you have any idea what that brat Melissa did to me last month? She…"

"I'm not interested!" interrupted Stan.

_But come to think of it, that explains a lot…_ he thought.

"Now it's my draw…"

He drew one card…

Curran cast her spell, and dark magic struck Crump! He groaned, and his Life Points slipped to 8,850.

Stan placed a card down.

"I'll summon Neo the Magic Swordsman in Attack Mode…" he exclaimed.

Neo appeared, holding his sword aloft.

"Now I'll…" he started.

"I'm activating a Trap!" laughed Crump. "Activate… Just Desserts!"

The Trap Card lifted.

Two ghostly hands flew forward from Crump's Disk and locked around Stan's neck! He gasped and fell to his knees!

"STAN!" screamed Francesca.

Stan's Life Points fell to 5,200.

Then Vivian reached down and offered him her hand.

"_Stay strong…"_ she said. _"If all I can do is encouragement, then that's what I'll do…"_

Stan got up.

"As I was saying…" he snarled, "I'll shift Curran into Attack Mode…"

Curran got up and into attack stance.

Then Stan paused.

He remembered Jetroid's effect.

_If Crump has a Trap Card in his hand, he can activate it when I declare an attack. This might be risky…_

_But I have to take the chance!_

"Neo, attack his Jetroid!" he shouted.

Neo the Magic Swordsman leapt into the air and brought his blade down on the demented plane! It was blown into scrap!

"Curran, attack directly!" shouted Stan.

Curran cast forth a dark spell that plowed into Crump! He gasped and fell over.

His Life Points fell to 7,600.

"I'll end by placing this card facedown," said Stan, fitting a card into a slot.

The card appeared.

Crump snarled. He got up and drew.

"I'm done fooling around…" he cursed.

He took three cards from his hand.

"First I'll place two cards facedown…" he snarled.

Two cards appeared in front of him.

"Now I'll summon… X-Head Cannon!"

A far more deadly-looking Machine than anything he had summoned yet appeared. It was a blue robot with a helmeted head, two powerful arms, and two huge laser guns on its shoulders. Below its torso was a unit that looked like it meant to connect to something else. (1,800/1,500) –) (2,175/1,500)

"Oh… my… God…" gasped Francesca. "That's no Vehicroid… That's one of Kaiba's XYZ Machines!

"And that's trouble…"

"X-Head Cannon!" ordered Crump. "Attack Curran with de-fission ray!"

The two cannons on the metal Monster's shoulders glowed, and fired!

"I activate… Magic Cylinder!" shouted Stan.

"Eh?" said Crump, as the Trap Card lifted.

The two Cylinders appeared. One of them caught the blast, and the other shot it right into Crump! He howled and fell over!

His Life Points tumbled to 5,425.

He got up, gasping for air.

"Anything else?" asked Stan.

"No!" snarled Crump. "It's your move!"

Stan drew.

"Oh Crump?" said Stan with a smile. "Curran would like a word with you…"

Curran cast her dark spell again, and Crump staggered back. His Life Points fell to 5,125.

"Now, I'll place another card facedown," said Stan, throwing it into a slot, "and move both my Spellcasters into Defense Mode."

The facedown card appeared, and Neo and Curran shielded themselves.

"Make your move…" dared Stan.

Crump drew.

_Excellent…_ he thought. _My master plan is almost complete. Stan won't know what hit him!_

"I summon Y-Dragon Head!" he shouted, throwing a card down.

Another frightening Machine, this one looking like a robotic dragon painted red with more guns, appeared in a flash. (1,500/1,600) –) (1,900/1,600)

"Say goodbye to your Monsters!" yelled Crump. "X-Head Cannon, attack Curran!"

X-Head Cannon fired…

"You never learn, do you?" chuckled Stan.

His Trap Card lifted, showing Dark Magician standing in front of a magical circle pointing a staff.

"Magician Selection?" gasped a startled Crump.

"This Trap Card not only protects a Spellcaster from an attack, but it deflects the attack to your weakest Monster!" laughed Stan.

The blast bounced off a shield and plowed into Y-Dragon Head, blowing it to pieces!

Crump seethed as his Life Points hit 4,850.

_Okay,_ he thought. _Exactly when did I lose control here?_

"It's your move, you brat!" he cursed.

"Then I draw…" said Stan.

Curran cast her spell again, and Crump staggered back. His Life Points fell to 4,550.

"I play Graceful Charity!" he exclaimed.

He placed his card into the slot, and the angel flew out, handing him three cards.

Vivian looked over his shoulder as he looked at them.

"_Let's see,"_ he thought out loud, _"Dark Magician, Negate Attack, and…"_

He paused.

"_Stan!"_ shouted Vivian. _"That must be the card Crump planted in your deck!"_

"_But why?"_ replied Stan, reading the description. _"If I use this, I could cripple him…"_

He thought for a minute.

"_I'll bet he intends to use Dimension Fusion or Return From the Different Dimension…_

"_But I'll be ready for him…_

"_First I'll summon Dark Magician, who's stronger than anything he's summoned so far. And I'll set Negate Attack, just in case. His plan will blow up in his face!"_

"_Stan, are you sure this is wise?"_ asked Vivian.

"_Trust me…"_ answered Stan.

He handed two cards to the angel, and she flew into his discard slot.

"Okay Crump, get ready…" he said.

"First I'll place this facedown…" he said, fitting his Negate Attack into a slot.

"Now I'll sacrifice Neo and Curran to summon Dark Magician!"

The two Spellcasters vanished, and Dark Magician arose! (2,500/2,100)

"Now I'll play… this!" he shouted, throwing the card into a slot. "System Down!"

The card revealed itself.

"I'll pay 1,000 Life Points," he continued, as his Life Points fell to 4,200, "and in return, all Machines on your side of the field and in your Graveyard are removed from play!"

X-Head Cannon shattered, and several cards fell out of Crump's discard slot.

"Huh?" asked Francesca. "Why did Stan put _that_ in his deck?"

"He… didn't…" muttered Andy. "Oh no…"

Crump transferred the cards to his Removed From Play slot. A smile crossed his face…

"Dark Magician…" ordered Stan, "attack him directly!"

Dark Magician aimed…

"Activate Waboku!" shouted Crump.

A Trap Card lifted, and the blast was halted.

"Your move then," snarled Stan.

"Heh, heh, heh," chuckled Crump, making a draw. "Heh, heh… HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA! I can't believe you fell for it!"

"Fell for what?" demanded Stan.

"This has been part of my plan all along!" laughed Crump. "All the pieces have fallen into place!

"I reveal my facedown card… Perpetual Motion Machine!"

The card lifted, showing a Magic Card with a wacky machine on it.

"Perpetual Motion Machine?" gasped Andy and Fran at the same time.

"A perpetual motion machine is believed to be impossible…" explained Crump. "And this card does something that is almost impossible. It lets me summon Monsters to the field that have been removed from play… with no cost at all!"

"That's ridiculous!" shouted Stan.

"But there are three conditions…" continued Crump. "I can only summon three… They have to be Machines… And they have to have 2,000 Attack Points or less.

"So first I'll bring back my X-Head Cannon!"

X-Head Cannon reappeared. (1,800/1,500) –) (2,175/1,500)

"Then I'll bring back Y-Dragon Head!"

Y-Dragon Head materialized. (1,500/1,600) –) (1,900/1,600)

"And finally…" he said with a wicked grin, "the last piece of my master plan… Z-Metal Tank!"

A large, yellow Machine on tank-treads with metal spokes appeared. (1,500/1,300) –) (1,825/1,300)

"Wait just a second!" shouted Stan. "I never sent your Z-Metal Tank to the Graveyard!"

"You're right!" laughed Crump. "I put it there myself on my first turn, when I played Graceful Charity, remember?

"And now, my metal Monsters… combine into XYZ-Dragon Cannon!"

Z-Metal Tank rolled to the center; Y-Dragon Head folded its winds and alighted on top of it; X-Head Cannon alighted on top of that, and the three Machines fused together in a burst of steam! (2,800/2,600) –) (3,450/2,600)

Crump chuckled as he lifted the last three cards in his hand.

"As you probably know, Stan, this Monster has the power to destroy any opposing card, so long as I discard one card from my hand!" he cackled. "So I'll get rid of your Dark Magician by discarding THIS!"

He threw a card into his discard slot, and the Machine fired its guns, vaporizing Dark Magician.

"And now, your facedown card!"

He discarded another card, and the Cannon blasted his Negate Attack card to bits!

"And now," said Crump, "for my moment of triumph…"

He slowly turned the last card in his hand around, showing it to Stan.

"LIMITER REMOVAL?" screamed Stan.

"That's right!" cackled Crump. "This will double my metal beast's Attack Score, which will be more than enough to finish you off!"

He threw it in a slot, and XYZ-Dragon Cannon glowed with purple fire! Its Attack went up to 6,900!

"NO!" screamed Andy.

"STAN!" shouted Francesca.

_It's over…_ thought Stan, lowering his head. _I guess I couldn't cut it where the real Dark Sorcerer could…_

"XYZ-Dragon Cannon…" laughed Crump. "Prepare to fire…"

The Cannon aimed its guns at Stan. They glowed…

Stan closed his eyes…

"_STAN!"_ screamed Vivian. _"Discard the card you have in your hand!"_

Stan's eyes opened wide!

"FIRE!" shouted Crump.

Hardly knowing what he was doing, Stan threw his last card into his discard slot…

As the horrible Machine fired, Vivian grabbed hold of Stan, and they both vanished into the shadows!

The blast from the XYZ-Dragon Cannon struck the ground where Stan had been standing, leaving a scorched burn twenty feet across!

"WHAT?" shouted Crump. "Where'd he go? You can't just dodge a direct attack!"

Stan and Vivian emerged from the shadows.

His Life Points were untouched.

"Whoa…" muttered Stan. "That was bizarre…"

"How?" sputtered Crump. "How did you survive?"

Stan chuckled.

"My Deckmaster saved me," he said. "She finally remembered what her ability was! If I'm about to be hit by a direct attack that would cause me to lose 2,000 Life Points or more, she can protect me from it, so long as I can discard one card!"

"All right!" shouted Andy.

"Hi five!" yelled Francesca.

"Thank you, Vivian," sighed Stan, giving her a thumb's up. "I would have lost if not for you…"

Vivian blushed and giggled.

"It can't be…" gasped Crump.

"Oh, it be all right," mocked Stan. "And now you be in serious trouble, Crump! Because in your effort to destroy me, you did something very foolish!"

"What do you mean?" snarled Crump, angrily.

"Well, because you used Limiter Removal, your mighty Machine will be destroyed as soon as you end your turn. And take a look at yourself – you used up every card in your hand to use its effect and double its power, meaning you'll be completely defenseless when it's my turn!"

Crump growled.

"Not quite…" he snarled. "I still have one Monster that I can summon… Machine King, I summon you to the field!"

Machine King trudged out to the center of the field. (2,200/2,000)

"I end my turn," said Crump.

XYZ-Dragon Cannon exploded into pixels.

"You summoned your Deckmaster?" laughed Stan. "That's even _more_foolish!"

"Not quite," said Crump. "First of all, Machine King gains 100 extra Attack Points for every Machine on the field, itself included. Second, its Deckmaster ability still applies, and in case you didn't catch it the first time, it's a Machine itself."

(2,800/2,000)

"I truly doubt that you'll summon anything strong enough to defeat it…" mocked Crump.

"We'll see…" said Stan. "I draw one card…"

He drew.

"And since I discarded my old friend Sinister Serpent to activate Vivian's effect, he's back again…"

The card slid out of the discard slot.

"And this duel is over Crump!"

He showed him the card he had just drawn.

Monster Reborn.

"Ha!" mocked Crump. "And just what are you going to bring back with that?"

Stan fitted it into a slot, and the holy ankh appeared, glowing in mid-air…

Cybernetic Magician reappeared! (2,400/1,000)

"Oh… no…" gasped Crump.

"Remember how this guy works?" chuckled Stan.

He discarded his Sinister Serpent again, and Cybernetic Magician cast his spell. Machine King's Attack Score was lowered to 2,000.

"Cybernetic Magician…" ordered Stan, "destroy Machine King!"

The Magician raised his dagger, and shot forth his powerful blast! Machine King sparked and exploded!

Crump fell to his knees.

"Your Deckmaster is demolished," stated Stan. "I think that means you lose…"

Crump seethed in rage.

"I won't lose to you, Stan!" he shouted. "I demand a rematch! I…"

"There'll be no rematches Crump…" said the Shadow Queen's sinister voice. "You have some explaining to do…"

A dark portal opened, and he was sucked through it!

Stan sighed.

Vivian waved goodbye, and she vanished.

Stan removed the System Down card from his discard slot. With one swift motion, he tore it in half.

"Well guys," said Stan, as he reassembled his deck, "let's get moving…"

They headed for the other door.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Fifteen minutes later, Crump was on his knees before the Shadow Queen.

She knew how to dispel the effects of the Liquid Courage, and she _wanted_ him scared right now.

"Crump, I don't know what to say to you…" she scowled. "Breaking into my lab, stealing my potions, flagrantly disobeying me by challenging those kids…

"Up until now, the servant I hated the most was that handyman who smokes those nine-inch, Cuban cigars, but you've just beaten him!"

"Well, uh…" muttered Crump. "I almost won…"

"Oh, you 'almost' won…" sighed the Queen. "Well 'almost' only counts in horseshoes and nuclear strikes! And might I add, what was the first warning we gave you in the seminars on the Deckmaster system?"

"Uh…" muttered Crump.

He sighed.

"Summoning a Deckmaster is never a good idea…" he stuttered, with a nervous grin.

"Exactly…" sighed the Queen, flicking her Disk into position. "I wish I could say I was sorry for this, Crump…"

She placed a card into a slot.

"But the truth is, I never liked you much anyway…"

The Grave Arm burst out from the ground. Crump screamed and he was pulled under.

"Such a waste…" sighed the Queen. "Grodus!"

"Yes, my Queen?" asked Grodus.

"Is you-know-who in position?"

"She's ready," responded Grodus.

"Good," sighed the Queen. "We'd best have her duel Stan quickly…"

She got up and waved her hand over the viewing globe.

"The last time I tried something like this, my enspelled victim was freed… Likely because Francesca's Companion Monster dealt a direct attack in their duel. I still don't know quite how those cards work… But likely the inherent goodness inside Flurrie was what shocked my spell out of Yumi…

"So this time we'll be more careful. My slave has been instructed on the appearance and abilities of all three of Stan's Companions, and the instant he summons one, her top priority will be to send it to the Graveyard and keep it there.

"I won't lose my grip on this one so easily…"

**0**

**0**

**0**

**MAGICIAN'S VALKYRIA (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Spellcaster/Effect  
**Attribute: **Light  
**Level: **4  
**ATK: **1,600  
**DEF: **1,800

**Card Description: **Just as Dark Magician Girl was educated by her famous teacher, this young sorceress became the student of Dark Magician Girl. So long as this Monster remains face-up on your side of the field, your opponent cannot select another SPELLCASTER-type Monster as an attack target.

_Note: "Magician's Valkyria" is a Japanese promo card that has (unfortunately) not yet been released in the United States. It was first used by Yugi in_ Yu-Gi-Oh! The Movie: Pyramid of Light.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**DISGRACEFUL CHARITY (Trap Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Trap  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description: **Image of Marie the Fallen One's visage, with a card hovering between her two claws. Each player returns to his or her hand all cards that were discarded from their hands to the Graveyard by card effects during the current turn.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**MAGICIAN SELECTION (Trap Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Trap  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description: **Image of Dark Magician casting a spell in front of a glowing magical circle. You can activate this card when you have a SPELLCASTER-Type Monster face-up on your side of the field and your opponent declares an attack. Redirect the attack towards the Monster on your opponent's side of the field with the lowest current ATK.

_Note: "Disgraceful Charity" and "Magician Selection" were both used by Yugi in the multi-part anime episode "Clash in the Coliseum". All creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0**

**0**

**0**

**RECYCLING PLANT (Magic Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Magic  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description: **Image of a vast junkyard. Fuse one fusion material MACHINE-Type Monster in your Graveyard with one on the field to Special Summon the resulting Fusion Monster.

_Note: "Recycling Plant" was used by Nezbitt in the two-part anime episode "Mechanical Mayhem". All creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0**

**0**

**0**

**PEACE OFFERING (Magic Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Magic  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description: **Image of Mystical Elf holding out a fruit basket to an unseen receiver. Take one card from your hand and place it in your opponent's deck without him seeing it. Then, your opponent shuffles his deck.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**PERPETUAL MOTION MACHINE (Magic Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Magic  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description: **Image of a crazy-looking machine without any apparent purpose. Special Summon up to three of your MACHINE-Type Monsters that have been removed from play whose base ATK does not exceed 2,000 apiece in face-up Attack Mode.

**0**

**0**

**0**

"**Machine King":** Machine/Earth, Level 6, (2,200/2,000)

Deckmaster SA: "Reserve Power": Increase the base ATK of all MACHINE-Type Monsters you summon by one quarter of their base DEF.

**0**

**0**

**0**

"**Vivian the Shadow Siren":** Spellcaster/Dark, Level 4, (1,800/1,000)

Deckmaster SA: "Vivian's Veil": When you are about to receive a direct attack that would cause a loss of 2,000 Life Points or more, you can discard one card from your hand to negate the attack.

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**Coming up next:**_

_**One of Stan's old opponents returns! And if you haven't already guessed who it is, well, you have a short memory. **_

_**It's a chapter called "In Blackest Night," and it's coming up soon.**_

**_Warning: The next chapter contains some cards from the upcoming Jaden Duelist Pack, so don't say I didn't warn you. Do your homework. If you are by chance someone who dislikes "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" (if there are indeed such people) I recommend you skip this next chapter._**


	37. In Blackest Night

_It's time for a new chapter!_

_And I'd like to say, for the immediate future, new chapters of this fic will be coming at more fequent intrevals._

_I'd also like to say that for this chapter, I've adapted the anime version of one card. So please don't point out that I made a mistake._

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**In the comics, it's a common theme for a villain, often one believed to be as mean as they come, to reform and become a good guy.**_

_**Maybe some terrible trauma happens to him during a battle with a hero, and the result is he does some serious thinking. He repents his crimes, and resolves to leave his evil ways behind.**_

_**It's happened many times throughout comic book history.**_

_**It is incredibly rare, however, for the opposite to happen. I can't even remember an instance when a hero has had something happen to him that turned him into a villain. At least, it never happened to one permanently. The closest anyone came was Hal Jordan, and even he came to his senses in the end.**_

_**But now, a duelist I know who uses heroes as her theme is under a spell, and her heroic Monsters are in danger of drifting into darkness…**_

_**I can't let this happen… I won't…**_

_**And the Shadow Queen will pay for this…**_

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**In Blackest Night**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

The three teens were wandering down a hallway. The carpet was blood red, and the walls were lit by torches.

Their Disks were in place, and they were ready to draw a card in case anything appeared.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The Shadow Queen watched them with a smile.

She took a card from her deck of magical cards.

_Maybe I'll give them a little test to shake them up…_ she chuckled.

She tossed the card into her fireplace…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The team stopped short as a facedown card appeared in front of them.

"Get ready guys…" cautioned Andy. "The Queen is up to no-good…"

The card lifted, showing a Quickplay Magic Card with the image of a knight in shining armor on it.

"I know that card!" exclaimed Francesca. "It's called Bronze Knights! It lets the user summon one Bronze Knight Token for every card he discards!"

And then, a battalion of knights in armor bearing swords started to appear! There must have been about twenty of them! (500/500 x20)

They marched towards the three teens.

"Yeesh!" shouted Andy. "The Queen must have discarded half a deck!"

"I hope this works…" muttered Stan, taking two cards from his deck.

He placed a card on his Disk, and Dark Magician appeared in a flash. (2,500/2,100)

"How's he going to take down twenty Monsters?" gasped Francesca.

"I'll show you," answered Stan, throwing the other card into a slot. "Go, Diffusion-Wave Motion!"

Dark Magician took aim, and fired! One by one, the Bronze Knights were mowed down!

A smoking scorch on the carpet was all that remained of the tokens.

Stan looked up.

"We know you're watching," he sneered. "These tricks are starting to get annoying…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The Queen chuckled.

"Well, isn't that just too bad, Stan!" she laughed. "It's only going to get worse from here!"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

They finally got to the end of the hallway and came to a door. They tried the handle and opened it.

They entered another large antechamber. The lights from the torches made the place dim. A lone figure stood in the center…

"Uh…" said Andy.

The torches flared brightly, and they saw the figure clearly.

She was instantly recognizable, with her Wonder Woman costume, complete with her lasso. She glared at them as they looked at her.

"DIANA!" laughed Stan. "So you made it here too!"

"Yes, I made it…" hissed Diana. "No help from you, Stan. And now I'm here to defeat you…"

"What?" asked Stan. "Diana, you made it to the Palace, there's no need for us to duel before we find the finals…"

"I'm doing what I was told to do, Stan," answered Diana. "The Queen has told me to defeat you, and that's what I'm going to do."

Stan drew back in fear.

"You're working for the Shadow Queen?" he gasped. "But why?"

A voice reached Stan, Andy, and Francesca's ears.

"My friends," said the voice, "listen carefully…"

"Merlee?" asked Stan, softly. "Where are you?"

"I'm somewhere in this room, hidden," Merlee replied. "And I'm afraid Diana's soul has been enspelled by the Shadow Queen's magic."

"Can't you break the spell like you did with Yumi?" asked Francesca.

"The evil magic of this Palace is too strong for that this time," answered Merlee's voice. "If you wish to free Diana, you must find a way to do so yourself…"

Stan paused. He spoke to Diana.

"Come on, Diana!" he said. "I saw your deck front and back when I defeated you the last time! You don't stand a chance!"

"I've gotten some coaching," replied Diana. "I now know more things about my Monsters than I did before. I can use them in far deadlier ways!"

Stan sighed.

"Fine," he said. "If you want to duel, I'll be happy to oblige…"

The two duelists swung their Disks into position, and the holo-imagers shot out.

"Now meet my Deckmaster," stated Diana, holding a card aloft. "The mystical Goddess With The Third Eye!"

The card glowed, and a robed, female Fairy with a third eye on her forehead appeared behind Diana. She held her hands as if in prayer.

"All right…" muttered Stan, taking his deck.

_So now who?_ he thought. _Vivian was good, but I'm sure there's someone better in here…_

His eye caught his Dark Magician Girl.

_Hmmm… why not?_

He held the card aloft.

"I choose Dark Magician Girl!" he exclaimed.

In a flurry of hearts, the gorgeous female Spellcaster appeared beside him.

In his mind, a gentle female voice sounded.

"_Stan, tread with caution,"_ said Dark Magician Girl's telepathic voice. _"Our foe is formidable…"_

"_Okay,"_ answered Stan. _"I hope your memory is better than Vivian's…"_

"_Once per duel,"_ she replied_, "I can enable you to draw one card for every Monster you have in your Graveyard. But remember, only once, so call on my power only when you have to."_

"_Gotcha,"_ answered Stan.

Inside Diana's mind, a conversation was taking place.

"_Remember the warning I gave you, Diana,"_ warned the Shadow Queen.

"_Yes, my liege,"_ she replied. _"His most dangerous Monsters are Goombella the Scholar, Vivian the Shadow Siren, and Ms. Mowz the Tease Thief."_

"_Correct,"_ answered the Queen. _"If he summons one, do all you can to destroy it at once, or it might be bad."_

The two reshuffled.

"Let's get started…" said Diana, drawing five cards. "The first move is yours…"

The counters both set to 8,000.

Stan drew six.

"I'll summon Mystical Elf in Defense Mode…" he stated, placing a card down.

The holy elf appeared, kneeling in prayer. (800/2,000)

"That's all for my turn…"

Diana drew a card.

She looked at it.

"I'm sure you'll remember this card," she said, opening her Field slot.

She placed a card into it.

"The incredible Skyscraper!"

Just like before, the dark city arose around them, but this time, they were at street level, apparently in an entertainment district. Flashing, colored, neon lights were everywhere – all that was missing was the cityfolk.

"Now I'll summon Elemental Hero Clayman in Defense Mode," she stated, "and end my turn."

She put a card down, and the bulky hero made of clay appeared, shielding himself. (800/2,000)

"This isn't going to be a very exciting duel if they only play Monsters in Defense Mode…" muttered Andy.

"I think Diana might be up to something…" sighed Francesca. "Don't forget, Clayman is fusion material for a deadly Monster called Elemental Hero Thunder Giant, who can destroy any Monster with less Attack Points than his…"

Stan drew.

_The Illusory Gentleman…_ he thought. _With Skyscraper in place, Clayman could destroy him… but I doubt she'd take him out of Defense Mode…_

"I summon The Illusory Gentleman in Attack Mode," he stated, placing a card down.

The colorful, one-eyed Spellcaster appeared, holding his cane aloft. (1,500/1,600)

"And I'll also place one card facedown," he stated.

"Your move," he stated.

Diana drew.

"I believe I'll pass for this turn…" she stated.

Stan drew again.

_Still nothing that can break Clayman's Defense,_ he thought.

"I'll summon Magician's Valkyria in Attack Mode!" he exclaimed.

He placed the third Monster Card down, and the beautiful Valkyria appeared. (1,600/1,800)

"And I warn you," stated Stan, "So long as she's on the field, you can't attack any other Spellcaster!"

"Indeed…" muttered Diana, making a draw.

She looked at the card.

"I play Pot of Greed…" she said, playing the card.

The Pot handed her two more cards.

"Now I summon Elemental Hero Burstinatrix…" she stated, placing a card down.

The fiery, female heroine appeared. Flames appeared in her hands. (1,200/800)

"Then I'll Equip Clayman with his favorite Magic Card," she continued. "Clay Wrap!"

She played a card, and a transparent covering coated Clayman.

"And now I invoke my Deckmaster's special ability," she continued. "Power of Fusion! If I discard one Magic Card, she can fuse two Monsters together with no Polymerization required! So I'll discard this…"

She discarded a card. Goddess With The Third Eye glowed.

"And I'll fuse Clayman and Burstinatrix together…"

The two Heroes melted into orbs of brown and red light, and merged together, forming a bulkier shape…

"…and I'll use them to form Elemental Hero Rampart Blaster, and place her in Defense Mode!"

A powerful looking form arose. It was a woman in grey, robotic armor with a huge gun for her right hand and a large shield for her left hand. She wore red shades. (2,000/2,500)

She crouched in Defense.

_Great,_ thought Stan. _She put up a stronger defense…_

"Here's the fun part," said Diana with a sweet smile. "When Clay Wrap is sent to the Graveyard while Equipped to Clayman, which just happened because I used him in a fusion, I get to destroy one Magic or Trap Card! So say bye-bye to your facedown card!"

Stan's facedown card shattered.

"Also…" continued Diana, "due to my Goddess's effect, a Monster she fuses can attack on the round it is summoned…

"So now it's time for Rampart Blaster to do what she does best… blasting!"

Stan stared at her.

"She can't attack when she's in Defense Mode!" he laughed.

"Oh no?" said Diana with a smile. "Rampart Blaster, attack him… _directly_!"

Rampart Blaster raised her gun, and fired two missiles! Stan screamed as they hit him in the chest and he was thrown backwards!

His Life Points fell to 7,000.

"So long as Rampart Blaster is in Defense Mode, she can attack you directly for damage equal to half her Attack Score," chuckled Diana. "If you can't summon a Monster with more than 2,500 Attack Points, this duel will be over in seven more of my turns!"

"This is what I feared," whispered Merlee's voice. "The Queen has educated Diana, telling her secrets about the Elemental Heroes that she didn't know before – and she likely informed her of the perfect Deckmaster to use as well…"

"Stan's in for the fight of his life!" exclaimed Francesca.

Stan made a draw.

"Ooh, I have to pass for this turn," he muttered.

"Splendid," said Diana, drawing. "Rampart Blaster, attack him again!"

The Hero fired her gun, and Stan was thrown back again! His Life Points tumbled to 6,000.

"Your move," said Diana with a grin.

Stan looked at his deck.

"_Trust in your deck, Stan,"_ urged Dark Magician Girl_. "You'll draw the right card…"_

Stan drew.

He placed a card down.

"I sacrifice Mystical Elf and The Illusory Gentleman to summon Buster Blader!" he shouted.

The two Spellcasters vanished, and the mighty Warrior appeared! (2,600/2,300)

"Buster Blader, attack Rampart Blaster with blade buster attack!"

Buster Blader made one mighty swipe with his sword, and Rampart Blaster shattered!

"Magician's Valkyria, attack her Life Points directly with bright rainbow blast!"

Valkyria shot forth her multicolored beam! Diana cringed as it hit her.

Her Life Points fell to 6,400.

"Not bad…" she gasped. "But I'm only getting started…"

She drew one card and added it to her hand.

She fit a card into a slot.

"I play my Premature Burial card, to bring Burstinatrix back…" she said.

Her Life Points fell to 5,600, and Burstinatrix reappeared in front of her.

"It may have cost me 800 Life Points, but I'm about to gain a lot more."

She took a card from her hand.

"Next I'll summon Elemental Hero Bubbleman to the field!"

The put a card down, and the caped, cowled Hero armed with tanks and hoses appeared. (800/1,200)

"Now I'll just discard this…" she said, discarding another card, "so that my Goddess can fuse them into Elemental Hero Steam Healer!"

Burstinatrix and Bubbleman melted into orbs of red and blue light and merged together…

And another large form emerged! This one was a hulking man in purple and red armor, with metal claws for hands and large tanks on his back. (1,800/1,000)

"As I'm sure you know," added Diana, "when Skyscraper is on the field, my Heroes gain 1,000 Attack Points when they attack a stronger Monster. And need I remind you, due to the Goddess's effect, he doesn't have to wait to attack!

"Steam Healer, attack Buster Blader with steam blast!"

Steam Healer's Attack shot up to 2,800, and he shot forth twin gusts of scalding hot steam from his claws! Buster Blader groaned, and he was eradicated.

_No fair…_ thought Stan, as his Life Points fell to 5,800.

"And now we get to Steam Healer's effect," stated Diana, as steam rose around her. "When Steam Healer destroys an enemy Monster, that Monster's Attack Score gets added to my Life Points!"

Her Life Points shot up to 8,200.

"Now I'll play one card facedown…" she said, placing a card into a slot.

A facedown card appeared.

"Make your move," she dared.

Stan drew.

"Diana, I don't want to hurt you," urged Stan, "but I cannot let you win this duel! Please, come to your senses!"

Diana just gave him a cold stare.

"Fine…" sighed Stan. "I summon Gemini Elf in Attack Mode…"

He placed the card down, and the twin elves appeared. (1,900/900)

"I know the limits to your Field Card," stated Stan. "It powers up your heroes when they attack, but _not_ when they're _being_ attacked! Gemini Elf, take out her Steam Healer!"

Gemini Elf shot forth bolts of lightning! Steam Healer sparked, and he exploded!

"Ergh…" muttered Diana.

"Magician's Valkyria, attack directly again!" shouted Stan.

Valkyria shot forth her bright rainbow beam, and Diana shrieked as it hit her in the chest!

Her Life Points stood at 6,500.

"That's my turn…" muttered Stan.

"Merlee, this is crazy!" muttered Francesca. "Isn't there anything you can do?"

She saw Merlee in the corner of her eye, in the alley that had been formed by the hologram of the Field Card.

"The Queen's magic is stronger than mine here, Francesca," he said, sadly. "But maybe magic isn't necessary…"

"Huh?" pondered Francesca.

Diana drew one card.

"Okay Stan," she said. "I play a Magic Card… A powerful one called Dark Factory of Mass Production…"

She played the card.

"This card allows me to add two Normal Monsters from my Graveyard to my hand."

Two cards slid out of her discard slot.

"Now I'll summon Clayman in Defense Mode again, and end my turn."

She set the card, and Clayman appeared in a defensive stance. (800/2,000)

Stan drew a card.

"I'll summon Neo the Magic Swordsman in Attack Mode," he said.

He placed the card down, and Neo appeared, brandishing his glowing blade. (1,700/1,000)

"That will end my turn," he said.

Diana drew.

"I'll place a second card facedown," she said, fitting one into a slot. "And then I'll summon Winged Kuriboh in Defense Mode."

The facedown card appeared next to the other one, and then the fuzzy Fairy version of the more common Fiend appeared, fluttering in the air. (300/200)

"That's all for me," she said.

"_Be careful, Stan,"_ warned Dark Magician Girl._ "I think she has a plan…"_

Stan drew.

"_A very good draw!"_ exclaimed the Spellcaster.

"I sacrifice Neo and Gemini Elf…" exclaimed Stan.

The two Monsters vanished.

"To summon Dark Magician!"

Dark Magician Girl looked overjoyed as Dark Magician appeared on the field! (2,500/2,100)

"Dark Magician, attack Clayman!" shouted Stan. "Dark magic attack!"

Dark Magician shot forth his lethal spell, and Clayman shattered.

"Valkyria, take out her Winged Kuriboh!" shouted Stan.

Valkyria fired her beam, and Winged Kuriboh was blown away.

"Clever, Stan…" chuckled Diana. "I didn't think you'd fall for the same trick twice…"

"You mean…" gasped Stan.

One of Diana's Trap Cards lifted…

"Activate Hero Signal!" she exclaimed.

The shining signal shone over the buildings of the dark city!

A card slipped out of her deck.

"As you know," stated Diana, "this Trap lets me summon an Elemental Hero of four stars or less from my deck, and I'm choosing Elemental Hero Wildheart!"

She placed the card down, and the savage-looking Hero appeared, holding his huge sword. (1,500/1,600)

"Then I end my turn," said Stan. "But don't forget, you have to take out my Valkyria before you can attack any other Spellcaster."

"I'm well aware of that, Stan," said Diana, drawing.

"So now I'll activate my Deckmaster ability again…"

She discarded a card.

"Know why? Because I'm fusing Wildheart with Bladedge!"

The golden-armored Hero appeared in the field, and the two Heroes melted into globes of light, which again merged…

"And by doing that, I can summon Elemental Hero Wildedge!" she shouted.

An enormous form leapt onto the field. It was a muscular barbarian wearing a golden, horned helmet and gauntlet, holding a huge sword! (2,600/2,300)

"Some superheroes are strong," laughed Diana. "Some are fast. This guy is strong _and_ fast! He can attack all of your Monsters at once!"

"WHAT? screamed Stan.

"Wildedge, attack his Valkyria!" shouted Diana.

Valkyria screamed as she was cut down.

"AND his Dark Magician!"

The Hero struck Dark Magician with his sword and he shattered.

Stan's Life Points fell to 4,700.

"He's like Asura Priest on steroids!" gasped Andy.

"It's your move…" mocked Diana.

Stan drew.

_Nuts!_ he thought. _I have six cards, and not a single Monster I can summon!_

"I activate a Trap!" shouted Diana.

Her Trap Card lifted.

"The lethal Life Shaver!"

"Life Shaver?" gulped Stan.

"This was a gift from the Shadow Queen," chuckled Diana. "It forces you to discard one card for every one of both our Standby Phases that it's been facedown on the field! There have been seven, so now you have to discard every card in your hand!"

Stan was dumbfounded. He discarded his whole hand of cards.

"You have nothing to play at all!" laughed Diana. "Just end your turn!"

Stan paused…

He looked at Dark Magician Girl…

"I beg to differ!" he shouted. "I call upon my own Deckmaster!"

Dark Magician Girl waved her staff.

"_Soul Circle!"_ she chanted.

Images of Mystical Elf, The Illusory Gentleman, Buster Blader, Gemini Elf, Neo the Magic Swordsman, Magician's Valkyria, and Dark Magician appeared around Stan…

"What's going on?" gasped Diana.

"Due to her effect, I can now draw one card for every Monster in my Graveyard!" laughed Stan, as seven cards floated off of his deck and placed themselves in his hand.

He looked at them as the images vanished.

"So I'll place one card facedown…"

He placed a card in a slot, and it appeared.

"And I'll play Monster Reborn, to bring back Dark Magician, in Attack Mode!"

The Magic Card appeared, and Dark Magician reappeared. (2,500/2,100)

"I think you're bluffing!" accused Diana.

"Maybe, maybe not," chuckled Stan. "I end my turn…"

Diana drew.

She thought for a moment…

"Wildedge, attack his Dark Magician!" she shouted.

Wildedge charged forward, swinging his huge sword…

"Sorry, Diana, you thought I was bluffing, and now you're gonna pay," said Stan. "Activate facedown card – Shrink!"

His facedown card lifted, and Wildedge shrunk to half his size!

"You shrank my Hero down to the size of a sidekick!" shouted Diana.

"And that's not all," answered Stan. "I also cut his Attack power in half!"

Dark Magician blasted his dark magic, blowing Wildedge away.

Diana's Life Points fell to 5,300.

Diana angrily took a card from her hand.

"I'll end my turn by summoning Wroughtweiler in Defense Mode," she said.

The mechanical dog appeared, and sat. (800/1,200)

_Okay,_ thought Stan. _When Wroughtweiler is destroyed, she can retrieve one Elemental Hero and one Polymerization card from her Graveyard…_

_But I'm guessing that due to her Deckmaster, she removed her Polymerization cards to make room for other cards. So she likely has none of those Magic Cards in her Graveyard, making Wroughtweiler useful only as a shield._

He drew, and looked at the card.

_A Trap Card…_

"Diana, are you sure you won't think this through some more?" he protested. "Search your mind! You don't really want to hurt me!"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Oh, but that's the beauty of it, Stan!" laughed the Shadow Queen. "She really _doesn't_ want to hurt you! But the thing is, she just can't help herself!"

She laughed wickedly.

"You are truly evil, your eminence," chuckled Grodus.

"Why thank you, Grodus," chuckled the Queen. "I do love your compliments. Incidentally, how are my kids doing?"

Grodus looked at his watch.

"Um, they've still got twenty minutes…" he said.

"Well, this duel shouldn't last longer than that," sighed the Queen. "And if it does, well, too bad for them…"

She chuckled.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Okay Diana, I'm placing one card facedown," said Stan, fitting the card into a slot.

The facedown card appeared.

"Then I'll summon Blast Magician in Attack Mode!"

He put a card down, and the fiery Magician clad in red appeared. (1,400/1,900)

"And then I attack with Dark Magician!"

Dark Magician fired, blowing Wroughtweiler away.

"Blast Magician, attack directly!" he shouted.

Blast Magician shot forth a wave of fire, striking Diana in the chest.

She took some deep breaths, as her Life Points fell to 3,900.

_I could have hurt her badly by attacking with Blast Magician first,_ thought Stan, _but I DON'T want to hurt her badly…_

"Make your move…" he ordered.

Diane drew.

She slid a card into a slot.

"I play The Warrior Returning Alive," she stated, "to bring Bubbleman back to my hand!"

A card slid out of her discard slot.

"And now I'll summon him… in Attack Mode!"

She put the card down, and Bubbleman appeared in a burst of bubbles. (800/1,200)

"And not I'll give him more burst with this Equip," she said, playing a card. "BUBBLE BLASTER!"

Bubbleman got down on his knee, and a HUGE bazooka-like cannon appeared on his hands.

"This raises his Attack Score by 800 points!" shouted Diana. "Bubbleman, attack Blast Magician with bombarding bubble barrage!"

Bubbleman shot forth a blast of high-pressure, foamy liquid, and Blast Magician was blown away.

Stan's Life Points fell to 4,500.

"Nice…" growled Stan, making a draw. "Dark Magician, attack her Bubbleman!"

Dark Magician fired his dark spell at the hero… there was an explosion…

But Bubbleman was unharmed.

"Forgot to mention," chuckled Diana. "When Bubbleman is attacked when he has Bubble Blaster, he doesn't pop, his weapon does!"

"Then move," muttered Stan.

Diana drew.

"I play Card of Sanctity!" she declared, playing it. "Now we must each draw until we hold six cards!"

They each made their draws.

"It's almost over, Stan!" she warned. "I have what I need in my hands to call forth a great power…"

She took a card from her hand.

"I'll discard one more Magic Card to call upon my Deckmaster's ability one more time…"

The Goddess With The Third Eye glowed…

"And I'll fuse together Avian, Sparkman, and just for the sake of novelty, let's throw Bubbleman into the mix too!"

The winged Hero of Wind appeared on the field, followed by the sparking Hero of Light, and the cowled and caped Hero of Water flew in-between them.

They melted into orbs, and fused together.

"With their three bodies merged, they form a mighty Warrior whose very name strikes fear into the heart of the underworld…" announced Diana. "**Elemental Hero Tempest**!"

A huge, humanoid figure appeared. It was a powerful, muscular man in a blue spandex costume and a visor with magnificent feathered wings! (2,800/2,800)

Stan was astonished…

"Tempest!" shouted Diana, "attack his Dark Magician with powerhouse plummet!"

A gust of wind and bolt of lightning blasted forth from the Hero, and Dark Magician was blown to pieces!

Stan's Life Points fell to 4,200.

"Hold on!" shouted Stan. "I activate my Trap Card! Activate… A Rival Appears!"

His Trap Card lifted.

"Since your Tempest is an eight star Monster, I can summon THIS guy to the field! Arise Dark Magician of Chaos!"

He threw a card down, and the master of dark magic arose! (2,800/2,600)

"And don't forget, I now get to retrieve one Magic Card from my Graveyard because I summoned him…"

A card slid out of his discard slot.

"It appears we have a standoff, now, Diana," he said.

"Or so you think," said Diana, with her eyes narrowing.

At this point, Francesca had had just about enough.

"This is terrible!" she shouted. "Superheroes should _not_ be used this way! This goes against… some sort of natural order!"

Merlee's soft voice came out of the shadows.

"The Shadow Queen has clouded Diana's mind," he answered. "She has forgotten what it means to be a superhero… And how much she loves them. Right now, her Monsters are nothing but Warriors…"

He paused.

"But maybe she could use a reminder…"

Francesca thought for a minute at that.

She thought hard…

_What did she tell us after her first duel with Stan?_ she thought.

Stan made a draw.

_I don't trust that Monster,_ he thought. _Better safe than sorry…_

"I'll place a card facedown," he said, "and end my turn…"

"Good," said Diana, drawing.

"Now, I'll summon another Wroughtweiler to the field…" she said.

Another of the mechanical hounds appeared.

"But he won't be staying long," she continued. "Now I'm going to show you Tempest's effect.

"You see, if I sacrifice one card on the field during a round with Tempest present, one Monster of my choice cannot be destroyed in battle for the remainder of the round.

"So I'll sacrifice Wroughtweiler…"

Wroughtweiler vanished.

"…and I'll choose Tempest himself!

"Do you see my strategy Stan? Since our two Monsters have equal Attack and mine can't be destroyed in battle this round, all I need to do is attack, and your mage will be destroyed, while my Hero will be spared.

"Tempest, attack!"

Tempest powered up his storm again…

"Activate… Shrink!" shouted Stan.

His Quickplay Magic Card – obviously what he had gotten from his Magician's effect – lifted. Tempest shrunk to half his size, and Dark Magician of Chaos fired!

True to Diana's word, the Elemental Hero was thrown back, but he was still there. But her Life Points fell to 2,500.

"Very well," she replied. "I'll place a card facedown, and end my turn."

The Magic Card's effect wore off, and Tempest grew to his normal size, gaining back his full Attack Score.

_So now what?_ thought Stan.

He made a draw.

"I'm sacrificing my facedown card to use his ability again!" shouted Diana.

The facedown card shattered.

"You'll never destroy him!"

Stan looked at the card he had drawn.

He placed it into a slot, and it appeared facedown.

At that point, an idea came to Francesca.

She looked up at a building that Diane's Field Card was creating. A blue neon light was shining.

She took out her Crystal Star.

_Yellow and blue make green! _she thought.

She ran up to the light.

_Hope this works…_ she thought, holding the Star up to the light.

As she hoped, the blue light shone through the Crystal Star, shining a green glow over the whole area!

"What are you doing?" demanded Diana. "Trying to distract me?"

"Think, Diana!" shouted Francesca. "Doesn't this light remind you of something?

"Think back to the first comic book you ever owned, the one where you discovered your love of heroes!"

Diana paused for a second.

Francesca wracked her mind.

_How does that chant go?_ she thought. _Oh yeah…_

Francesca started to recite:

"**_In brightest day, in blackest night,_**

_**No evil will escape my sight.**_

_**Let those who worship evil's might**_

_**Beware my power… Green Lantern's light!"**_

Diana looked dumbstruck.

"I end my turn Diana…" said Stan, slowly.

He looked at his facedown card.

_I was going to use my Dust Tornado to destroy Skyscraper, but if I do that now, it would kill the light…_ he thought. _I hope Francesca's plan works._

Diana slowly drew…

"I place this card facedown…" she said slowly, placing a card into a slot.

The card appeared.

"And I'll use it to activate Tempest's effect…"

It shattered.

"Tempest, attack…"

Stan gritted his teeth as the hero prepared to attack…

"NO! Stop!" shouted Diana.

She paused.

"I end my turn…" she said.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"What's this?" exclaimed the Shadow Queen. "Diana is resisting my control!"

She got up and fumed.

"I won't allow this! I'll enter her mind myself and confront her!"

She closed her eyes.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Stan drew one card.

He waited.

"Fight it, Diana!" he urged. "The Shadow Queen has clouded your mind, turning it into the true blackest night! But you can break free, and change it to the brightest day it once was!

"Here, I'll encourage you…"

He fit a card into a slot.

"I play Magic Formula! This increases the Attack of my Magician by 500 points!"

Dark Magician of Chaos rose to 3,300 Attack.

"Since you neglected to sacrifice a card, I could wipe out Tempest now. But to prove my sincerity, rather than attacking, I'll end my turn. It's your move now…"

_I hope this works…_ he thought.

Diana shakily drew…

"_Diana!"_ shouted a voice in her head. _"Your Skyscraper card is still in effect, and now his Monster is stronger than yours! You don't even need to sacrifice a card now! Destroy his Chaos Mage!"_

"Shut up…" she whispered.

"_Do as I say!"_ shouted the Shadow Queen. _"I am your master, he is your enemy!"_

Diana closed her eyes…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

She was in the seat of her soul…

In the center was a huge contraption. It was a giant green thing that looked like a futuristic camper's lantern, glowing green. But it was bound by chains, as if it was being held captive.

"NO!" she shouted. "Let it free!"

The Shadow Queen appeared in front of her, between her and the lantern.

"You can't hope to drive me out, little girl," she said angrily. "Now pick up your cards and go back to the duel this instant!"

"NO!" shouted Diana. "You won't tell me what to do! You can't make the Elemental Heroes use their powers for evil! And making me do your dirty work for you – all you are is a coward!"

"You think you're powerful enough to drive me out?" chuckled the Shadow Queen.

Diana made a slight smirk.

"Queenie," she said, "how about a little game? That would prove you aren't a coward. I win, you leave my mind forever. You win, I'll submit to you forever."

The Shadow Queen rubbed her chin.

"A contest for your very soul…" she pondered. "I'm intrigued. Pick your poison!"

"Uh, hundred-yard dash?" asked Diana with a shrug.

"Right…" scowled the Queen. "Like I'm going to get into a footrace with a teenager who's a member of her high school track team! I'm twelve-hundred years old! What do I look like, _stupid_?"

"Okay, grandma, okay!" exclaimed Diana. "I see you have your Duel Disk…"

"Please…" muttered the Queen, looking at it. "You'll never outduel me!"

"I'm proposing a game of luck…" said Diana, shuffling her deck. "We each take the top six cards off our deck, and we're only allowed to use those six. We each have two turns. Whoever can summon the most powerful Monster in two turns is the winner."

The Queen chuckled.

"Okay, I accept your challenge," she said with a grin. "I'll even let you use _her_ if you want!"

Diana turned around, and saw that Goddess With The Third Eye had followed her.

They shuffled their decks. They each picked up the top six cards.

"Heh, heh…" cackled the Queen. "I'll give you one last chance to surrender…"

"You take the first turn…" sneered Diana.

"Fine," said the Queen, putting a card down on her Disk. "For my first move, I'll summon Double Coston!"

A pair of black globs with faces, connected by a strand appeared. (1,700/1,650)

"Your turn…" she chuckled.

Diana discarded a card.

"I'll discard this to use my Deckmaster," she said, "fusing Avian and Burstinatrix together…"

The two heroes appeared and merged…

"Forming the incredible Elemental Hero Flame Wingman!" she shouted.

The merged Hero walked out, and glared at the Queen. (2,100/1,200)

"Not bad…" laughed the Queen. "But now it's my turn. And you should know about Double Coston's special effect…"

"If you use it as a sacrifice to summon a Dark Monster, it counts as two sacrifices," interrupted Diana. "I know…"

"You got it!" laughed the Queen. "So I sacrifice it to summon Invader of Darkness!"

The creature vanished, and in its place arose a hulking man, dressed entirely in black, astride a black horse. (2,900/2,500)

"HA, HA, HA!" laughed the Queen. "Beat that!"

"You're forgetting, I still have one turn!" shouted Diana.

She discarded another card.

"Now I'll invoke my Deckmaster again!" she shouted. "discarding another card to merge Flame Wingman with Sparkman…"

"Forming Elemental Hero Shining Flare Wingman!"

The two heroes merged, and the shining Hero in brilliant white armor and glorious feathered wings appeared, his brilliance nearly blinding! (2,500/2,000)

"HA, HA, HA!" laughed the Queen. "That guy may be powerful, but my Invader is still stronger. You lose!"

"Check again…" chuckled Diana.

Shining Flame Wingman's Attack went up to 3,700!

"HOW?" shouted the Queen.

"Didn't I ever tell you about his special abilities?" asked Diana. "He gains 300 extra Attack Points for every Elemental Hero in my Graveyard! That means that just by summoning him, he gains 1,200 extra attack points!

"That means I win…

"Shining Flame Wingman, destroy her Fiend with ray of purity!"

The Hero blasted a beam of pure light and Invader of Darkness was vaporized!

The green energy battery shook. The chains binding it shattered, and pure, green light flooded the soul chamber!

The Shadow Queen gasped…

"LEAVE!" shouted Diana. "Begone before he attacks _you_!"

The Shadow Queen bowed her head. She vanished.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Diana opened her eyes. Only seconds had passed in the real world.

"Stan!" she cried. "What am I doing?"

She looked around.

"Time to end this…" she said. "Goddess With The Third Eye, I summon you to the field!"

"What?" gasped Francesca.

"She's taking a dive!" shouted Andy.

"Attack his Dark Magician of Chaos!" yelled Diana.

The Goddess flew to attack, and Dark Magician fired to defend himself. Diana's Deckmaster was blown to pieces.

Her Life Points fell to nothing.

The holograms shut down.

Diana almost collapsed. Merlee ran out of the shadows and caught her in his arms.

"Th-th-there, there, child," he said. "You'll be fine…"

"Thank goodness…" muttered Stan.

"Stan…" moaned Diana. "I'm so sorry…"

"Don't be," said Stan. "We gave you a push, but you drove that wicked witch out of your mind yourself. That isn't easy to do…"

Diana sighed…

"You were taking a big risk there…" she noted. "You made your Monster stronger when I had Skyscraper on the field…"

"Actually…" replied Stan, taking a card out of his Disk.

He showed Diana the Dust Tornado card.

"If you had declared an attack, I would have activated this, destroying your Field Card, and Tempest would have been destroyed. And I also had this card in my hand…"

She showed her his Premature Burial.

"I could have brought back nearly anyone with this, and no matter what you would have summoned, I could have attacked directly with Dark Magician of Chaos, and you'd have lost… And the Shadow Queen would clearly have punished you for it…"

Diana shuddered.

"My friends…" said Merlee. "I w-w-wish I could stay longer, but I m-m-must get Diana out of the Palace and to safety. I am certain now that the Shadow Queen h-h-has seen me, and my continued presence is not w-w-wise.

"But we will meet again…"

"Bye guys…" sighed Diana. "And pop the Queen a good one for me, okay?"

Merlee and Diana vanished.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The Shadow Queen walked down the hallway to where her children were being held.

_Not a total loss,_ she thought. _I discovered one important thing…_

_That accursed meddler Merlee has been helping those kids… Who'd have thought he was still alive?_

_Well not anymore. I'll make sure the Palace's security will keep him out specifically. _

_The last thing I need is that… jerk messing up my plans…_

_Not after what happened last time…_

**0**

**0**

**0**

**CLAY WRAP (Magic Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Magic/Equip  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description: **This card can only be Equipped to "Elemental Hero Clayman". When this card and the Monster Equipped with is sent to the Graveyard, destroy one Magic or Trap Card on the field.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**BUBBLE BLASTER (Magic Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Magic/Equip  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description: **This card can only be Equipped to "Elemental Hero Bubbleman". Increase the ATK of the Equipped Monster by 800. When the Monster Equipped with this card is attacked, negate the attack, and destroy this card.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**ELEMENTAL HERO STEAM HEALER (Monster Card)  
**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Warrior/Fusion/Effect  
**Attribute: **Water  
**Level: **6  
**ATK: **1,800  
**DEF: **1,600

**Card Description: **_"Elemental Hero Burstinatrix" plus "Elemental Hero Bubbleman"_

This Monster can only be Special Summoned by Fusion Summon. If this Monster destroys a Monster as a result of battle, increase the controller's Life Points by an amount equal to the current ATK of the destroyed Monster.

_Note: "Clay Wrap", "Bubble Blaster," and "Elemental Hero Steam Healer" have all been used by Jaden in episodes of "Yu-Gi-Oh GX". "Bubble Blaster" and "Elemental Hero Steam Healer" will be released as real cards in the booster pack Duelist Pack 1. "Clay Wrap" has yet to be made into a real card._

**0**

**0**

**0**

**LIFE SHAVER (Trap Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Trap  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description: **Image of an hourglass in the sky, its bottom half broken, with its sand spilling into the palm of a hand; cards float by in the background. When this card is activated, your opponent must discard a number of cards from his hand equal to the number of Standby Phases (yours and your opponent's) that this card remained facedown on the field.

_Note: "Life Shaver" was used by Kaiba (after getting it from Yugi) in the multi-part anime episode "Clash in the Coliseum". All creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0**

**0**

**0**

"**Dark Magician Girl":** Spellcaster/Dark, Level 6, (2,000/1,700)

Deckmaster SA: "Soul Circle": Once per duel, you can draw a number of cards equal to the number of Monster Cards in your Graveyard.

_Note: Tea used Dark Magician Girl as her Deckmaster in the two-part anime episode "Freeze Play". All creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0**

**0**

**0**

"**Goddess With The Third Eye":** Fairy/Light, Level 4, (1,200/1,000)

Deckmaster SA: "Power of Fusion": You can discard one Magic Card from your hand to fuse together two or more fusion material Monsters without using "Polymerization" or a similar card. A Fusion Monster summoned in this manner may attack on the round it is summoned.

_Note: Serenity used Goddess With The Third Eye as her Deckmaster in the two-part anime episode "Mechanical Mayhem". All creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**Coming up next:**_

**_Stan is going to take a well-deserved break, and Francesca is going to step up to the bar. This time, one of HER old opponents returns, but this one isn't under the Queen's spell – he's serving her via his own free will. See some of the new additions to Fran's deck in this thrilling chapter. Those of you with faulty memories might want to backtrack, because you won't want to miss "Stone Cold", coming soon!_**


	38. Stone Cold

_**My first duel on Monster Island was against a real creep – a type I knew too well. A teenage boy with hormones coming out of his ears who thought I was an easy score.**_

_**He played a very annoying type of deck – a Stall Deck. He might have beaten me if I hadn't drawn my Gaia Power card.**_

_**I never expected to meet this creep again… **_

_**It seems anyone can be wrong once in a while.**_

_**There was another thing I didn't expect…**_

_**I never imagined how low he'd sink to get back at me…**_

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Stone Cold**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

In the Queen's throne room, a figure knelt before her.

"So," she said, "Is your deck ready?"

"No problem," he responded. "With the help you've given me, it'll be a piece of pastry! Just remember our deal…"

"Of course…" replied the Queen. "Defeat Francesca, and I'll have total power over her – I can erase her mind and reprogram her as your slave. You must admit, having a lover who'll do exactly what you tell her to is the best type…"

The kneeling figure grinned.

"Now go…" said the Queen. "And don't screw up…"

She pointed, and he vanished.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

After their encounter with Diana, the three teens were in a bit of a predicament…

They were now in a hallway, and it seemed to go on without end.

They had already been following it for half an hour, and there was no end in sight.

"This is ridiculous!" gasped Andy, as they stopped to take a break. "This hallway must go on forever!"

"There must be _some_ way of getting ahead…" muttered Stan.

And then a form materialized in front of them… a weird Monster appeared.

It looked, for all intents and purposes, like a wooden doorway with a stone arch, with a face, arms, and legs, carrying a spear. It folded its arms… clearly it was standing in Defense Mode. (800/1,800)

"Uhm…" muttered Stan. "I think that's a Golem Sentry…"

"Yeah, and it's a door…" muttered Francesca. "I have a feeling if we defeat it, we can get out of this hallway…"

Andy flipped his Disk into position, and drew a card.

"Luster Dragon #1!" he exclaimed.

His powerful Dragon appeared! (1,900/1,600)

"Attack!" he shouted.

Luster Dragon blasted his breath weapon and blew the Golem sentry to pieces.

Another door, this one a normal one, appeared.

"Well…" said Andy, "here goes…"

He opened it…

They entered what could best be described as an indoor rock quarry. Mounds of stone surrounded them, mostly what appeared to be granite. The center of the huge room was dusty, but clear. The overhead ceiling was dark.

But what disturbed them was, there were no exits.

And as soon as they were through, the door they came through vanished!

"Now what?" gasped Francesca.

"Now what, babe?" said a voice. "Now if you want to get out, you have to go through me…"

"I know that voice…" muttered Francesca.

A figure appeared from behind a rock.

"Stonewall Jackson?" exclaimed Francesca.

It was him, all right. Same plain t-shirt and jeans, and the same blonde crew cut.

"Remember me, babe?" he asked.

"I can't believe you made it to the finals…" scowled Francesca.

"I didn't…" chuckled Jackson, "but the Shadow Queen gave me a special pass…"

"Special pass?" asked Francesca.

"Yep," he said with a grin. "All I have to do is defeat you, and I get to take your place… and another little prize…"

"Please…" muttered Francesca. "I already kicked your stony butt! Your Stall Deck is nothing new to me!"

"I'm not playing a Stall Deck anymore," chuckled Jackson. "And the only way out of this quarry is for you to duel me. If you win, you get to proceed. If I win…

"…I get _you_…"

"Jackson, please!" protested Stan. "Working with the Shadow Queen is selling your…"

"Who asked you?" interrupted Jackson. "This is between me and her! And I want revenge for being humiliated!

"And I will have it. Once I defeat her, the Queen has promised to reprogram her mind and give her me as a slave. Deals don't get any better than that!"

"You lousy…" growled Andy.

"Wait, Andy…" muttered Francesca.

She turned to Jackson.

"Fine, Jackson, you've got yourself a duel," she said. "I'll show you that I'm no prize to be won!"

"Excellent!" laughed Jackson.

He made a dramatic motion with his arm, and his Duel Disk swung into position.

Fran activated hers.

"Now, gaze upon my Deckmaster!" laughed Jackson. "My Millennium Shield!"

He held the card up, and the large shield with Eye of Horus on it appeared behind him.

"Now you…" he dared.

Francesca looked through her deck.

_I wonder if I could use a Fusion Monster…_ she thought.

She held up one Amazoness Paladin, Warrior Dai Grepher, and Polymerization.

"Amazoness Queen!" she shouted.

The three cards glowed, and the powerful form of Amazoness Queen appeared beside her.

"Wow…" muttered Jackson, reshuffling. "_Two_ babes! Today's my lucky day!"

Amazoness Queen put her hand on Francesca's shoulder.

"Francesca…" she muttered. "I swear on the spirit of Hippolyta that we will vanquish this lout!"

_Wow…_ thought Francesca. _She can talk!_

"Okay…" whispered Francesca back. "How exactly can you help?"

"As you know," answered the Queen, "my Attack Score is 2,500. I can subtract points from it and add them to any of my subjects that you summon. But be careful, because I only have a limited supply, and you never know when you might need them."

"Gotcha…" replied Francesca, reshuffling.

"If you're done talking to yourself," sighed Jackson, "let's duel!"

The scores set to 8,000.

They both drew five cards.

"I'll start this off, cupcake…" chuckled Jackson, drawing a card.

He placed a card down.

"And I'll summon a guy who I think you'll remember… Giant Soldier of Stone in Defense Mode!"

The huge golem of Stone appeared, and crouched in Defense. (1,300/2,000)

"If you think hiding behind defenses is going to work any better this time than it did last time," laughed Fran, "you're sorely mistaken…"

Jackson chuckled inwardly…

_Little does she know, I've changed most of the cards in my deck,_ he thought. _My defensive strategy has taken a complete one-eighty – to an offensive one!_

Fran drew a card.

"I'll place two cards facedown on the field…" she stated. "And then I'll summon Amazon Archer in Attack Mode."

She placed the cards down. Two facedown cards appeared, and the Amazon bow-woman appeared, notching an arrow into her weapon. (1,400/1,000)

"That will end my turn," she stated.

Jackson drew, and then laughed out loud.

"I'm moving my Giant Soldier into Attack Mode!" he laughed.

Giant Soldier of Stone stood up and lifted his sword.

"Now I'll summon… Monk Fighter!" he exclaimed.

He threw a card down, and the young, rocky monk appeared. (1,300/1,000)

"And now," he continued, "I can instantly sacrifice him to summon Master Monk!"

Monk Fighter vanished, and the elderly, muscular monk appeared! (1,900/1,000)

"Say bye-bye to your Life Points!" laughed Jackson. "Master Monk, attack her Archer with Shaolin kick!"

Master Monk leapt at Amazon Archer…

"FRAN!" screamed Andy.

"Hold on, Jackson!" shouted Fran. "I activate my Trap Card!"

Her Trap lifted…

"The Regulation of Tribe! With this Trap, I can choose one type of Monster and stop them from attacking! And I choose Rocks!"

A mass of chains sprouted out of the ground, binding Master Monk and Giant Soldier of Stone!

"I also activate… Scapegoat!" she shouted.

Her other facedown card lifted, and four fluffy sheep appeared.

Jackson growled.

"Fine, make your move…" he snarled.

Fran drew a card.

"In order to keep my Trap Card on the field, I have to sacrifice one Monster every turn," she stated, "so I'll sacrifice one Scapegoat…"

The blue sheep vanished.

"Now I summon Amazoness Paladin in Attack Mode!" she shouted.

The mighty Paladin appeared, holding her sword aloft. (1,700/300) –) (1,900/300)

"And now I'll activate my Deckmaster's special ability!" she proclaimed. "I'll take 100 Attack Points from my Queen, and add them to my Paladin!"

Amazoness Queen's Attack Score fell to 2,400, and Amazoness Paladin's rose to 2,000.

"Paladin, attack Master Monk!" shouted Francesca.

Amazoness Paladin swung her sword, and blasted Master Monk into pebbles!

"Archer, take out his Soldier!" screamed Francesca.

Amazon Archer fired her arrow, and Giant Soldier of Stone was reduced to rubble.

Dust flew, as Jackson's Life Points fell to 7,800.

"Your move…" muttered Francesca.

"Okay, so you got lucky that turn…" muttered Jackson, drawing.

He looked at his card.

"I'll place one card facedown, and summon Stone Statue of the Aztecs in Defense Mode…" he said, setting two cards.

A facedown card appeared, and the massive Stone Statue materialized. (300/2,000)

"How nice…" muttered Fran, drawing.

"I'll sacrifice another sheep to keep my Trap Card for one more round…" she said.

Another Scapegoat vanished.

"Now I'll sacrifice the other two to activate Amazon Archer's special ability!" she exclaimed.

The last two sheep vanished, and a glowing arrow appeared in Amazon Archer's bow.

"This lets her shoot 1,200 points of direct damage right into you!" shouted Fran.

Amazon Archer fired, and Jackson staggered back as it hit him.

His Life Points fell to 6,600.

"Next I'll use my Deckmaster's ability again," she continued, "taking 100 Attack Points from her, and adding it to my Paladin again!"

The Queen dropped to 2,300 Attack, and Paladin rose to 2,100 Attack.

"Paladin, ordered Fran, "shatter his Stone Statue!"

Amazoness Paladin leapt forward and demolished Stone Statue of the Aztecs.

"Archer, attack him directly!"

Amazon Archer fired his bow, and Jackson staggered back again.

"YES!" shouted Andy. "You've got him on the run, Fran!"

Jackson's Life Points fell to 5,900.

"What?" said Francesca, surprised. "You should have lost more Life Points than _that!_"

"But I didn't, thanks to _my_ Deckmaster!" chuckled Jackson. "The Millennium Shield gives me Skin of Steel! It cuts the damage done from direct attacks in half!"

"All right…" sighed Francesca. "Make your move…"

Jackson drew.

"I'll place another card facedown…" he stated, "and a Monster facedown in Defense Mode."

Another facedown card appeared on his side, and then a hidden Monster appeared.

"So now what Fran?" he gloated. "No more goats to sacrifice, so you'll have to sacrifice one of your bimbos if you want to keep your Trap!"

"Don't call them bimbos…" said Fran, through her teeth. "And I can't afford to sacrifice them, so I'll destroy it…"

The Regulation of Tribe card shattered.

"Paladin, attack his facedown Monster!" she shouted.

Paladin charged…

"Activate… Negate Attack!" shouted Jackson.

One of his Traps flipped up, and Paladin's sword slammed against a barrier.

"Fine, that's my turn…" mumbled Francesca.

Jackson made a draw.

"First I'll place another card facedown…" he said.

Another facedown card appeared next to his other one.

"Now, you're probably wondering why I used Negate Attack…" he chuckled. "Well, the reason is, to activate this Monster's flip-effect, I had to flip it…"

The Monster Card flipped up…

"So meet my Medusa Worm!" he laughed.

A huge, rocky worm, colored red with spines all over its body appeared. (500/600)

"And that means one of your Monsters is history!" laughed Jackson.

A beam of energy blasted from the Worm's mouth, striking Amazoness Paladin! She turned to stone, and then shattered!

Jackson switched cards on his Disk.

"Now I'll sacrifice my Medusa Worm for Stone Ogre Grotto!" he exclaimed.

The Worm vanished, and a man-sized brute made of boulders appeared. (1,600/1,500)

Francesca opened her eyes in surprise. Stone Ogre Grotto?

"Stone Ogre Grotto," commanded Jackson, "attack her Archer with stone fist!"

Stone Ogre Grotto slugged Amazon Archer, blowing her away.

Francesca's Life Points fell to 7,800, but she started laughing.

"Stone Ogre Grotto?" she laughed. "Somebody actually still uses that card?"

"I have to agree with Francesca on this…" muttered Stan. "Five-star Monsters that weak are old news!"

_Fools…_ thought Johnson. _Can't you realize I WANT my Monsters to be destroyed?_

"My move!" shouted Francesca, drawing.

"Let's see how you deal with the newest member of my team!" she exclaimed. "I summon the lovely yet lethal… _Getsu Fuhma_!"

She put a card down, and a female warrior with red hair in dark armor holding a katana appeared. (1,700/1,200)

"Destroy his big boulder!" she shouted. "Whirlwind strike!"

Getsu Fuhma made a huge sweep with her sword, blasting Stone Ogre Grotto to dust!

Jackson's Life Points slipped to 5,800.

"So much for your pathetic Rock…" mocked Francesca.

"Ah, parting is such sweet sorrow…" muttered Jackson, drawing.

He placed a card down on his Disk.

"Another Monster in Defense Mode…" he chuckled, and that will be all.

Francesca drew.

_Man, this hand bites…_ she thought.

"Getsu Fuhma, attack his facedown Monster!" she shouted.

Getsu Fuhma rushed to attack…

And a Morphing Jar appeared on the card! It cackled and was smashed to pieces!

"Heh, heh…" chuckled Jackson. "We'll have to discard our hands and draw new cards…"

"Hold on, Jackson, you liar!" accused Francesca, as she discarded her hand. "When I dueled you the first time, you wagered your rarest card, and I won!"

"Your point being?" asked Jackson.

"My point?" snarled Francesca, making five draws. "Morphing Jar is _much_ rarer than Gear Golem the Moving Fortress!"

"I didn't _have_ a Morphing Jar then," answered Jackson. "The Shadow Queen helped my make some vast improvements to my deck…

"And once I draw my secret weapon, you'll be finished!"

"Secret weapon?" muttered Andy. "What could that be?"

"Well, make your move…" muttered Fran.

_Excellent,_ thought Jackson, looking at his new hand.

"I'll place a third card facedown," he said, fitting the card into a slot.

A third card appeared.

"And now I'll summon yet another Monster facedown in Defense Mode!"

Another hidden Monster appeared.

"Make your move…" he dared.

Fran went for her deck.

She paused.

_Three cards facedown…_ she thought. _Likely he's planning something very nasty… Have to be careful…_

She drew a card.

"Well," chuckled Jackson. "I think I'll activate… ALL THREE of my Traps!"

"All three?" gasped Francesca.

"Yep!" said Jackson with a smile, as all three of the facedown cards lifted. "They're all the same Trap, useful weapons called Rock Bombardment!"

He took his deck out of his tray.

"For each, Trap, I have to discard one Rock Monster from my deck…"

He discarded three cards…

Three catapults appeared behind him…

"And now each one of them can smash off 500 of your Life Points!"

Fran gulped.

"FIRE!" shouted Jackson.

The three catapults launched three boulders into the air…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The Shadow Queen laughed out loud as she saw Francesca get flattened.

"Rewind!" she commanded her viewing globe. "I've GOT to see that again!"

"Francesca is down, but she'll get up again…" muttered Grodus. "Are you certain that this clown can beat her?"

"Depends on a lot of things," sighed the Queen. "The secret weapon I gave him is indeed powerful, but Francesca's deck does have ways to counter it.

"It basically depends on when he draws it, and on whose luck is better…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Francesca lay on the ground and saw stars…

She checked her Disk – those Traps had reduced her Life Points to 6,300.

"Get up, Fran!" shouted Andy.

"Give me a minute…" she moaned.

Then a hand reached down. Francesca saw that it was Amazoness Queen's.

"Be brave, Francesca," she said. "Your opponent used a cheap shot, but I swear to you, his dishonorable ways will not help him win.

"He who lives without honor will end without honor."

The Warrior helped her up.

"It's still my move, Stonewall!" shouted Fran.

She took a card from her hand.

"I sacrifice Getsu Fuhma to summon Penumbral Soldier Lady!"

Getsu Fuhma vanished, and the stronger Warrior of Darkness appeared. (2,100/1,400)

"Attack his facedown Monster!" shouted Francesca. "Sword of Shadows!"

Penumbral Soldier Lady attacked with her blade…

And a huge, rocky figure appeared on the card. He was a wild-looking man dressed in a martial arts _gi_.

Penumbral Soldier Lady's blow smashed him to pieces.

"Well, that was…" started Fran.

And then Penumbral Soldier Lady vanished!

"WHAT THE?" shouted Fran.

Jackson laughed.

"You attacked my Legendary Jujitsu Master!" he cackled. "Any Monster that attacks him while he's in Defense Mode is returned to the top of the owner's deck!"

Francesca growled.

"I can't do anything else," she sighed. "Take your best shot…"

Jackson drew.

"I summon Avatar of the Pot, in Attack Mode!" he laughed.

He placed a card down, and a tall, rocky genie with green skin appeared. His head looked just like the Pot of Greed. (1,200/1,300)

"Since I summoned this fellah, I can now discard my Pot of Greed…" started Jackson.

He discarded a card.

"…and draw three more cards!"

The Avatar cast a spell, and three cards flew off of Jackson's deck and added to his hand.

"Now my Avatar, attack her directly!"

The Avatar lumbered forward and slugged Fran in the stomach!

She fell to her knees. Her Life Points fell to 5,100.

_Okay,_ she thought. _So his strategy has definitely been given some coaching…_

"Your move princess," chuckled Jackson. "And unless you have something in your hand right now that you can summon without a sacrifice, you're gonna be feeling a world of pain next turn…"

Francesca drew, drawing Penumbral Soldier Lady again.

"It just so happens that I do," she replied, placing a card down. "I'm sure you remember Amazoness Swords Woman?"

The wild Amazon with her mighty sword appeared. (1,500/1,600)

"GO!" shouted Fran. "Attack his Avatar of the Pot!"

Amazoness Swords Woman leapt up and gave a fierce war cry, blasting Avatar of the Pot to shards!

Jackson grinned as his Life Points fell to 5,500.

"Oh well, he served his purpose…" he said.

_At least his first one_, he thought.

"My move now…"

He made a draw.

_Oh yeah…_ he thought with anticipation, as he looked at the Magic Card.

"I play… The Shallow Grave!" he announced, placing a card into a slot. "This lets…"

"I know what it does, stupid!" snarled Francesca. "It lets both of us Special Summon a Monster from our Graveyards in facedown Defense Mode…"

A card slid out of hers and Jackson's discard slots, and they each set it.

_Getsu Fuhma should at least protect me from whatever he's planning…_ she thought.

"Now I'll flip-summon the Monster I just revived!" chuckled Jackson. "You remember my Medusa Worm, don't you?"

The card flipped into Attack Mode, and the Medusa Worm reappeared.

Francesca gasped as Amazoness Swords Woman was turned to stone! She shattered into pixels!

"And now," declared Jackson, taking another card from his hand, "I'll sacrifice Medusa Worm to summon a mighty beast known as Granmarg the Rock Monarch!"

He switched cards, and Medusa Worm shattered. A huge, hulking form made of stone with huge fists appeared! (2,400/1,000)

"I'm afraid that just by summoning him, he destroys one facedown card," chuckled Jackson, "meaning the Monster you summoned goes back to the Graveyard!"

A beam of energy shot from Granmarg's eyes. Getsu Fuhma appeared on the card and screamed! She shattered.

"NO!" screamed Andy. "That was her only defense!"

"Jackson plotted that whole move out perfectly!" gasped Stan.

"Rock Monarch!" shouted Jackson, "attack directly with royal stone smash!"

Francesca screamed as the huge Monster clobbered her with its huge fist!

She fell on her back and her cards scattered…

Her Life Points fell to 2,700.

She groaned in pain…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The Shadow Queen chuckled.

"It was brilliant to use Jackson as our assassin," she laughed. "It won't be long now…"

She turned to a silent figure in the corner, who was also watching.

"I should have thought of this a long time ago – and if our other assassin is just as good, our troubles are as good as over..."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Francesca!" screamed Andy. "Francesca, baby, get up!"

Francesca pulled herself to her feet and picked up her cards…

She slowly drew one card…

_Man, my hand is no good…_ she thought.

She fit a card into a slot.

"I play Card Destruction!" she exclaimed. "Now we must discard our hands and draw and equal number of cards!"

"Whatever you say, babe…" chuckled Jackson.

He discarded his hand…

And then a hideous elephant appeared behind him and gave a fierce trumpet, knocking Francesca over!

Her Life Points plummeted to a mere 700!

"What did you do?" she demanded.

"It's not what I did…" he laughed. "When you made me discard my hand, you made me discard a clever Monster called Elephant Statue of Disaster! It isn't the type of Monster you summon – you have to trick your opponent into making you discard it! When that happens, your opponent loses 2,000 Life Points!"

"This is crazy!" gasped Stan. "Fran's Life Points are in triple digits, and Jackson has over 5,000!"

"Stay strong Fran!" shouted Andy.

Amazoness Queen touched Francesca's hand.

"Yes, stay strong…" she repeated.

Fran played a card.

"I play Monster Reborn, to bring back my Archer!" she shouted.

Amazoness Archer reappeared. (1,400/1,000)

"And now I'll sacrifice her to summon Madame Flurrie of the Fog!" she shouted.

Amazoness Archer vanished, and Madame Flurrie materialized. (1,800/1,000)

"Now to get rid of your Rock Monarch!" shouted Francesca.

She discarded two cards, and Flurrie cast forth her mighty breath! Granmarg the Rock Monarch was eroded into sand!

"Make your move…" dared Francesca.

Jackson made a draw.

"I'll summon another Giant Soldier of Stone in Defense Mode…" he stated, placing a card down.

The giant golem appeared. (1,300/2,000)

"Try to get past him…" dared Jackson.

Francesca drew.

"I play Card of Sanctity!" she exclaimed, playing a card.

"Good!" laughed Jackson, as they started to draw. "I get more cards too!"

He looked at his new hand.

_I drew my secret weapon!_ he thought.

"Now I summon Amazoness Fighter, in Attack Mode!" shouted Francesca.

She placed a card down, and the powerful Fighter appeared. (1,500/1,300)

"And now I'll call upon my Deckmaster, transferring 600 Attack Points from her to my Fighter!"

Amazoness Queen dropped to 1,700 Attack, and Amazoness Fighter climbed to 2,100.

"Amazoness Fighter, crack that overgrown boulder!" she shouted.

Amazoness Fighter made a flying kick, and shattered the Giant Soldier.

"Flurrie, attack directly with your Gale Force!"

Flurrie let lose her furious breath, and Jackson staggered against it.

"Heh, heh…" he chuckled. "Did you forget about the ability of _my_ Deckmaster?"

His Life Points fell to 4,600.

"I'll place one card facedown and end my turn," continued Fran, ignoring him.

Jackson grinned as he drew.

_Yes!_ he thought.

"I play Card of Demise!" he laughed, playing a card.

"This lets me draw five cards," he continued, making five draws, "so long as I discard my whole hand in five turns… But that doesn't matter, because you're going down on _this_ turn!"

He fit another card into a slot.

"Now I play… Final Destiny!"

"FINAL DESTINY?" shouted Stan and Andy at once.

"I discard five cards…" laughed Jackson, discarding cards from his hand.

An enormous explosion rocked the field!

"…and in return, I can vaporize every card on the field!"

"Not so fast, Jackson!" shouted Francesca. "By destroying my facedown card, you activated it! Waboku!"

The three emissaries in blue appeared.

"Oh, fine…" muttered Jackson. "But I'll still show you the stone cold face of defeat…"

He dramatically threw a card down…

"I summon the unstoppable… **Megarock Dragon**!"

An enormous, titanic form appeared! It looked like a HUGE dragon, made completely of stone! It let out an awesome roar!

"Quite a looker, isn't he?" chuckled Jackson. "And let me explain his special ability! When he's summoned, I have to remove Rock Monsters from my Graveyard, and for each one I remove, his Attack and Defense are 700!

"And in addition to the ones you know about, I discarded five to play Final Destiny, and another one when you played Card Destruction! So I have twenty Rocks in my Graveyard! So I'll remove… _all_ of them!"

Cards spilled out of his discard slot, and the huge Monster's Attack Score shot up to (14,000/14,000).

"Please tell me that stat meter is broken…" gulped Andy.

"HA, HA, HA, HA!" laughed Jackson. "You're doomed!"

Francesca just stared at him.

Not at the Monster, but at Jackson.

"You… you…" she stammered. "You threw _twenty_ Monsters into your Graveyard just so you could remove them from play to power up your Megarock Dragon?"

"That's right," said Jackson. "You have a problem with that?"

"Oh, Jackson…" moaned Francesca, holding her head. "For the love of all that's holy…"

"What?" asked Jackson.

"Jackson…" groaned Francesca. "Every Monster in Duel Monsters is a unique being with its own talents! If you just throw them away…"

"Unique being?" laughed Jackson. "Give me a break Fran. "All these dumb things are are ink on cards. Who cares what happens to them?"

"You are a sad case, Jackson…" muttered Francesca. "And I must say, I'm gonna enjoy thrashing you more than I did anyone else…"

Jackson laughed out loud.

"Just how are you gonna do that?" he laughed. "My Dragon has enough power to take down the Egyptian God Cards right now!"

Fran stared at him.

"Whatever," muttered Jackson. "I'll place one card facedown, and end my turn…"

A facedown card appeared.

_My strategy is perfect,_ he thought. _She'll obviously put a Monster in Defense Mode, but when she does, my Acid Trap Hole will send it straight to the Graveyard! And if she sets any Traps, I'll just blow them away with this Heavy Storm! Then she'll suffer the worst direct attack she's ever had, and I'll win!_

Francesca drew a card.

"I have a question for you, Jackson, and you'd better answer it," sneered Francesca.

"Uh, a question?" asked Jackson, puzzled.

"Yes, a question!" snapped Francesca. "On your Monster's card, where it has where Attack and Defense should be written, does it say zeroes, or question marks?"

Jackson looked at the card on his Disk.

"Question marks!" he answered. "What does that have to do with it?"

Francesca grinned.

"That means your Dragon's base Attack Score is indeterminate," she explained, "meaning its original Attack is the score given to it by its effect – what it has right now!"

"What does that have to do with it?" repeated Jackson again.

"I'll show you…" said Fran with a smile. "I never showed you this trick in our last duel, because none of you Monsters had decent Attack Scores then…"

She placed a card down.

"I summon Amazoness Blowpiper, in Attack Mode!" she shouted.

The teenage Amazon with her blowgun appeared. (800/1,500)

"I ACTIVATE…" started Jackson.

He stopped short.

"What? Attack Mode?" he stammered. "How come?"

"I'll show you 'how come'…" stated Francesca.

She placed a card in a slot.

"I activate Amazoness Spellcaster!"

The aged Amazon witchdoctor appeared and flew into the air with a cackle! She cast her spell, and both Amazoness Blowpiper and Megarock Dragon started to glow…

"This handy Magic Card swaps the original Attack of an Amazon with one of your Monsters for one turn," explained Fran. "And like I said, the original Attack of your Megarock Dragon, because it is indeterminate, is what its effect gives it!"

Jackson turned pale.

"That basically means that my Blowpiper now has an Attack Score of 14,000, and your mighty Dragon has a mere 800! How's _that_ for girl power?"

"WHAT?" shouted Jackson, as the scores changed. "This can't be! I planned this out perfectly! I had all the powerful cards!"

Amazoness Queen gave Jackson a dirty look.

"You disrespected your Monsters and treated them as nothing but fuel!" shouted Francesca. "I don't care what powerful cards you had! You have no right to call yourself a duelist!

"Blowpiper, attack his Dragon!"

Amazoness Blowpiper screamed and leapt up into the air, kicking the great beast and blasting it into dust!

"NOOOO!" screamed Jackson as his Life Points tumbled to zero.

Jackson fell to his knees… He sobbed.

Then a dark portal opened, and he was sucked through it.

Francesca turned to Amazoness Queen.

"Your Majesty…" she said. "Thank you. I couldn't have done it without your support."

The Queen offered her hand.

"You and your partners be careful, Francesca," warned the Queen. "This den of evil contains many more perils. But I will still be there when you need me."

She vanished.

Andy ran up to Francesca and hugged her.

"Ooh, what was that for?" squealed Francesca.

"Thought you might need some comfort after all those direct attacks!" laughed Andy.

"Well, I am a little tender…" sighed Francesca.

Then a door appeared in the middle of the room.

"Let's go," said Stan. "The Queen likely isn't through with us yet…"

Andy looked at his Disk.

_And she likely has my number up next…_ he thought.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Stonewall Jackson…" mumbled the Shadow Queen. "Such a grandiose name for such an abysmal failure…"

"Please…" begged Jackson. "Give me another chance… I can beat her… She can't be so lucky twice in a row…"

"Humph," muttered the Queen, activating her Disk. "You've dueled Francesca twice already, and both times you flopped. I'm not about to let you waste my time doing it again."

She fit a Grave Arm card into a slot.

"Goodbye…"

The gruesome arm burst out of the ground and seized Jackson. He screamed as he was pulled under.

A figure came up to the Queen chuckling.

"That guy was a loser anyway," she said. "I can assure you, I can do much better…"

"Well, I'm giving you the same deal I gave him, Poison," replied the Queen. "Defeat Andy in this rematch, and I'll erase his mind and reprogram him as your slave. That's what you want, right?"

"You bet!" smirked Poison. "And with the tips you gave me, I won't lose this time. Revenge will be sweet!"

"Now get going," ordered the Queen, "and don't screw up…"

Poison rushed off.

Grodus came up to the Queen.

"Uhm, excuse me, your majesty," he asked, "but I thought your plan for those three was to banish them to the Graveyard and then…"

"Poison is a fool to believe me," chuckled the Queen. "I have no intention of keeping my end of the bargain with the likes of her – nor did I with that idiot Jackson.

"If she defeats Andy, I'll first banish him to the Graveyard – and Poison's only reward will be to be sent there herself.

"You see Grodus, duelists think that their rare cards and deck-building strategies make them unbeatable…

"But without the intelligence to use a good strategy, you're nothing, not just in dueling, but in all walks of life.

"I've had to outsmart many people in my time, and if I have to betray a few recruits to ensure my freedom…

"It's no skin off my nose…"

**0**

**0**

**0**

**CARD OF DEMISE (Magic Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Magic  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description: **Image of an executioner about to chop a deck of cards in half with a guillotine. Draw five cards from your deck. Five turns after you use this card, discard your whole hand to the Graveyard.

_Note: "Card of Demise" was first used by Kaiba in the anime episode "Clash in the Coliseum". All creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0**

**0**

**0**

"**Amazoness Queen":** Warrior/Fusion/Earth, Level 7, (2,500/1,700)

Deckmaster SA: "Amazon Support": You can permanently subtract Attack Points from your Deckmaster to permanently increase that of any Monster with "Amazoness" in its name, or who is named "Amazon Archer".

**0**

**0**

**0**

"**Millennium Shield":** Warrior/Earth, Level 5, (0/3,000)

Deckmaster SA: "Skin of Steel": Decrease the damage you take from direct attacks by half.

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**Coming up next:**_

**_Poison challenges Andy to a rematch, and it's going to fiercer than ever before! Like Jackson, Poison has learned not to make the same mistakes as before… but Andy is no rookie either! See some of the improvements to Andy's deck, in a chapter called "Rage in the Cage", coming soon._**


	39. Rage in the Cage

_**I have to say, I agree with Francesca; Jackson wasn't much of a duelist.**_

_**He had good cards – he had a valid strategy…**_

_**But he had no respect for his cards themselves. He treated his Monsters as nothing more than fuel to power one single Monster, casting them all aside like they were nothing when he no longer needed them. A duelist who does that can never see the Heart of the Cards, and can never truly be a success.**_

_**And I've dueled my share of duelists like that – such as the first one I challenged when I came to Monster Island.**_

_**And now, just like Jackson came back to seek revenge on Francesca, that duelist is gunning for me…**_

_**I can hope this is as easy as the first time… **_

_**But I doubt it will be…**_

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Rage In The Cage**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

After leaving the quarry where Francesca had dueled Jackson, The three teens checked their watches…

It was six PM. They hoped that they'd find a place to sleep soon.

They knew at this point that the Queen couldn't slit their throats in their sleep – she apparently couldn't simply murder them outright. Still, it was going to be hard to sleep in this place unless they could find some beds.

The hallway they were walking down terminated in another door…

Andy slowly took the handle and opened it…

They entered what looked like a busted arena. Broken bleachers surrounded them, and garbage was thrown about. What looked like a boxing ring was in the center – and a skull was painted on the mat!

They looked around. Again, there were no exits…

"Crud," muttered Stan, "now what?"

"I'll tell you what!" laughed a female voice from above.

"That voice… sounds familiar…" muttered Andy.

A loud cranking was heard. A chain with a hook on it descended from the ceiling. Riding on it was a familiar figure…

It was Poison. She was exactly how Andy remembered her – the dark hair, and the revealing outfit… black leather bikini top and jacket, with a mini-skirt made and boots from the same material. She still had handcuffs hooked to her belt, and those ugly tattoos of thorny roses on her arms stood out prominently.

She landed on the mat.

The change came over Andy immediately.

"Poison…" he snarled. "Still going with the Goth slut look, or did someone actually die?"

"Save it," she chuckled. "I'm still angry about the humiliation you handed me the first time in Petalburg – after that, I couldn't get back on track. But I'm working for the Shadow Queen now…"

"Figures…" muttered Andy.

"And I want to get a win off of you, Andy!" she shouted. "You and I are going to have a rematch!"

"Get a life, Poison!" scoffed Andy. "Why should I duel someone who was hardly a challenge the first time?"

"I'll make it worth your while if you win…" said Poison with a smile.

She pointed, and a door appeared behind her.

"It's getting late, people," she continued. "You'll be tired soon, and wanting dinner and beds, right? Well, if Andy refuses to duel me, you can simply walk out that door…

"But you'll go to sleep hungry, have to lie on the cold floor, and manage tomorrow without breakfast…

"On the other hand, if he wins a duel against me, another door will open, and you'll get to some nice guest quarters where there's food and a comfortable place to sleep.

"So, do we have a deal?"

"Andy, you don't have to…" cautioned Francesca. "Don't forget what happens if you lose…"

Andy paused. It was a rather tempting offer.

He turned to Francesca.

"I'm not going to let you sleep on stone, honey," he whispered.

He turned to Poison.

"All right," he said. "You have your rematch. But God help you if you're lying…"

"Then step up, here, cutie!" laughed Poison.

_Fool,_ she thought._ I knew you'd never resist my offer. And I've learned a lot from our last duel, and once I defeat you, you'll be my slave forever!_

Andy stepped up to the boxing ring.

"Now," stated Poison, "we need a prop or two…"

All of a sudden, a steel mesh cage appeared, surrounding the two of them! It was cubical, and twenty feet to a side! Barbed wire was on the top.

"Lift!" shouted Poison.

As Andy stared in wonder, the cage they were in levitated until they were ten feet off the ground.

"Want to explain the meaning of this cage, Poison?" asked Andy, now annoyed.

"You ever watch professional wrestling?" replied Poison, with a grin. "I love it! So I asked the Queen to make this duel one of the most dreaded types of pro wrestling simulations – a cage match!"

"Oh, come on, Poison!" sighed Andy, rolling his eyes. "Don't you know that professional wrestling is…"

"What? Fake?" interrupted Poison. "Sure I know. The true pro wrestling fan will tell you that he doesn't watch the show because he likes violence and bloodshed, but he watches it for the laughs…"

She chuckled.

"…those same people also say they like to read _Playboy_ for the interviews. But let me tell you something Andy. The 'sport' may be fake, but I know enough about it to know that it isn't without its dangers. When a wrestler picks up an opponent and throws him, he's _really_ picking him up and throwing him. And that can hurt! There have been many times in the history of pro wrestling when wrestlers have been seriously injured, or even killed in the ring…

"And since this is Duel Monsters, and we're in a steel cage, I'd do my best to avoid direct attacks if I were you! Falling against the walls of this thing would hurt bad!"

She activated her Disk.

"Now to present my Deckmaster!" she announced.

She held a card aloft.

"I choose The Bistro Butcher!"

The card glowed, and the fiendish chef with his hook and cleaver appeared behind her.

"Now you choose someone," she taunted, shuffling. "Not like it will matter…"

Andy took out his deck.

_Hmm,_ he thought. _One of Stan's Companions had a pretty useful ability… maybe one of mine will too…_

He held a card aloft.

"My Deckmaster is Koops the Bashful!" he shouted.

The card glowed, and Koops appeared behind him.

"A turtle?" laughed Poison. "Couldn't you have tried harder than that?"

"Andy…" whispered Koops's voice.

"Koops?" whispered Andy back.

"Don't let her insults get to you – we can do this!" he responded. "I can help in a big way!"

"How so?" asked Andy.

"Well," mumbled Koops, "not that I'm bragging, mind you, but I have something called a… well I'll whisper it to you…"

He whispered in Andy's ear.

"All right," replied Andy.

_Looks like I've got a winner…_ he thought.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Well, this should be entertaining," muttered the Shadow Queen.

"Why exactly did you give in when that fool wanted a cage match?" asked Grodus.

"Well, I'm not too much a fan of wrestling myself," sighed the Queen, "but figure since I'm going to bury her once this is over anyway, I might as well make her duelist's dream come true first… I can be generous."

"Are you going to keep your end of the bargain if Andy wins?" asked Grodus.

The Queen nodded.

"Oh yeah," she answered. "It would be unsporting to force my victims to sleep on the floor and let them wake up hungry…"

She pulled a Magic Card out of her dress.

"…and besides, I want them at full strength once I send them through my next challenge…"

She paused.

"By the way, where are my kids?"

"Showering," answered Grodus.

"Well, they'll be there for an hour or two," sighed the Shadow Queen. "You think I was too harsh on them?"

They both paused.

"NAH!" they both laughed.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Poison drew her first hand.

Andy noticed that Stan and Francesca climbed up into the busted bleachers to get a better view.

"I'll start this off, if you don't mind," said Poison. "And I'll use my Deckmaster ability right away…"

The Bistro Butcher glowed with a dark aura.

"During my draw phase, I can choose to draw two cards instead of one, so long as I then discard one from my hand!"

She drew two cards.

"Think I'll discard this…" she said, discarding a card.

"Good grief…" muttered Andy.

"And if you think that this ability will deck me out fast, think again!" laughed Poison. "My deck is far larger than the minimum, and I have three copies each of all the important cards!"

"Well, her Deckmaster's ability seems balanced…" muttered Francesca.

"Not really," noted Stan. "Don't forget, her deck has three Dark Necrofears in it. If she can discard a card every time she draws, she can have plenty of Fiends in her Graveyard to use to summon them!"

"Now, I'll set a Monster in Defense Mode, and end my turn," chuckled Poison.

Andy drew a card.

"Well, I'll summon someone I think you might remember," laughed Andy.

He placed a card down.

"Spear Dragon, in Attack Mode!"

The small Dragon with the long beak appeared. (1,900/0)

"Good move, Andy…" whispered Koops.

"Attack her facedown Monster with cyclone blast!" shouted Andy.

Spear Dragon screeched and shot forth a gust of wind…

A strange Fiend with blue skin and one huge eye appeared on the card. (650/500)

It was blown to pieces.

"Well, your Monster is destroyed…" chuckled Andy. "But since it was in Defense Mode, your Life Points are safe, right? Wrong! Due to my Spear Dragon's effect, you lose… 1,400 of them!"

Poison's Life Points fell to 6,600.

"And now my Spear Dragon moves to Defense Mode," continued Andy, as Spear Dragon folded its wings.

"Don't get too comfy," chuckled Poison. "The Monster you destroyed was a critter called Hiro's Shadow Scout, and since you flipped it, you now have to draw three cards and show them to me!"

Three cards flew off Andy's deck, and images of them appeared in the air above them: Lord of Dragons, Cave Dragon, and Heavy Storm.

Poison laughed!

"And _next_, you have to discard the Magic Card you just drew!" she cackled. "So say goodbye to that Heavy Storm!"

The Magic Card flew into Andy's discard slot.

"Fine," snarled Andy. "Make your move…"

"Ooh…" moaned Francesca. "Losing that card might hurt Andy badly…"

"He can still handle it," assured Stan.

"I'll use my Deckmaster ability again…" chuckled Poison.

She drew two cards, and then discarded one from her hand.

_In all likelihood he's going to summon that Cave Dragon next,_ she thought. _So this should be a safe move…_

"I'll place a card facedown, and summon my Feral Imp in Attack Mode!" she stated.

She played the cards. A facedown card appeared, and then a nasty green imp appeared in front of her. (1,300/1,400)

"Attack his Spear Dragon!" shouted Poison.

The Imp leapt forward and slashed at the Dragon with its claw, shattering it.

"Lovely…" muttered Andy. "Fortunately, it was in Defense Mode…"

"Your move…" said Poison with a smirk.

Andy drew. He added the card to his hand.

"I'll summon Cave Dragon in Attack Mode!" he shouted.

The old, wingless Dragon appeared. (2,000/100)

_Poor Andy…_ thought Poison. _So predictable…_

"That will end my turn…" he said.

"Then here comes my Deckmaster again!" laughed Poison.

She drew two cards.

_Perfect,_ she thought. _I've already drawn one Dark Necrofear! But first I'll take care of what Andy already has…_

"I'll place a Monster facedown in Defense Mode," she said, "and I'll switch Feral Imp into Defense Mode too."

A facedown Monster appeared, and then Feral Imp shielded itself.

"My move now…" said Andy, drawing.

"Be careful, Andy…" whispered Koops.

"I'm being careful," assured Andy.

"I summon Koumori Dragon in Attack Mode!" he shouted.

He placed a card down, and the small Dragon of Darkness appeared. (1,500/1,200)

"Koumori Dragon, attack her Imp!" he shouted.

The Dragon breathed forth a blast of flame, and the Imp was incinerated.

And then black flames erupted around Andy! He screamed.

His Life Points fell to 7,500.

"What happened?" he asked.

Poison pointed to the Trap Card she had just activated.

"Perhaps you remember my Zorc's Revenge card?" she chuckled. "It will cost you 500 Life Points whenever you destroy one of my Fiends!

"And by the way, my facedown Monster is a Fiend too…"

Andy looked at her for a second.

"I don't care…" he snarled. "Cave Dragon, attack her facedown Monster!"

Cave Dragon belched forth its breath weapon…

A strange-looking Fiend with a lanky body and studded belts all over its body appeared on the card…

"Newdoria!" gasped Andy.

The Fiend was destroyed, and black flames engulfed him again! He cringed, and his Life Points fell to 7,000.

"Yep, Newdoria," chuckled Poison. "And when it's sent to the Graveyard, I can destroy any Monster I choose – and I choose your Cave Dragon!"

Cave Dragon burst into pixels!

"Make your move…" sneered Andy.

"Gotcha…" chuckled Poison. "I'll only draw one card this time…"

She made a draw.

"…and now I'll summon a beast called Dark Jeroid!"

She put the card down, and a hideous Fiend appeared. It had a body shaped like an inverted pear with slimy blue skin, and ten clawed limbs. Its sunken face was on the bottom part of its torso. (1,200/1,500)

"When I summon this adorable creature, one Monster on the field loses 800 Attack Points," chuckled Poison, "so now your Koumori Dragon is much easier to handle!"

Koumori Dragon's Attack fell to 700.

"Dark Jeroid, attack his Dragon!" shouted Poison.

Dark Jeroid blasted a foul gout from its mouth, and Koumori Dragon was liquefied!

Andy's Life Points fell to 6,500.

"Don't worry, Andy," urged Koops. "That thing might look scary, but it only has 1,200 Attack Points!"

"Yeah," answered Andy. "But every time I destroy one of her Fiends, I'll lose a hunk of Life Points… Damn, if only I hadn't lost Heavy Storm!

"By the way, how much has your you-know-what stored so far?"

"2,700 Life Points worth," answered Koops.

"Well, that's good…" replied Andy.

"Are you gonna move or what?" asked Poison. "And what does your Deckmaster do, anyway? If you ask me, it looks kinda scared!"

"He's always scared," replied Andy, making a draw. "But I'll reveal his ability when the time is right. In the meantime…"

He put a card down.

"I'll summon Divine Dragon Ragnarok in Attack Mode!"

The gaseous Dragon appeared in a flash of light. (1,500/1,000)

"Attack her Dark Jeroid!" shouted Andy.

Ragnarok shot forth a beam of light and incinerated the Fiend.

Poison's Life Points fell to 6,300, but the dark flames covered Andy again, bringing his Life Points down to 6,000.

He groaned.

_Divine Dragon Ragnarok…_ thought Poison. _And he has Lord of Dragons in his hand too… Soon I'll have my revenge…_

"It's time, Andy…" she said, drawing a card.

"I'll remove Hiro's Shadow Scout, Newdoria, and Feral Imp from play…"

She put a card down.

"To summon _this_!"

A black shadowy form fell over the cage, and the spooky form of Dark Necrofear arose! (2,200/2,800)

"Super…" muttered Andy.

"…but I'm not ready to attack just now…" sighed Poison. "I'll place two more cards facedown, and that will end my turn."

She fit two cards into slots, and they appeared.

Andy was surprised.

"She could have done a lot of damage if she had attacked Ragnarok…" he whispered. "What is she up to?"

"Be careful Andy…" muttered Koops again.

"What is Poison doing?" exclaimed Francesca. "Andy can use Ragnarok to summon King Dragun, and that guy is immune to Necrofear's effect!"

Stan paused.

"Poison is either stupid," he said, "or she's leading him into something…"

Andy drew one card.

"All right, Poison, get ready!" he shouted.

He fit a card into a slot.

"I play Polymerization, to fuse Ragnarok with Lord of Dragons!"

Lord of Dragons appeared on the field, and the two Monsters were swept into a vortex!

"You know what's coming next…" he chuckled. "Here comes your old friend… King Dragun!"

The fierce form of King Dragun stepped out of the vortex and roared! (2,400/1,000)

"And now," said Andy, taking another card from his hand, "I'll enact King Dragun's other effect!"

"Other effect?" gasped Poison.

"Yes!" laughed Andy. "Once per turn, I can use him to Special Summon any Dragon from my hand! So meet one of the newest members of my team – a four-star Dragon so powerful that he can _only_ be Special Summoned… _Rare Metal Dragon_!"

A huge dragon with no wings that seemed to be made of steel-like metal appeared next to King Dragun (2,400/1,200)

Poison's eyes opened wide.

"And you might be interested in knowing, Poison," added Andy, "that not only is King Dragun immune to effects that target, so are all Dragons that fight alongside him! And while King Dragun can't attack this round, my Rare Metal Dragon can destroy your Dark Necrofear without worrying about its effect!"

"YES!" yelled Francesca. "Clean her clock, Andy!"

"Rare Metal Dragon, attack her Dark Necrofear!" shouted Andy.

"I activate Shores of the Styx!" shouted Poison.

A Trap Card on her side lifted, and a cackling was heard. A ghostly ferryman on a wooden skiff appeared.

Rare Metal Dragon stopped.

"Huh?" asked Andy. "Why didn't it attack?"

"Thanks to my Trap Card, it couldn't hear you!" laughed Poison. "The waters of the River Styx dull and cloud the mind!"

"What?" asked Andy.

"What it means is," explained Poison, "my Shores of the Styx Trap can only be activated when I have a Fiend on the field, and when I activate it, no Monster can do anything for the rest of the round!"

"Then it's your move," growled Andy.

Poison made one draw.

"I'll play Pot of Greed!" she laughed, playing the card.

The Pot handed her two cards.

"Now I'll play Rush Recklessly!" she shouted, playing a card. "This will increase Dark Necrofear's Attack to 2,900 for one attack!"

Andy gasped!

_King Dragon…_ he thought.

Poison pointed to Rare Metal Dragon.

"There's your target, Dark Necrofear!" she ordered. "Attack with doom gaze!"

Dark Necrofear's eyes widened, and she blasted a ray that blew Rare Metal Dragon to pieces!

Andy's Life Points fell to 5,500.

"WHAT?" shouted Andy, shocked. "Why didn't you destroy King Dragun when you had the chance?"

"I've got something else in mind for him!" laughed Poison, taking a card from her hand.

She put a Monster Card down on her Disk.

"I now summon Claw Reacher…"

A Fiend in armor with very long, metallic arms, and big claws appeared. (1,000/800)

"Now," she said, taking another card. "I know your King Dragun is immune to card effects that target, but this card doesn't target! I play Creature Swap!"

She placed a card in a slot and Andy looked on with horror...

"Now we both have to choose a Monster to trade with each other…" laughed Poison. "I choose my Claw Reacher, but you have only one Monster to choose from…"

Claw Reacher and King Dragun switched places, as Poison laughed.

"I've been planning this since that painful direct attack he gave me!" laughed Poison. "I've wanted so much to use this Monster against you – and now that I've made it my slave, I will!"

"That dirty…" muttered Stan.

"…bitch…" snarled Francesca.

"Is that your turn?" sneered Andy.

"Oh no…" chuckled Poison. "I have one more card to play…"

Her last facedown card lifted. It was a Trap showing a picture of Injection Fairy Lily, Giant Soldier of Stone, and Gyaku-Gire Panda falling from a great height to their doom.

"I activate Weed Out!" she declared. "For the bargain price of just 500 Life Points…"

Her Life Points fell to 5,800.

"…this Trap destroys all three-star Monsters on the field, and I'm afraid that's just what Claw Reacher is!"

Claw Reacher shattered…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Well!" chuckled Grodus, "Our assassin seems to have gotten the better of young Andy!"

The Shadow Queen frowned…

"Uh, I thought you'd be happy…" he muttered.

"Andy is using one of his Companions as a Deckmaster…" muttered the Queen. "Just like Stan did against Crump. I don't like it…"

"What's not to like?" laughed Grodus. "Poison has two powerful Monsters right now, and Andy has nothing!"

"And Andy hasn't even used his Deckmaster's ability yet!" sneered the Queen. "I have no idea what Koops can do! I hate things that I don't know about!"

She sighed.

"I admit it… I'm a control freak…"

She searched her mind, trying hard to remember what powers she had seen the scaredy-cat Koopa utilize with the Three Heroes after he had joined them on their quest one-thousand years ago…

It was harder than she thought. She never gave the Companions much thought, thinking them no more than henchmen.

It was a sorry case for the Queen. The Companions weren't henchmen, or even sidekicks – they were _partners_. The Heroes had never treated them as inferior. And they never would have defeated the Queen without their help.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Andy drew one card.

"I summon The Dragon Dwelling in the Cave in Defense Mode!" he exclaimed.

He put the card down, and the sleepy, rocky Dragon appeared. (1,300/2,000)

"Okay, Koops," he whispered. "This had better work…"

"It'll work…" gulped Koops. "I'm pretty sure it will…"

"You're _pretty_ sure?" replied Andy. "Maybe _you'd_ rather be up here!"

He sighed.

He waved his hand to signal the end of his turn.

"It's pointless, Andy!" laughed Poison, drawing a card. "Dark Necrofear, destroy his Dragon!"

Dark Necrofear shot forth her doom gaze, blowing the Dragon to pieces! Andy shielded himself.

"I've waited a long time for this!" laughed Poison. "King Dragun! Attack your former master directly! Divine wrath!"

King Dragun looked at Andy sadly…

He shot forth a blast of black flame…

"ANDY!" screamed Francesca.

…and then Koops produced a HUGE turtle shell and threw it over Andy! The blast hit the Shell, cracking it, but Andy's Life Points were untouched.

"WHAT?" yelled Poison. "What happened?"

The Shell lifted, and Andy emerged.

"Now you know what my Deckmaster can do, Poison!" he chuckled. "He has a handy thing called a Shell Shield!

"Here's how it works – every time one of my Monsters is destroyed, the Shell Shield gains Life Points equal to one half of the destroyed Monster's Attack Points! And if you want to hurt me with a direct attack, you have to destroy the Shell Shield first!

"When you struck, it had stored 4,550 Life Points, and you only managed to knock off 2,400 of them, leaving my own Life Points unharmed!"

Poison seethed.

"Make your move…" she hissed.

Andy drew.

"I was inspired to add this card to my deck by a guy named Gerald Laxina!" he laughed. "It's called Spell Sanctuary!"

He played the card, and it appeared on his side.

"Now we can both add any one Magic Card of our choice from our decks to our hand!"

"Why would you let me get any Magic Card I wanted?" asked Poison, taking her deck.

"I like to live dangerously," answered Andy, taking his.

He chose a card, and then reshuffled.

Poison chose one, and reshuffled herself.

"Andy is taking a big risk," gulped Stan. "Some Magic Cards can be quite powerful…"

"Yeah…" muttered Francesca. "But Andy will get to use his first…"

"Now," said Andy, placing his Deck back in his tray, "I'll use this card… Snatch Steal!"

"HA, HA, HA, HA!" laughed Poison. "Have you forgotten the effect of your own Monster? It can't be affected by cards that target!"

Andy grinned at her, and played the card. The wily bandit appeared.

"Wait…" gasped Poison. "You're going after Dark Necrofear!"

"That's right…" replied Andy, as the bandit appeared. "King Dragun's powers protect Dragons that fight alongside him, but _not_ Fiends!"

The bandit grabbed Dark Necrofear and dragged it over to Andy's side.

"Now, just like last time, I'll sacrifice your Dark Necrofear to summon one of my Monsters!" shouted Andy.

Dark Necrofear vanished as Andy placed a card down.

Luster Dragon #2 appeared! (2,400/1,400)

Poison chuckled.

"A fat lot of good _that_ will do you!" she laughed. "Its Attack is equal to King Dragun's!"

"Oh really?" replied Andy holding up another card. "Remember how I took down your Dark Ruler?"

He showed her the card.

"Your Scorching Ruin card?" gasped Poison.

"That's right…" said Andy, sadly, as he played the card. "King Dragun, I'm so sorry…"

King Dragun looked at him, and nodded.

Luster Dragon's Attack shot up to 3,400.

"Luster Dragon, put him out of his misery! Emerald flash blast!"

Luster Dragon shot forth his green stream of energy, and King Dragon was destroyed!

Poison's Life Points fell to 4,800.

"Aw, I feel like I just shot my best horse…" mumbled Andy.

Koops put his arm on his shoulder.

"Don't feel too bad, Andy…" he urged. "Poison just lost 1,000 Life Points, and King Dragun will be glad to know that since he went to your Graveyard, he just added 1,200 Life Points to my Shell Shield, so he managed to help you damage Poison and protect you at the same time."

"Yes…" sighed Andy.

"Make your move…" he muttered.

"Then I'll use my own Deckmaster again!" cursed Poison, angrily.

She drew two cards…

…and then she discarded one.

"Now I'll play Card of Sanctity!" she shouted.

A bright blue flash lit up the top of the cage.

"Fine!" answered Andy. "I could use more cards!"

They both drew until they had six.

_Perfect,_ thought Poison_. The perfect combo…_

"I'll place two cards facedown on the field…" she said, placing two cards into slots.

Two cards materialized.

"And now I'll summon one Monster in Defense Mode!"

A hidden Monster appeared.

"And don't forget about my Zorc's Revenge Trap!" she laughed.

"I really don't care!" shouted Andy, making a draw. "I have Life Points to spare!"

"Luster Dragon, attack her facedown Monster!"

Poison laughed as Luster Dragon shot forth its breath weapon.

"Reveal… Waboku!" she shouted.

Her Trap lifted, and the three robed priests appeared.

"And I've done more than block your attack…" chuckled Poison. "Since the attack still happened, you activated my Monster's flip-effect!"

A little Monster appeared on the card. It looked like a brain, with wings, claws, and an eye on a short tentacle. (200/900)

"What?" said Andy, puzzled.

"It's a Fiend called a Brain Jacker!" laughed Poison. "Brain Jacker, jack Luster Dragon's brain!"

The Brain Jacker flew over and latched its claws onto Luster Dragon's head! It roared, and then its eyes glazed over.

"WHAT'S HAPPENING?" shouted Andy.

"When Brain Jacker is flipped, it becomes an Equip Card that Equips to the Monster of my choice," laughed Poison, "and now your Luster Dragon, like King Dragun, is my slave for as long as it remains!"

Luster Dragon flew over to Poison's side.

"POISON!" shouted Andy. "You're nothing but a thief!"

"I may be a thief…" chuckled Poison, "but I'm a _great_ thief!"

"By the way…" she added. "For as long as Brain Jacker remains Equipped, you'll gain 500 Life Points during each of your turns…

"Or will you?"

She activated her other facedown card.

"I activate Bad Reaction to Simochi!" she shouted.

"Meaning I'll lose Life Points instead of gaining them…" groaned Andy.

"Exactly!" chuckled Poison.

Andy put a card down.

"I'll end my turn by summoning Masked Dragon in Defense Mode…"

The red, metallic Dragon appeared. (1,400/1,100)

Poison made one draw…

"Now I'll summon Headless Knight, in Defense Mode!" she shouted.

She threw the card down, and the phantom knight in armor with no head appeared, covering itself with its shield. (1,450/1,700)

"Go, my slave!" she shouted. "Attack his Masked Dragon!"

Luster Dragon tried to resist, but it couldn't help itself. It blasted forth its breath, destroying the Masked Dragon.

"Clever, Poison," chuckled Andy, "but you're forgetting, when Masked Dragon is destroyed, I can summon another one!"

He took out another card, and another Masked Dragon appeared.

_At this rate, I'll never get at his Life Points!_ thought Poison in frustration.

"My move now…" said Andy.

He drew, and the Simochi card glowed. His Life Points went down to 5,000.

_That's just what I needed,_ he thought, looking at the Magic Card.

He added it to his hand. Then he chose another card.

"I sacrifice my Masked Dragon to summon Des Volstgalph!" he shouted.

Masked Dragon vanished, and the mighty sand Dragon appeared with a roar! (2,200/1,700)

"HA!" laughed Poison. "You already used up your Scorching Ruin! You'll never destroy Luster Dragon with that thing!"

"I'm not going to destroy it…" said Andy with a smirk. "I'm going to_save_ it!"

He placed a card into a slot.

"I play A Wingbeat of Giant Dragon!" he shouted.

"Huh? What does that do?" stammered Poison.

"First I have to return a Dragon with five stars or more to my hand," explained Andy. "Des Volstgalph, return!"

Des Volstgalph vanished, and then a huge dragon made of flames with huge wings appeared!

"And now, every Magic and Trap Card on the field is destroyed!" he continued. "That includes Monsters who have become Equip Cards!"

The flaming dragon flapped its wings… First, Spell Sanctuary shattered. Then the Zorc's Revenge and Bad Reaction To Simochi cards disintegrated. Finally, the Brain Jacker on Luster Dragon's skull exploded!

Luster Dragon roared!

"He's free!" yelled Andy.

Luster Dragon leapt back to Andy's side.

"Luster Dragon!" shouted Andy, "destroy her Headless Knight!"

Luster Dragon blasted forth his mighty breath, and Headless Knight was blasted into nothing!

"All right!" shouted Stan.

"WHOO, WHOO, WHOO!" cheered Francesca.

"All right Andy…" muttered Poison, "it's my move now… And I'll use my Deckmaster ability again…"

She drew two cards.

She smiled, and discarded one…

And then Luster Dragon's Attack Score fell to 1,900!

"What?" gasped Andy. "What happened?"

"I discarded a very useful Fiend called Archfiend of Gilfer," answered Poison. "When it's sent to the Card Graveyard in any way, one Monster on the field loses 500 Attack Points!"

"Now, I'll remove Claw Reacher, Brain Jacker, and Headless Knight from play, and summon another Dark Necrofear!"

She put a card down, and another Dark Necrofear arose! (2,200/2,800)

"ATTACK!" shouted Poison.

Dark Necrofear blasted her lethal gaze, destroying Luster Dragon.

Andy's Life Points fell to 4,700.

"It's your move…" snickered Poison.

Andy made a draw.

He sighed.

"I'll place a Monster in Defense Mode…" he said.

A facedown Monster appeared.

"That all?" chuckled Poison.

Andy nodded.

"Then I'll use my Deckmaster ability again…" she continued.

She drew two cards and discarded one.

"And now I'll play Graceful Charity!"

She played the card, and the angel flew out with three cards.

Poison smirked, and quickly handed her two.

"Well," she chuckled, taking another card, "I have my _third_ Dark Necrofear here!"

_No…_ thought Andy.

"I think I'll remove three _more_ Fiends from play to summon it too!" laughed Poison.

She placed the card down, and a second Dark Necrofear appeared next to the other! (2,200/2,800)

"Oh for the love of…" muttered Stan. "I've _never_ heard of anyone having to face two Dark Necrofears at the same time!"

"You!" shouted Poison to the first, "attack his facedown Monster!"

The first Dark Necrofear attacked, and Grey Wing appeared. It was blasted to pieces.

"Now my second one, attack him directly!"

The second Dark Necrofear fired!

Then Koops threw the Shell Shield over Andy, and the blast hit it! Cracks appeared on the huge shell.

Andy peeked out of the Shell.

"Koops," he whispered. "How many more Life Points does this thing have?"

"Given what I just got from Grey Wing, 2,300," answered Koops.

"Then this next draw better be something that I can defend with…" muttered Andy.

He drew.

_Crud…_ he thought.

"I'll place one card facedown, and end my turn…" he sighed.

A facedown card appeared in front of him.

"No!" gasped Francesca. "Andy has no Monsters to protect him!"

"He still has Koops's Shield," answered Stan. "Let's hope it's enough…"

Poison chuckled as she drew.

"I'm not fooled by your bluff," she said with a smirk. "Both of you, attack directly!"

The first Dark Necrofear fired, and the Shell Shield covered Andy again…

…and this time a very _large_crack appeared in it.

Then the second one shot its lethal beam, and the Shield was blown to bits! Andy screamed and was thrown backwards! He crashed against the cage wall.

That _did _hurt.

His Life Points fell 2,100 points, to 2,600.

"So much for your shield…" chuckled Poison.

"Andy, she's right!" gasped Koops. "She destroyed it! I can't use it again!"

"Don't worry Koops," answered Andy, getting up. "We'll find another way…"

"It's my move, Poison!" he snarled, drawing.

He looked at the card.

"Since you weren't fooled by my bluff, I'll use my facedown card…" he said. "Reload!"

The Magic Card lifted, and an ancient shotgun appeared in the air.

Andy's deck floated out of his tray, and it combined with the four cards in his hand. The cards all flew around him in a chaotic pattern… and then reassembled themselves back into a deck.

Then, a new hand of four cards flew off of the deck.

Andy looked at them.

"Next, I'll play Pot of Greed!" he shouted.

He played the card, and the Pot handed him two more cards, bringing the total in his hand up to five.

_This just might work…_ he thought.

"Now I'll play… Fusion Recovery!" he exclaimed. "This lets me retrieve one Polymerization card and one fusion material Monster from my Graveyard!"

Two cards slipped out of his discard slot.

"And the Monster I chose is… Rare Metal Dragon!"

"Wait!" shouted Poison. "That Monster isn't part of a fusion!"

"I beg to differ!" laughed Andy. "This Dragon is part of a little-known Fusion Monster, which is the one I'm about to summon right now!"

He plugged his Polymerization card into his Disk.

"I'm fusing Rare Metal Dragon with my favorite Warrior – Warrior Dai Grepher!"

Grepher appeared on the field, followed by the silvery Dragon. The familiar portal opened, and they were drawn through it.

"Wow, Warrior Dai Grepher sure gets around…" exclaimed Francesca.

"But what does this Fusion create?" asked Stan.

A tall Warrior walked out of the vortex. He was a tough, brave looking man with blonde hair, dressed in beautiful, sliver, metal armor that had a definite draconic theme and a futuristic look. He was armed with two long daggers.

"Meet**Metal Dragoon**!" exclaimed Andy.

(2,350/2,350)

Poison sneered.

"Now I'll play one card facedown, and that will end my turn…" said Andy.

He fit a card into a slot, and it appeared.

Poison drew. She chuckled.

"The end is near, Andy!" she laughed. "I'll Equip one of my Necrofears with Dark Energy!"

She played a card. A hand holding a dark orb appeared, and it was hurled at one of the two Fiends. Its Attack Score went up to 2,500.

"No!" screamed Francesca. "Andy's Monster is a sitting duck!"

"And so are you, Andy!" laughed Poison. "Once your Dragoon is destroyed, my other Fiend will go right for you, bring you down to…"

She paused.

"…250 Life Points!

"Dark Necrofear, attack Metal Dragoon with doom gaze!"

The powered-up Necrofear fixed its gaze on Metal Dragoon… it fired its lethal ray…

There was a huge explosion…

But when the smoke cleared, Metal Dragoon was still standing! His armor was a little cracked, but he hadn't been destroyed.

"WHAT? HOW?" stammered Poison. "My Fiend was stronger!"

Andy's Life Points fell a little, to 2,450.

"Obviously you have no idea of Metal Dragoon's special ability," he chuckled. "His ultra-strong dragon-hide armor can protect him from two lethal blows! In order to destroy him, you have to successfully attack him _three_ times!"

Poison thought for a minute.

_By the time I manage to do that, he might have found a way to get rid of my Necrofears…_ she thought. _Time for plan-B…_

She pointed to the other Dark Necrofear.

"You!" she shouted. "You attack him!"

Francesca gasped.

"A Dark Necrofear kamikaze strike!" she gulped.

The Dark Necrofear's eyes glowed. Metal Dragoon's two daggers glowed with green energy, and they formed into huge, kopesh-style swords! He leapt and struck down the Fiend!

Poison cackled as her Life Points fell to 4,650.

"And now," she laughed, "I'll take possession of _another_ of your Monsters!"

The ghost of Dark Necrofear flew into Metal Dragoon! He gasped…

He started to float to Poison's side…

"Not this time, Poison!" shouted Andy. "I activate my Trap! Go, Dust Tornado!"

His Trap Card lifted, and a furious wind whipped around the field.

"I know that when Dark Necrofear is destroyed, it becomes an Equip Card," said Andy with a smirk, "so this Trap lets me free my Monster from its grasp!"

When the winds stopped, Metal Dragoon was back on Andy's side.

Poison was too startled to speak.

"All right!" shouted Francesca. "All you need to do now is take down one more, Andy!"

"It's my move, now, Poison," said Andy.

He made a draw.

_Good,_ he thought.

"I'll place one card facedown…" he stated, "and then I'll summon this Monster in Defense Mode… meet Mirage Dragon!"

He played a card, and a facedown card appeared. Then he played a Monster card, and a hazy, blurry dragon that seemed to be made of light appeared (1,600/600)

"That will end my turn…" he stated.

Poison drew.

She giggled.

"Now I play…" she started.

She paused.

"Uh check that…" she stammered. "Is your Metal Dragoon a Monster of Earth, like Grepher, or a Monster of Darkness, like Rare Metal Dragon?"

"Earth, why?" asked Andy.

"That's all I needed to know!" laughed Poison.

She fit a card into a slot.

"I play Negative Energy!" she shouted. "This doubles the Attack of all Dark Monsters on the field!"

Dark Necrofear's Attack shot up to 5,000!

"You thought I didn't see that you still took Battle Damage when I attacked Metal Dragoon the first time, did you?" laughed Poison. "Well when I attack him this time, he may not be destroyed, but you'll lose 2,650 Life Points and the duel!

"Dark Necrofear…"

"Activate Threatening Roar!" shouted Andy.

The great beast appeared behind him and roared! Dark Necrofear cringed…

Poison was beside herself in frustration. She had been cheated out of victory yet again.

"Make your move…" she dared.

"Fine!" shouted Andy, drawing.

_Perfect,_ he thought, looking at the very common Magic Card. _That was just what I needed…_

"I sacrifice Metal Dragoon and Mirage Dragon to summon my mighty Tyrant Dragon!" he shouted.

The Warrior and the Dragon shattered, and the huge Dragon of Fire arose! (2,900/2,500)

"Now I play a very special card!" continued Andy, throwing a card into a slot. "Power Lift!"

Tyrant Dragon bellowed.

"This lets me add my beast's Defense Score to its Attack Score, for a total of 5,400, enough to take down even your Dark Necrofear!"

_What?_ thought Poison. _He'd be stupid to…_

"Tyrant Dragon…" shouted Andy, "attack with imperial inferno!"

Tyrant Dragon blasted forth a stream of fire, and Dark Necrofear was blown to bits!

Poison's Life Points fell to 4,250, but she was cackling like a madwoman.

"That was the stupidest thing I've ever seen!" she laughed.

Dark Necrofear's ghost flew into Tyrant Dragon, and it howled. It floated over to Poison's side.

"Only an idiot would let me have control of a Monster this powerful, you fool!" she laughed.

"Don't get too attached Poison," said Andy, smugly. "You may have my superpowered Tyrant Dragon, but you won't be keeping it long enough to use it…"

"Huh? Why?" asked Poison.

"Because of Power Lift's side effect," answered Andy. "It's powerful, but whatever Monster I use it on is sent to the Graveyard at the end of the turn I use it.

"As soon as I end my turn, that powerful Dragon will be destroyed, leaving you with nothing…

"But first…"

He took a card from his hand.

"…I'll play Monster Reborn, to bring Metal Dragoon back."

He played the Magic Card. The holy ankh appeared, and Metal Dragoon appeared on it. (2,350/2,350)

"Okay, Poison…" said Andy, stabbing his thumb down, "I'm ending my turn _now_."

Tyrant Dragon burst into pixels!

Now Poison was truly frightened…

"I'll…" she said. "I'll use my Deckmaster ability again…"

She drew two cards.

She gulped as she looked at them.

"Disappointed, Poison?" asked Andy.

She discarded one.

"I'll put a Monster in Defense Mode…" she stated, placing a card down.

A hidden Monster appeared.

"Now it's my move…" stated Andy.

He made a draw.

"And it's my old, reliable, Luster Dragon #1!" he stated, placing the card down.

The large Dragon made of sapphire appeared. (1,900/1,600)

"Luster Dragon, attack her facedown Monster!" shouted Andy.

Luster Dragon shot forth its brilliant blue breath, and The Portrait's Secret was eradicated.

"Metal Dragoon, attack her directly with silver dragon swords!"

Metal Dragoon's daggers grew into their kopesh forms, and he charged! Poison screamed as he made two slashes, throwing her against the side of the cage!

Her Life Points fell to 1,900.

"This isn't over!" she cursed, getting up.

"I'm afraid it is…" said Andy, calmly.

He fit his last card into a slot.

"Because now I play my Quickplay Magic Card… the mighty De-Fusion!"

Metal Dragoon glowed…

"This splits my Fusion Monster into the two Monsters I used to summon him!"

Metal Dragoon divided into two orbs of light, and they formed into Warrior Dai Grepher (1,700/1,600), and Rare Metal Dragon (2,400/1,200).

"Rare Metal Dragon…" shouted Andy, "attack directly with flash flare blast!"

Rare Metal Dragon roared, and shot forth a beam of pure energy from its mouth, striking Poison and knocking her over!

Her Life Points were depleted.

"No…" she moaned, as the cage lowered, "it can't end like this…"

"I'm afraid it has…" said Andy, as the cage vanished. "And remember your side of the bargain."

The dark portal opened, and Poison was sucked through it…

And Andy noticed a second door had appeared leading out of the derelict arena…

"Thanks, Koops," he said, turning to his Deckmaster. "Without that Shell Shield, she'd have beaten me long before I had beaten her…"

"Any time, Andy," chuckled Koops. "But remember, I'm not the only one with powerful abilities. Trust all the Monsters in your deck – they can help you immensely."

He vanished.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"I don't know what I can say to you, Poison," sighed the Shadow Queen. "I give you all the help I can, but you still manage to blow it…"

"I couldn't help it!" begged Poison. "His Deckmaster was too strong! I simply couldn't get a direct attack in! He completely ruined my strategy! No one can win a duel by destroying Monsters alone!"

"Well, maybe you should have concentrated less on stealing his Monsters out of some stupid thoughts of revenge, and concentrated on summoning powerful ones of your own!" scolded the Queen.

She flicked her Disk into place.

"NO!" pleaded Poison. "Not that! Please!"

"Save it," scowled the Queen. "What makes you think I would punish Jackson and spare you?"

She fit a card into a slot. The Grave Arm burst through the floor and grabbed Poison! She screamed and was dragged under.

"Grodus…" sighed the Queen. "We must prepare for tomorrow…"

She held aloft another Magic Card…

…it was Monster Reborn.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The three teens entered the door, and went into a small series of rooms. It was like a small group of hotel rooms. Two comfy looking beds had been set up in one room, and a door led to another bedroom, presumably for Francesca. A bathroom with a shower was accessed by a door in the far wall.

They smelled cooked chicken, and saw a door leading to a kitchenette. That was the first thing they went to.

Inside they saw a stove and a refrigerator. Stan opened the stove and saw baked chicken quarters – they were still hot and smelled delicious!

Francesca opened the refrigerator.

"WOW!" she said, picking something up. "It's almost impossible to find this kind of cheese!"

"I've got to say one thing for the Shadow Queen," chuckled Andy, taking a carton of milk, "for a wicked witch who wants to kill us, she keeps her promises…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The Queen watched as her victims helped themselves, and then she shut off her viewing globe.

"Careful," she sneered. "You know if you eat too much you'll have nightmares and wake up cranky…"

She sighed.

"I'm hungry myself, so me and my own blood had best get dinner…

"Because tomorrow, the true terror starts…"

**0**

**0**

**0**

**SHORES OF THE STYX (Trap Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Trap  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description: **Image of a fiendish, cloaked ferryman, piloting a skiff down a dark river. You can only activate this card when you have a FIEND-Type Monster on your side of the field. During the round you activate this card, all Monsters on the field cannot attack or activate their effects.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**METAL DRAGOON (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Warrior/Fusion/Effect  
**Attribute: **Earth  
**Level: **7  
**ATK: **2,350  
**DEF: **2,350

**Card Description: **_Rare Metal Dragon plus Warrior Dai Grepher_

This fighter wears armor forged from the impenetrable hides of the strongest dragons, making him nearly indestructible. When this Monster is summoned by Fusion Summon, put two counters on this card. If this Monster battles a Monster in Attack Mode that has equal or higher ATK while at least one counter remains, this Monster is not destroyed (battle damage still applies) and one counter is removed. If this Monster battles a Monster with equal or higher ATK without a counter, it is destroyed normally.

**0**

**0**

**0**

"**The Bistro Butcher":** Fiend/Dark, Level 4, (1,800/1,000)

Deckmaster SA: "Butcher's Cut": During your Draw Phase, you may draw one extra card. If you choose to do so, you must then discard one card from your hand. Discarding a card in this manner is a cost.

**0**

**0**

**0**

"**Koops the Bashful":** Reptile/Water, Level 4, (1,800/500)

Deckmaster SA: "Shell Shield": When your Monsters are destroyed and sent to the Graveyard, divide their ATK Scores in half and add them into one lump sum. All damage inflicted by direct attacks is first deducted from this sum and from your Life Points when it reaches zero. The sum can increase as more of your Monsters are destroyed. (If a direct attack is made that exceeds the sum, deduct the difference from your Life Points.) If you take Life Point damage from a direct attack after the sum reaches zero, you can no longer use this ability.

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**Coming up next:**_

_**We turn back the clock a few hours, and give Stan, Andy, and Francesca a break to see how another of the finalists is doing.**_

**_Wanda Underwood wanders into a sylvan nightmare, where she must duel for her life against a terrifying foe. It all happens in a chapter called "The Greenhouse Effect", coming soon._**


	40. The Greenhouse Effect

_**My name is Wanda Underwood…**_

_**I try to keep my last name a secret, so no one will connect me with my brother, Weevil Underwood. I hate to say this, but I despise my brother, the lousy cheater. **_

_**Ever since I started dueling, I had a goal – to become an even greater Insect Duelist than he ever could be. **_

_**And it seems now I have achieved that goal. In Duelist Kingdom, he didn't last one duel. In Battle City, he was eliminated on his second.**_

_**But I'm in the Monster Island Tournament, and I've gained access to the Thousand Year Door as one of the finalists!**_

_**It would be great…**_

_**But this creepy place might be more than I bargained for…**_

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**The Greenhouse Effect**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

Shortly after Stan's duel with Diana, Wanda Underwood was wandering down a hallway in the Palace of Shadow…

And despite the creepy surroundings, she was on Cloud Nine.

She had done what her brother couldn't come close to doing – gotten to the finals of a major tournament.

She dug into her pocket and pulled out an item:

The Emerald Star!

She still remembered the great battle that had won her this gem, which she had fought shortly after winning her seventh card. A strange Interdimensional Matter Transporter had taken her to Poshley Heights.

There, she had met with Pennington. Once he saw that she had seven Cards, there wasn't much to say. He led her to a strange building called Poshley Sanctum and unlocked the door; with one "good luck," he let her in.

Wanda wandered around the creepy Sanctum for a while before intuition led her to a secret shrine. There she was challenged by a monstrous phantasm that called himself King Boo!

And it was during the duel that Wanda found a flaw in her strategy… Her DNA Surgery could change the Type of all Monsters on the field to Insects… But her foe's Spirit Monsters remained Spirits no matter what Type they were.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Wanda was in big trouble at the moment. Her Life Points stood at 2900, her Insect Barrier had long been destroyed, and her first Insect Knight had just been destroyed by her opponent's Susa Soldier. King Boo's Life Points just went up to 4,000 thanks to his Spring of Rebirth, and he also had one Monster facedown and a facedown card. All Wanda had on her side right now was her DNA Surgery.

"Give it up, bug girl!" laughed King Boo in with a throaty laugh. "My Spirits are invincible, and they're going to just keep on coming!"

"This duel isn't over so long as I have one Life Point left!" cursed Wanda.

She drew one card.

She placed a card on her Disk.

"I summon Neo Bug!" she shouted.

The bizarre combination of wasp and scorpion with a blue exoskeleton appeared. (1,800/1,700)

"Attack his facedown Monster!" she commanded.

Neo Bug flew forward…

A powerful, bearded man awash in flames appeared on the card. (1,500/1,600)

"Activate… Castle Walls!" shouted Boo.

His Trap Card flipped up, and the Monster's Defense increased to 2,100. Neo Bug bounced off, and Wanda's Life Points fell to 2,600.

"That's no Spirit!" gasped Wanda.

"No," chuckled Boo. "It's a Monster called Flame Ruler. So, is that your turn?"

"Yeah, move…" gulped Wanda, dreading what was coming next.

King Boo drew one card and added it to his hand.

"As you probably know," he said, "if I sacrifice Flame Ruler for a Monster of Fire, it counts as two sacrifices. So I'll sacrifice it…"

Flame Ruler vanished as he put a card down.

"And I'll summon the unbeatable _Hino-Kagu-Tsuchi_!"

A huge Monster appeared. It was a giant with a bare chest, wearing a kilt, with flames for hair and strange tattoos covering its body. It gave an evil glare! (2,800/2,900)

"Hino-Kagu-Tsuchi," laughed King Boo, "destroy her Bug with spiritual flames!"

The huge Spirit laughed, and shot forth a stream of fire! Neo Bug was incinerated, and Wanda's Life Points fell to 1,600.

"And that's not all," chuckled Boo. "Since my Spirit King damaged your Life Points, you have to discard the rest of your hand before you make your next draw! And my turn isn't over…"

He played a Magic Card.

"I play Spiritual Energy Settle Machine! This card may force me to discard one card at the end of each of my turns to keep it in play, but it's worth it, because now my Spirits won't return to my hand."

He discarded a card.

"Okay, I'm ending my turn now…"

Wanda sighed and discarded her hand…

She drew one card…

"Poor little Insect Duelist," chuckled Boo. "Nothing to play, and only one attack away from defeat. All you have on your side is your worthless DNA Surgery, and…"

"I play Card of Sanctity!" shouted Wanda.

"Card of Sanctity?" exclaimed Boo. "How could anyone be so lucky?"

They each drew until they had six cards.

"I play Monster Reborn…" said Wanda, playing the card, "to bring back Neo Bug!"

Neo Bug reappeared.

"Big deal!" laughed Boo. "Hino-Kagu-Tsuchi already burnt it to a crisp!"

"Now," continued Wanda, "I play Multiplication of Ants!"

She played the card.

"This card lets me transform this Insect into two Army Ant Tokens and place them in Defense Mode!"

Neo Bug melted into two small ants. (500/1,200 x2)

"Finally, I'll place one Monster facedown in Defense Mode, and end my turn."

She set the card, and the facedown Monster appeared.

Boo made a draw, and hesitated, as if unsure…

_Is that a Man-Eater Bug?_ he thought. _I can't risk a second Monster…_

"Hino-Kagu-Tsuchi, destroy her facedown Monster!" he shouted.

The Spirit struck… And a large grasshopper appeared on the card and was blown away.

"Thank you!" said Wanda with a smile. "Since you just destroyed my Pinch Hopper, I can now summon any Insect from my hand!"

She put a card down.

"So, say hello to Insect Queen!"

The huge, spider-like, monarch of Insects trudged onto the field, and gave a screech! (2,200/2,400)

"This gal gains 200 Attack Points for every Insect on the field!" said Wanda with a grin.

King Boo giggled.

"I see three Insects," he chuckled, "so her Attack is 2,800, the same as Hino-Kagu-Tsuchi!"

"Guess again!" laughed Wanda. "Because of my 'worthless Trap Card', your Spirit is an Insect too. A big, hideous, ugly, flaming Insect, but nonetheless an Insect. So Insect Queen's Attack is 3,000!

"So, you can discard a card and keep it on the field, in which case you'll probably only lose 200 Life Points on my turn, but lose your Monster… Or, you can deactivate your Magic Card, and let it return to your hand, in which case I can attack directly!"

Boo looked at her.

He discarded a card, and waved to end his turn.

Wanda chuckled and drew.

"I summon Sinister Serpent!" she exclaimed.

The small, winged snake appeared.

"And I'll feed it to my Queen!" she continued.

Insect Queen grabbed the Serpent and devoured it.

"Insect Queen, attack with venom blast!"

Insect Queen shot forth a blast of venom, and Hino-Kagu-Tsuchi was no more. King Boo cringed as his Life Points fell to 3,800.

He snarled and made a draw.

He grimaced, as if he had drawn a good card one round too late.

"Monster in Defense Mode…" he growled.

"Is that all?" said Wanda, making a draw.

She giggled.

"Sorry, Boo, but I'm going to use a card that I was inspired to put in my deck by my first duel here… Nobleman of Crossout!"

She played the card, and the armored knight appeared, and stabbed into the card. Otohime appeared, and shattered. King Boo gasped.

"Now I summon… my second Insect Knight!" shouted Wanda.

She put a card down, and the sword wielding mantis warrior appeared. (1,900/1,500)

"Now, I sacrifice one Army Ant so my Queen can attack! Eat, my Queen!"

Insect Queen grabbed hold of the Ant, and devoured it. Her Attack Score was now at 2,800, but that was more than enough.

"Attack!" shouted Wanda.

Insect Queen shot forth her venomous stream, striking King Boo's immense form! He groaned as his Life Points took a dive to 1,000.

"Insect Knight, finish him off with your mandiblade!" yelled Wanda.

Insect Knight flew forward, and struck the huge ghost! King Boo screamed, and then vanished into mist!

A bright green light pervaded the shrine, and the sparkling Emerald Star lowered itself into Wanda's hands… She shivered with excitement…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

That was one day ago, and now Wanda was in the Palace of Shadow. Solving the riddle in the entrance hall wasn't too hard – she was smart for her age.

But she wasn't quite sure what she was supposed to do.

After a while of walking down a hallway, she came to a large set of double doors… and was surprised when they opened for her.

She went inside, and was shocked to see a huge indoor garden! Huge plants were all over the place! Flowers and shrubs the size of trees loomed overhead!

She took in the sheer beauty of the place and started to wander into it…

And then she heard a menacing hissing noise…

She turned around, and was startled to see a huge plant with a pod bearing razor-sharp teeth!

She screamed, and ran, with the carnivorous plant on her heels…

Then she stopped short, as another one loomed right in front of her!

She ran in another direction, panting for breath. A clearing seemed to be up ahead…

She entered it and stopped…

In front of her, was a huge rose, almost eight feet tall.

Then she saw that the monstrous plants were right behind her. She tried to run again…

But four vines sprung out of the ground, and bound her arms and legs!

"No!" she screamed. "Please!"

"Begging for mercy isn't going to help, Wanda…" said a voice from the rose.

The huge plant bent over, and to Wanda surprise, a humanoid form was growing out of the center of the blossom. It was a slender woman with elflike ears and features and blue skin. Her black hair was tied in one long braid, and her eyes glowed yellow. She seemed to be growing from the center of the flower from her waist. She wore no clothing, apparently content to show her bare chest with pride.

"Who…?" gasped Wanda.

"Come now, Wanda," said the creature. "You're a duelist… Certainly you recognize Rose Spectre of Dunn? My friends call me Rose…"

She smirked.

"…and I guess I can call _you_ plant food…"

The two carnivorous plants bore down on Wanda. She struggled with the bonds in fear.

"Why?" she begged.

"Huh?" asked Rose.

She waved her hand, and the plants backed off.

"Why, Wanda?" she stated. "Revenge, that's why. Oh, not against you, personally, but against all duelists who use Insect Monsters. Plant life despises insect life… since the dawn of time, insects have gorged themselves on our leaves and roots, used us as hatcheries, and spread foul diseases that have sickened us. Turnabout is fair play…"

"That isn't always how it is!" protested Wanda. "Bees and other pollen gatherers help flowers reproduce!"

"A worthless side effect," noted Rose. "The wind is enough. Your insects feed on us, so now we're going to feed on you, Wanda…"

"No…" begged Wanda, as the two plants moved in.

"Huh?" said Rose.

She held her head, as if concentrating.

"All right, yes… I understand…"

Just as the two plants were almost on Wanda, Rose held her hand and they backed off.

"Well Wanda, seems you lucked out," said Rose. "The powers in charge have decided to give you one chance to save yourself…"

She waved her arm, and the vine restraints crumbled.

"But your chance is void if you try to run, and you'll never make it out of here alive if you try, understand?"

"What do you mean, a chance?" asked Wanda.

Rose reached into her petals and pulled out a Duel Disk.

"Simple," she stated. "We'll duel. Defeat me, and you won't be eaten. And maybe you'll even get a reward for your trouble."

"Well…" muttered Wanda.

She sighed.

"I guess you aren't giving me a choice…" she said softly.

"You're smart," answered Rose.

"Fine," said Wanda.

She flicked her arm, and her Duel Disk swung into position.

"Don't forget, Wanda," noted Rose. "According to the rules of this Palace, you must first choose a Deckmaster. It can be any Monster you have in your deck…"

Wanda took out her deck and looked though it…

Her eyes fell on Insect Queen.

_I think we have a winner!_ she thought.

She held the card up.

"My Deckmaster is Insect Queen!" she shouted.

The huge Insect sovereign appeared behind her.

_I just wish I knew more about this whole system,_ she thought, _before I had to bet my life on it…_

"So who's yours?" she asked.

"Fool," chuckled Rose. "I'm a Duel Monster myself, Wanda! That means I'm both the duelist AND the Deckmaster! Double the pleasure, double the fun! Now let's duel!"

They both drew five cards, and their Life Point counters rose to 8,000.

Then Wanda heard a voice behind her… A hissing, buzzing voice. She heard it coming from Insect Queen.

"_Fear not Wanda,"_ said the Monster._ "I can easily help you reduce this evil flower to mulch. My Deckmaster ability can be beneficial if used right…"_

"Oh?" whispered Wanda. "How does it work?"

"_If you offer me one Insect Monster on the field,"_ answered the Queen, _"I can raise your Life Points by its Attack Score. But be careful – after I do this, I cannot do it again for three of your turns."_

"Sounds good to me," replied Wanda.

"Since it's only fair," said Rose. "I'll let you go first."

"Okay!" exclaimed Wanda, making a draw.

_Hmm,_ she thought. _4-Starred Ladybug of Doom…_

She placed two cards into her Disk.

"I'll place one card facedown, and a Monster facedown in Defense Mode," she stated.

The two cards appeared, perpendicular to each other.

"Now go ahead and move, you weed," she dared.

Rose hissed, and drew.

"You should know better than to insult someone who can have you devoured, Wanda," she said. "Once I crush you, my pets and I will savor your flesh. But until then…"

She fit a card into a slot.

"...I'll blow away your facedown card with Mystical Space Typhoon!"

The cyclone blew across the field! The DNA Surgery Trap lifted and was blown to bits!

"Good," snarled Rose. "I'll sooner be transplanted in a toxic waste dump than see my Monsters turned into Insects!"

_So much for me using this…_ thought Wanda, looking at the Insect Barrier card in her hand.

Rose took another card from her hand.

"Now I'll summon a great warrior for my cause," she stated, "and his name is… Jelly!"

"Jelly?" replied Wanda, startled.

"Jelly Beans Man, in Attack Mode!" shouted Rose.

She placed the card on her Disk, and a cute looking creature appeared. It had a huge body like a green jellybean with a smiling face, wore a cape, and carried a toy sword and shield. (1,750/0)

"Your Monster looked like he popped out of a toy box!" laughed Wanda.

"Maybe so, but he's not playing around!" answered Rose.

_Come on…_ thought Wanda.

"Attack!" shouted Rose.

Jelly leapt forward and struck at the card, slicing the Ladybug in half!

"HA!" laughed Wanda. "You just destroyed my 4-Starred Ladybug of Doom! When it's flipped, all four-star Monsters on your side of the field die!"

There was a long pause. Rose chuckled.

"Notice that Jelly is still here…" she chuckled.

"What…" muttered Wanda.

"This Monster Card is relatively new, and he's bound to be a hit with those who play Gravity Bind decks," explained Rose. "Although his Attack Score rivals many four-star Monsters, Jelly Beans Man only has three stars, making your Ladybug's effect worthless!

"So it's your move…"

Wanda was upset… She had wasted a good card.

She made a draw.

"Well, well," she said. "I summon my Neo Bug!"

She placed a card down, and the armored, alien-looking Insect appeared. (1,800/1,700)

"Neo Bug, take down her Jelly Beans Man with crush claw!"

Neo Bug flew forward, and grasped the candy soldier, crushing it.

Rose's Life Points slipped to 7,950.

"Figures," chuckled Wanda. "Insects are attracted to sugar."

Rose growled.

"It's my move…" she said, making a draw.

She put a card down.

"So I'll summon Man Eater in Defense Mode."

An ugly plant rose up. It was a flower with red petals, vine-like tentacles, eyes, and a gaping maw. (800/600)

"That's all for my turn," she said.

Wanda made a draw.

_Hey, this will work…_ she thought.

"I summon Skull-Mark Ladybug!" she exclaimed, putting a card down.

The large beetle with a skull and crossbones on its back appeared on the field. (500/1,500)

"Now I'll use my Deckmaster ability," said Wanda, "and sacrifice my Ladybug to her!"

Insect Queen reached forward, drooling in anticipation, and grabbed the Skull-Mark Ladybug. She slowly chewed the Insect, working it into her jowls…

"That grants me 500 Life Points," noted Wanda. "And since doing that sent Skull-Mark Ladybug to the Graveyard, I gain an additional 1,000 Life Points!"

Her Life Points went up to 9,500.

Insect Queen wiped her mouth.

"_You're smart, Wanda,"_ she said. _"If you had a thorax and wings, you'd be perfect…"_

Wanda grinned.

"Neo Bug, destroy her Man Eater!"

Neo Bug flew forward, and made short work of the Plant.

"You must think you're clever," snarled Rose. "Well, I can be clever too…"

She drew a card.

_Heh, that was just what I needed,_ she thought.

She placed a card on her Disk.

"I summon Griggle, in Attack Mode!" she exclaimed.

A small Monster appeared. It was a round Plant with a mop of green hair, wearing red sneakers. (350/300)

"What the?" said Wanda.

"And now I play… Creature Swap!" laughed Rose, placing a card into a slot. "This forces us to swap Monsters!"

Griggle and Neo Bug vanished, and reappeared on the opposite sides of the field!

"And due to Griggle's effect," continued Rose, "when it switches owners, I gain 3,000 Life Points!"

Her Life Pointsshot up to 10,950!

"Neo Bug!" she shouted. "Destroy the Griggle!"

Neo Bug flew forward, and crushed the small plant!

Wanda's Life Points fell to 8,050.

"Heh, heh," chuckled Rose. "It's your move…"

Wanda nervously made a draw.

_Hey,_ she thought. _This ought to help…_

"I'll summon Insect Soldiers of the Sky in Defense Mode…" she stated, placing a card down.

A large dragonfly appeared, hovering in midair. (1,000/800)

"Now I'll place a card facedown, and end my turn," she stated.

She played the card, and it materialized.

"Good," said Rose, making a draw.

"Well, since I'm really hate your bugs, I'll just sacrifice your Neo Bug…"

She placed a card down, and Neo Bug vanished.

"…to summon Queen of Autumn Leaves!"

A tall woman with red hair, dressed in a gown made of multicolored leaves and a laurel crown of the same substance appeared. (1,800/1,500)

"Go!" shouted Rose. "Destroy her Soldier with Autumn breeze!"

Queen of Autumn Leaves gestured, and a blizzard of colored leaves flew forward, striking the dragonfly and tearing it apart!

"Thank you," said Wanda with a grin. "By destroying one of my Monsters in Defense Mode, you've enabled me to activate my Trap…"

Her Trap Card lifted.

"Soul Rope!" she exclaimed.

She took her deck out of the tray.

"Now, for the price of merely 1,000 Life Points…"

Her Life Points fell to 7,050.

"I can summon any four-star Monster from my deck that I choose! And I choose Insect Knight!"

She placed a card down, and the ferocious mantis fighter appeared! (1,900/1,500)

She shuffled her deck and put it back.

"Clever…" muttered Rose. "I end my turn…"

Wanda made a draw.

"Insect Knight, attack Queen of Autumn Leaves!"

Queen of Autumn Leaves screamed as Insect Knight charged and struck her down.

Rose's Life Points fell slightly, to 10,850.

"That's my turn, Rose," said Wanda. "Why don't you try harder?"

"Oh, I will…" chuckled Rose, drawing.

"I'll play my Pot of Greed," she said, fitting a card into a slot.

The Pot handed her two cards.

Then she placed a card on her Disk.

"Now I summon Darkworld Thorns in Attack Mode!" she exclaimed.

A large plant with thorny vines, and a monstrous pod appeared. (1,200/900)

"What's that going to do?" asked Wanda.

"Well I'm going to activate my own Deckmaster ability!" laughed Rose. "Which, like your Trap Card, costs me 1,000 Life Points…"

Her Life Points fell to 9,850.

And then Darkworld Thorns started to grow and change…

In a few seconds, it formed into a huge flower…

Wanda gasped! It had formed into a clone of Rose Spectre of Dunn! (2,000/1,800)

"As you can see," said the true Rose, "I can spend my Life Points to turn any Plant Monster into a clone of myself, with the same Attack and Defense!

"Now my clone, attack her Insect Knight with thorn tendrils!"

The fake Rose Spectre lashed out with a set of thorny vines, grasping the Insect and crushing it!

Wanda's Life Points fell to 6,950.

"Finally, I'll place a card facedown," said Rose with a grin, fitting a card into a slot.

"This is nuts…" muttered Wanda.

"_Don't worry,"_ urged Insect Queen's buzzing voice_. "We still can make compost out of her weeds…"_

Wanda drew one card.

She grinned.

"Monster in Defense Mode…" she said quietly.

She placed the card on her Disk, and the card appeared.

She waved to signal the end of her turn.

Rose chuckled as she drew.

"That's a Parasite Paraside, isn't it?" she laughed.

Wanda's smile vanished.

"I spent a long time learning how Insect Duelists work," commented Rose, "and I know how to counter all of their strategies!"

Her Trap Card lifted.

"I activate Ceasefire!" she shouted.

"Huh?" sputtered Wanda, as the Parasite (for that _was_ what it was) appeared on the card.

"That means your Parasite is harmlessly flipped face-up, and you lose 500 Life Points from the one Effect Monster on the field!" laughed Rose.

Wanda's Life Points fell to 6,450.

"Now my clone," ordered Rose, "kill that thing!"

The clone shot forth its vines, and squeezed the life out of the Parasite.

"You can just forget about any hopes you have of turning my Plants into Insects, Wanda," snarled Rose, "because it isn't going to happen!"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Watching with some amusement were the Shadow Queen and Grodus.

"Um, your majesty?" asked Grodus. "What's the point of all this? I thought your goal was to do away with Stan, Andy, and Francesca."

"True," answered the Queen, "and this is part of the larger plan…

"I'm putting the other victims through a few tests to see if they can stand up to serious dueling. They might be of use to us…

"If Wanda fails, well, it's no loss if she's eaten…

"But if she's good enough to beat Rose, we might have a potential weapon that we can manipulate… All it will take is the right push…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"It's my move!" shouted Wanda.

She made a draw.

"I play Graceful Charity!" she announced.

The angel flew out of her deck with three cards.

Rose looked at them. She discarded her Jade Insect Whistle and Prickle Fairy.

"Now I play Monster Reborn!" she exclaimed."Insect Knight, welcome back!"

The mantis fighter appeared. (1,900/1,500)

"He can't defeat my clone…" started Rose.

"He'll be able to in a minute," chuckled Wanda. "I'm Equipping him with this…"

She fit a card into a slot.

"Insect Armor With Laser Cannon!"

A steel exoskeleton appeared on Insect Knight, and a large laser gun appeared over its shoulder!

"This raises the Attack of any Insect by 700 points!" exclaimed Wanda.

(2,600/1,500)

"Insect Knight… Turn that flower into potpourri!"

Insect Knight blasted its cannon, and the clone of Rose Spectre of Dunn was blown into fragments! Rose shielded herself, as her Life Points fell to 9,250.

She growled…

"_Good work, Wanda,"_ commented Insect Queen. _"That attack hurt Rose, and I don't just mean in the Life Point department. It shook her mentally too. Just keep going. I know your trump card is still in your deck somewhere… You simply have to draw it."_

Rose drew one card.

"I'll place one card facedown," she said, placing a card into a slot.

The facedown card appeared.

"Now I'll summon… Vampire Orchis in Defense Mode!"

She put a card down, and a huge, nasty-looking tree appeared, with a monstrous face and two vines tipped with mouths. (1,700/1,000)

"And just by summoning it, I can now summon Des Dendle!" she continued, placing another card down.

An ugly creature that looked like a living patch of slime appeared. (300/2,000)

"Des Dendle," ordered Rose, "attach yourself to Vampire Orchis!"

The slimy creature slithered up the bark of the evil tree, coating it with a moldy covering.

"Eew…" said Wanda. "How'd you do that?"

"Des Dendle is a Union Monster," explained Rose. "One that can bond with Vampire Orchis. Now make your move."

"Ha," chuckled Wanda. "I can take out your tree with one blast!"

She drew a card.

"Activate… Dust Tornado!" shouted Rose.

Her Trap Card lifted, and a tornado blew about the field. The Insect Armor With Laser Cannon shattered.

"Big deal!" laughed Wanda. "I can still chop down your tree. Insect Knight, attack!"

Insect Knight flew forward and struck the hideous tree!

But as he backed up, it was still standing!

"How?" gasped Wanda.

"Don't you know anything about Union Monsters?" chuckled Rose. "When you attacked, Des Dendle took the hit, leaving my Orchis unharmed."

Wanda looked at the card she had just drawn.

"I'll place a card facedown and end my turn," she said.

A facedown card materialized.

Rose drew one card.

She chuckled.

"Now I sacrifice Vampire Orchis…" she said.

The tree vanished.

"…to summon the King of all Plants_… Fairy King Truesdale_!"

An imposing form arose. It was a tall man, dressed in a green, sylvan robe, carrying a wand tipped with feathers and a blue orb. (2,200/1,500)

"Truesdale," shouted Rose, "exterminate her Insect Knight!"

Truesdale thrust his staff forward…

"You should really pay more attention to facedown cards, Rose," chuckled Wanda. "Activate Sakuretsu Armor!"

Her Trap Card lifted. As Truesdale fired a beam of energy, a shimmering light surrounded Insect Knight, and the blast was deflected! Fairy King Truesdale was blown to bits!

"King of all Plants…" laughed Wanda. "That moron couldn't have been king of a compost heap!"

"Just move!" shouted Rose, angrily.

"Gladly!" answered Wanda, drawing a card.

_Can't believe I was scared of this loser…_ thought Wanda. _I've had harder games of tic-tac-toe…_

"Do-de-do," she said, placing a card down. "First I'll summon my Flying Kamakiri #1 to the field…"

She placed a card down, and the huge, green mantis appeared. (1,400/900)

"Now I'll use it to use my Deckmaster's ability!"

Insect Queen hungrily grabbed the Kamakiri, and then started to shove it into her mouth.

"Tell that stupid Deckmaster of yours to chew with her mouth closed!" yelled Rose, angrily.

"Ignore her…" said Wanda to Insect Queen.

The Queen swallowed the last of it, and Wanda's Life Points went up to 7,850.

"Now, Insect Knight… why don't you prune Rose a little, huh?"

Insect Knight charged forward! Rose shrieked as he slashed at her with his sword!

Rose's Life Points fell to 7,350.

"I… hate… you…" snarled Rose.

"You're only mad because I'm winning," laughed Wanda. "Make your move."

"I draw one card…" said Rose, drawing.

She looked at it.

"I summon a creature called Lord Poison in Attack Mode," she stated.

She placed a card down, and the ugliest Plant of all appeared. It was semi-humanoid, with green, slimy skin, a green tendril instead of legs, and sharp, black horns sprouting out from its body. (1,500/1,000)

"Well, that's… disgusting," said Wanda. "But my Insect Knight can easily kill it…"

"I agree," said Rose, calmly. "Lord Poison, attack her Insect Knight!"

"WHA?" shouted Wanda, as Lord Poison leapt at Insect Knight.

Insect Knight swung his blade, and Lord Poison was obliterated.

Rose's Life Points fell to 6,850.

"I want to know why you did that, Rose!" demanded Wanda.

"Simple," replied Rose with a grin. "When Lord Poison is destroyed in battle, I can Special Summon any Plant from my Graveyard except Lord Poison itself. So… Fairy King Truesdale, return!"

The King of Plants arose back on the field. (2,200/1,500)

"I believe it's your move…" said Rose.

Wanda looked at Truesdale.

_Okay…_ she thought, _maybe this is a little harder than tic-tac-toe…_

She drew a card.

"I play Multiplication of Ants," she said, fitting a card into a slot. "And I'll use it on my Insect Knight."

Insect Knight melted into two orbs, forming two Army Ant Tokens. (500/1,200 x2)

"That's all I can do," she said.

"Good," chuckled Rose, making a draw. "Then I'll summon Bean Soldier in Attack Mode."

She put a card down, and another Plant Monster appeared. This one was another bean, but it looked far more serious than Jelly, and it carried a real sword. (1,400/1,300)

"Truesdale, Bean Soldier!" shouted Rose, "wipe out her ants!"

Truesdale cast a spell and shot forth a ray of energy, destroying one Army Ant. Then Bean Soldier slashed with his sword, destroying the other one.

"Your move…" chuckled Rose.

Wanda drew one card.

She looked at it strangely…

She turned to Insect Queen. The Queen winked…

"A Monster facedown in Defense Mode," she stated, "and that will be all."

She set the card, and a hidden Monster appeared.

Rose chuckled and drew.

"First," she said, "I'll summon another Man Eater in Attack Mode…"

She placed the card down, and the ravenous Plant appeared. (800/600)

"Then," she continued, "I'll spend 1,000 Life Points again to use my Deckmaster ability on it!"

Her Life Points fell to 5,850, and Man Eater grew and changed shape, turning into another clone of Rose Specter of Dunn. (2,000/1,800)

"Next," said Rose, turning a card. "I'll shift Truesdale into Defense Mode. And so long as I keep him in Defense Mode, all of my Plants gain a 500-point bonus to their Attack and Defense!"

Truesdale knelt in defense. The clone grew to (2,500/2,300), Bean Soldier grew to (1,900/1,800), and Truesdale himself grew to (2,700/2,000).

"Time to give you some serious hurt!" laughed Rose. "Bean Soldier, attack her facedown Monster!"

Bean Solder raised his sword and charged…

And a small creature appeared on the card. It looked like a large worm, colored dark green and black.

Bean Soldier slashed it in half.

"HA!" laughed Wanda. "GOTCHA! That was a Parasite Caterpillar!"

"Parasite Caterpillar?" gasped Rose. "What does that do?"

Bean Soldier gasped. It dropped its sword and clutched its chest.

"Apparently, makes your Bean Soldier sick," answered Wanda.

"What did you do to it?" demanded Rose.

"Well, Rose," chuckled Wanda, "Right now, your walking lima bean there can't attack me or defend you, nor can you use it as a sacrifice! And in just three short turns, something very… pretty will happen!"

Rose was very angry.

"Yeah?" she snarled. "Clone, attack Wanda's Life Points directly!"

The Rose Spectre clone shot forth its thorny tendrils… Wanda screamed as she was lifted off her feet and constricted by them!

The Plant slammed her to the ground, and her Life Points fell to 5,350.

"Hmph…" muttered Rose. "I can't wait until this duel is over and I'm allowed to grab you with my own vines! I'm not even going to share you with my pets now – I'm going to devour you myself!"

"You'll have to beat me first…" gasped Wanda.

She drew a card.

"I'll play Premature Burial to bring back my Neo Bug…" she stuttered.

Her Life Points fell to 4,550, and Neo Bug reappeared.

"And since you're so sick of Insects, how about an arachnid? I'll sacrifice Neo Bug to summon my Black Widow!"

Neo Bug and Premature Burial vanished, and a huge, black spider with the image of a red hourglass on its abdomen appeared. (2,600/500)

"Black Widow, take out Fairy King Truesdale with venomous fangs!"

The spider pounced upon Truesdale, and sank its fangs into his side! He shattered.

The Rose clone fell to its original stats of (2,000/1,800).

"Clever…" muttered Rose, drawing a card.

"I'll place a card facedown on the field," she said, setting a card.

A card appeared.

"And now I'll use Mystic Wok, offering my clone as a sacrifice!"

The huge Chinese wok appeared, and the clone was cooked in it. It dissolved into vapor, and the real Rose inhaled it.

Her Life Points went up to 7,850.

"You'd consume your own image?" said Wanda, disgusted. "You _are_ bloodthirsty!"

"I do what it takes," snarled Rose. "Make your move."

"Weren't you listening a minute ago?" laughed Wanda, making a draw. "Your Bean Soldier can't defend you! Black Widow, attack that weed directly!"

Black Widow scurried towards Rose.

"I activate Nightmare Mirror!" shouted Rose.

The Trap Card lifted, and Rose discarded a card.

An evil-looking mirror appeared in front of Rose.

"Look in this mirror, Wanda, and tell me what you see…" mocked Rose.

Wanda looked.

"That… that's my reflection!" she gasped.

"Right!" laughed Rose. "And now your Monster will have to attack it instead of me!"

The Black Widow struck the Nightmare Mirror, and it shattered! Wanda was thrown back!

"And since your reflection got hit," laughed Rose, "you lose 1,000 Life Points!"

Wanda's Life Points fell to 3,550 as the Rose Spectre of Dunn laughed.

Wanda got up.

"Make your move…" she cursed.

Rose drew.

"I'll summon Green Phantom King in Defense Mode," she stated.

She put a card down, and a tall man in a green druid's outfit appeared. (500/1,600)

"That will be my move…" she stated.

Wanda drew.

"Black Widow, attack Green Phantom King!" she shouted.

Black Widow leapt forward and devoured the Plant fairy.

Wanda took a card from her hand.

"And I'll finish by playing Insect Barrier!"

She played the card, and it appeared.

"What's the point in doing that?" mocked Rose. "It isn't going to happen, Wanda! I'll never let you turn my Monsters into Insects!"

"Make your move…" said Wanda with a smirk.

Rose made a draw.

"So, Rose…" said Wanda with a smirk. "How well can you count?"

"Huh?" asked Rose.

"It's been three turns, Rose!" laughed Wanda. "Now you'll see what my Parasite Caterpillar has truly done to your Bean Soldier!"

Bean Soldier fell to the ground, and started to convulse… Strands of silk started to form around him, forming a large chrysalis!

"What the…" started Rose.

"It's a Malignant Metamorphosis," laughed Wanda. "And wait until you see the result…"

The chrysalis hatched, and a large form flew out. It looked like a huge butterfly! (2,700/2,000)

"What have you done?" shouted Rose.

"The Parasite Caterpillar turns any Monster than attacks it into a new Monster called Poison Butterfly," explained Wanda. "And although it has 2,700 Attack Points, you can't attack me with it, due to my Insect Barrier card.

"Now, about that crack about you never letting me turn your Monsters into Insects?"

Rose was angrier than she had been all duel.

"I pass for my turn…" she scowled.

And then she screamed, as the Butterfly flapped its wings, covering her with pollen!

"Forgot to mention," chuckled Wanda. "You'll lose 500 Life Points during the End Phase of every turn that Poison Butterfly is on your side of the field."

Rose's Life Points fell to 7,350.

"And now it's my move!" stated Wanda, making a draw. "And I'll just summon another Monster or two…"

She put a card down.

"Flying Kamakiri #2, in Attack Mode!"

Another huge mantis appeared, this one with a red exoskeleton. (1,500/800)

Rose made a draw.

"Ergh, I'll pass again…" she grunted.

Poison Butterfly spread its pollen again, and Rose's Life Points fell to 6,850.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Well," chuckled Grodus. "It seems Rose has been outsmarted… Maybe she hasn't been watered enough lately…"

"Don't count Rose out just yet," pondered the Shadow Queen. "She has yet to draw the most powerful Monster in her deck… And once she does, little Wanda might be in serious trouble…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"This is getting boring…" muttered Wanda. "I guess I'll pass too…"

Rose drew a card.

"I play… Exchange!" she shouted.

Wanda was shocked.

"Fine…" she sighed.

"You'd best come over here, seeing as I'm rooted to the ground…" chuckled Rose.

Wanda's two Monsters stepped aside to let her by, and then Poison Butterfly moved aside. She revealed her hand.

"Well…" pondered Rose. "That Destroy Defense card looks good…"

She took it.

"Now you take one, so we can continue…"

She held out her hand, which was only three cards.

Wanda looked surprised at one of the cards there…

"This will do…" she said taking it.

Wanda looked at it, as she walked back to her position.

"Why would she give me access to a Royal Decree card?" she whispered to Insect Queen. "Obviously, she doesn't have much more faith in her own Traps…"

"_Either that or she doesn't have many left,"_ stated the Queen. _"But be careful anyway…"_

"All right," said Rose. "I'm ending my turn…"

She cringed as Poison Butterfly doused her with pollen again, and her Life Points fell to 6,350.

She snarled…

Wanda drew.

"I'll sacrifice my Kamikari to summon Hercules Beetle, and place it in Defense Mode!" she stated.

Flying Kamikari#2 vanished, and a huge, black, stag beetle with a powerful frontal horn appeared, bent over to repel an attack (1,500/2,000)

"Your move…" she chuckled.

Rose made a draw.

"I'll play my own Graceful Charity…" she stated.

The angel flew out of her deck and handed her three cards.

She smirked, and handed her two. The angel flew into her discard slot.

"I'll place a card facedown, and that will be my turn…" she stated.

She cringed as she was sprayed with poison again, and her Life Points fell to 5,850.

Wanda drew. She looked at her hand and sighed.

_Six cards in my hand, and my only Monsters are Sinister Serpent and Perfectly Ultimate Great Moth…_ she thought. _And I've got these worthless Pyro Clock of Destiny and Heart of Clear Water here too. Maybe I should rethink the whole Moth thing… Using my brother's signature move makes me too much like him…_

"I'll pass this turn," she stated.

"Good," said Rose with an evil grin. "Now I can strike!"

She drew.

"Heh, heh," she cackled. "I just drew a deadly card, Wanda! The lethal Delinquent Duo!"

She played the card.

"So, I'll pay 1,000 Life Points…"

Her Life Points fell to 4,850

Two ugly imps flew forward. One of them snatched the Moth card out of Wanda's hand and threw it into her discard slot.

_Well, that wasn't a total loss,_ she thought.

She gave the Pyro Clock of Destiny to the other imp, and it tossed it into the discard slot as well.

"Now," continued Rose, "I'll play the card I took from you… Destroy Defense!"

She played the card, and Hercules Beetle leapt into Attack Mode.

"And now," laughed Rose. "I'll sacrifice Poison Butterfly to summon a powerful Monster… Most people think that only animals can become undead creatures… But they're wrong…"

Poison Butterfly vanished, and a huge form rose out of the ground…

"I summon a Zombie called Vampire Flytrap!"

The creature in front of Rose was hideous. It was an immense, rotting piece of vegetation, with four slobbering pods, each one with a set of razor-sharp teeth! (2,450/0)

"I don't think I need to tell you what flytraps do to insects," said Rose with a grin. "Vampire Flytrap, devour her Hercules Beetle!"

The Flytrap pounced on Hercules Beetle and swallowed it!

Wanda's Life Points fell to 2,600.

"Your move," she said with an evil smile.

Wanda angrily drew.

"Black Widow!" she shouted. "Kill that thing!"

Black Widow scurried forward…

"I activate my Trap Card!" laughed Rose. "Mask of Weakness!"

The Trap lifted, and a hideous mask latched to Black Widow's face! Its Attack fell to 1,900.

"No!" shouted Wanda. "My Black Widow won't last another turn with its Attack reduced!"

"Oh please, Wanda," laughed Rose, "it isn't even going to last _this_ turn!"

Vampire Flytrap pounced down on Black Widow, swallowing it!

Wanda's Life Points fell to 2,050.

Wanda almost kicked herself – she should have set the Royal Decree card, and she knew it.

"Just finish your move so I can end this," chuckled Rose. "This duel has just made me hungrier!"

Wanda started to sweat…

She looked at her hand.

"The only Monster I have in my hand is Sinister Serpent!" she whispered. "It has only 300 Attack Points, and I can't defend with it! If I play it, she'll attack, and I'll lose…"

She looked at the other cards in her hand…

"Insect Queen, I have an idea, but it involves great risk…"

"_I know what you're planning…"_ said Insect Queen_, "but remember, if I go down, you're going down with me…"_

"We really don't have much choice…" replied Wanda.

"_True," _replied Insect Queen. _"Well, if this fails, it was nice being in your deck…"_

Wanda placed four of her five cards into slots, filling up her Magic/Trap Zone.

"Okay, Rose, I'm placing four cards facedown…"

The facedown cards materialized.

"And now I call my Deckmaster to the field! Go, Insect Queen!"

Insect Queen slowly scurried out in front of Wanda. (2,200/2,400)

"Since there's one Insect on the field, herself," continued Wanda, "her Attack Score is increased to 2,400!"

"Heh, heh…" chuckled Rose. "Ha, ha… HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA! You made a slight error there, Wanda! Even with that bonus, she's fifty points weaker than my Flytrap! And once it devours her, you automatically lose!"

Wanda stared at her.

"Oh, I get it…" chuckled Rose. "One of those facedown cards must be something incredibly deadly, right? Well sorry Wanda, but I wasn't planted yesterday!"

"Just move…" said Wanda with a sneer.

Rose drew one card.

"I play Card of Sanctity!" she exclaimed.

She placed it into a slot, and coins fell from the sky. They each drew a full hand of cards.

Rose chuckled again.

"Well, Wanda…" sighed Rose. "This has been fun, but I'm afraid this is where the duel ends…"

She fit a card into a slot.

"I play Heavy Storm!"

A fierce wind started to blow around the field!

Wanda smiled…

"That's exactly what I wanted you to do, Rose…" she chuckled. "By trying to destroy my facedown cards, you activated one of them!"

A Trap Card lifted, and she discarded her Sinister Serpent.

"Judgment of Anubis!"

The storm quelled, and the fierce jackal spirit appeared behind Wanda… it howled, and Vampire Flytrap shattered into pixels!

"Not only did I destroy your Flytrap, but now you lose 2,450 Life Points!" laughed Wanda.

Rose's Life Points fell to 2,400.

Rose was dumbfounded.

"I uh…" she said, looking at her cards.

"I'll play two cards facedown, and end my turn."

She played the two cards, and they appeared.

_I can still win this duel,_ she thought. _Her Insect Queen will fall victim to my Mirror Force or Sakuretsu Armor – even if she destroys one, there's still the other!_

Wanda made a draw. The Sinister Serpent card slid out of her discard slot.

"Did you forget I had this?" asked Wanda, as another of her Traps lifted.

"My Royal Decree!" shouted Rose.

"Yup," chuckled Wanda. "And that makes those two Traps worthless! Now I'll summon Sinister Serpent!"

Sinister Serpent appeared on the field. (300/200)

"Now, feed and grow strong, my Queen!" she shouted.

Insect Queen grabbed the Serpent and slowly stuffed it into her mouth.

"And now," shouted Wanda, "attack directly with venom blast!"

Insect Queen opened her terrible jaws and shot forth a blast of energy, striking Rose Spectre of Dunn! She screamed as her Life Points hit zero.

"We did it…" sighed Wanda.

Insect Queen winked at her, and then vanished.

Rose sighed.

"Yeah, I lost…" she said. "And I guess a deal's a deal…"

She paused.

"But come here for a minute before you leave, Wanda…" she added. "You dueled so well, you deserve an added reward."

"A reward?" asked Wanda.

She paused.

"Okay, but I'm staying at arm's length…"

She cautiously walked up. This was an opponent she wasn't taking chances with.

"I know you seek to be better than your brother," said Rose, producing a card. "Well I have here a powerful Insect Monster that he's never even heard of!"

She tossed it to Wanda. Wanda looked at it.

"I've never heard of it either!" she said in amazement.

She read the effect description.

"That is powerful!" she exclaimed.

"Take it as a gift," offered Rose.

"I'm a little hesitant to take gifts from someone who wanted to eat me…" said Wanda, sarcastically.

"If you don't want it, throw it in the trash!" snapped Rose. "But if you're serious about dueling, you might want to take this card too…"

She took a card out of her deck.

"You see," said Rose, "Being a Duel Monster myself, my choices when it comes to Deckmasters are incredibly limited. But for someone who uses Insects, this makes a much better Deckmaster than your Insect Queen, especially since you might want to use your Insect Queen in a duel. I'll tell you the secret… Come here…"

Wanda inched forward carefully. The Monster whispered in Wanda's ear.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Well," said the Shadow Queen. "The first part of the contingency plan is complete. Pretty soon all the pieces will be in place…

"And my three primary targets will have nowhere to hide…"

**0**

**0**

**0**

**SOUL ROPE (Trap Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Trap  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description: **Image of a bare-chested man with golden skin with a strange energy cord flowing out of him. You can activate this Trap when one of your Monsters in Defense Mode is destroyed in battle. Pay 1,000 Life Points. Special Summon one Level Four Monster from your deck.

_Note: "Soul Rope" was first used by Yugi in the anime episode "Clash in the Coliseum (Part 2)". It was since made into a real promotional card in Japan._

**0**

**0**

**0**

**PARASITE CATERPILLAR (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Insect/Effect  
**Attribute: **Earth  
**Level: **3  
**ATK: **800  
**DEF: **800

**Card Description: **If this Monster is destroyed as a result of battle, place one "Cocoon Counter" on the Monster that destroyed this Monster. If a Monster has a "Cocoon Counter" on it, the Monster cannot attack, change its Battle Position, or be Tributed for any reason, and if it is the only Monster on your opponent's of the field, you can attack directly. During your opponent's third Standby Phase after this effect is activated, Tribute one monster with one "Cocoon Counter" on it to Special Summon one "Poison Butterfly" from your hand or Deck to your opponent's side of the field.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**POISON BUTTERFLY (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Insect/Effect  
**Attribute: **Wind  
**Level: **7  
**ATK: **2,700  
**DEF: **2,000

**Card Description: **This card cannot be Normal Summoned or Set. This card can only be Special Summoned through the effect of "Parasite Caterpillar". Inflict 500 points of damage to the Life Points of this card's controller during each of his/her End Phases.

_Note: "Parasite Caterpillar" and "Poison Butterfly" were used by Weevil in the multi-part anime episode "On The Wrong Track". All creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0**

**0**

**0**

**NIGHTMARE MIRROR (Trap Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Trap  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description: **Image of a dark, fiendish mirror. You can activate this Trap when your opponent declares a direct attack. Discard one card from your hand. Negate the attack, and inflict 1,000 points of direct damage to your opponent's Life Points.

_Note: "Nightmare Mirror" was used by Marik in the anime episode "The Darkness Returns (Part 3)" All creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0**

**0**

**0**

**BLACK WIDOW (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Insect  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level: **6  
**ATK: **2,600  
**DEF: **500

**Card Description: **This feared arachnid preys on anything caught in its web. Its poison is lethal enough to kill the strongest Monsters within minutes.

_Note: "Black Widow" first appeared in "The Mandate of Heaven"._

**0**

**0**

**0**

**VAMPIRE FLYTRAP (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Zombie  
**Attribute: **Earth  
**Level: **5  
**ATK: **2,450  
**DEF: **0

**Card Description: **A giant, multiheaded, undead creature that feeds on living flesh, some say that this hideous plant is spawned in the depths of Hades.

_Note: "Vampire Flytrap" first appeared in "Legacy of the Duelist"._

**0**

**0**

**0**

"**Insect Queen":** Insect/Earth, Level 7, (2,200/2,400)

Deckmaster SA: "Insect Predator": Offer one INSECT-Type Monster on your side of the field as a Tribute. Increase your Life Points by an amount equal to the Tributed Monster's base ATK. After using this ability, you cannot use it again until three of your Standby Phases have passed.

**0**

**0**

**0**

"**Rose Spectre of Dunn":** Plant/Dark, Level 6, (2,000/1,800)

Deckmaster SA: "Plant Polymorph": Pay 1,000 Life Points. Permanently change the ATK and DEF of one PLANT-Type Monster on your side of the field to those of the Deckmaster. Attributes, Levels and any Effects remain unchanged.

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**Coming up next:**_

**_Stan's encounter with The End of Anubis helped him conquer his fear of Exodia… But next chapter, the Fiend returns, carrying with him a whole new strategy. Ever wonder why the Shadow Queen chose The End of Anubis as her Exodia duelist? Find out in a chapter called "To Stop The Unstoppable Foe!" coming up next._**


	41. To Stop The Unstoppable Foe!

_A guy pointed out to me that Andy cheated, and that Fusion Recovery can only recover a Monster that has been used in a fusion._

_Well, that was a mistake on my part, not Andy's. I didn't read the card right. So I'm sorry._

_Anyway, before I post the next chapter, I'd like to say something. This is the anime world. And in this world, cards that are common in the real world can be virtually unknown. Some very common cards (to us) surprise even Yugi and Kaiba._

_So don't call our heroes idiots after this chapter._

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**Ever since I was… well, obliterated by Exodia in my first tournament, I had an irrational fear of the five cards that make up that unstoppable, game-winning strategy. Ironic, seeing as the five Exodia cards are technically Spellcasters.**_

_**Fortunately, the Shadow Queen actually helped me. She tried to take advantage of my fear by sending a hideous Fiend after me who played an Exodia deck. But I defeated it, and conquered my fear.**_

_**I never realized that said Fiend might come back to challenge me again…**_

_**Well, no problem. I defeated Exodia once, and I'm willing to bet I can do it again. **_

_**Only problem is, I have a funny feeling about this whole thing… Is he hiding something this time?**_

_**Guess I'll find out…**_

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER FORTY**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**To Stop The Unstoppable Foe!**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

Shortly after Andy's duel with Poison, a small gathering was being held at an inn in Rogueport. Four duelists were gathered around a table in an inn, drowning their sorrows in milkshakes.

They were Sean Kishore, Cyrus Gamule, Gerald Laxina, and the one who called himself Aesop.

All four of them had come very close to reaching the finals – but they had lost the duels for the Crystal Stars. Not much left remained for them on Monster Island now.

"Well people," sighed Sean, "drink up… The boat leaves tomorrow, so we can at least enjoy the hospitality here for one more day…"

Gerald yawned.

"It was nice while it lasted…" he muttered. "I guess it's back to the old routine…"

"Pardon me," said a voice. "D-d-do you mind if we join you?"

They turned and saw Merlee, with Diana close by.

Aesop looked and saw the Duel Disk on Merlee's arm.

"Aren't you a little old for this Tournament?" he asked.

"I'm not officially in it," he stated. "I'm j-j-just someone who's keeping a close eye on things."

He and Diana sat down.

"Everyone," he said. "You may be depressed about not making it into the Thousand Year Door, but it may be better that you didn't. The Shadow Queen has terrible plans for those who are there now…"

"I knew it!" exclaimed Cyrus. "She's using this thing as some sort of way to escape! My pen pal told me!"

"Indeed," sighed Merlee. "Fortunately, the only ones who can defeat her have made the finals. Stan, Andy, and Francesca will be working hard to bring her down. If they can do so, her evil will be eradicated…"

"And if they can't?" asked Gerald, getting interested for a change.

Merlee sighed.

"Then she will escape," muttered Merlee, "and the world might be in jeopardy. My friend Diana here can tell you firsthand of her evil powers…"

"What will she do if she escapes?" asked Sean, getting curious.

Merlee took off his glasses and slowly started to clean them.

"Well, her first priority will be to destroy anyone who could defeat her in Duel Monsters," answered Merlee, "meaning the world's top duelists."

"You mean guys like Yugi Mouto, Seto Kaiba, and Joey Wheeler?" asked Aesop.

Merlee nodded.

"Those will be her top priority," he answered. "Folks like Rebecca Hawkins, Vivian Wong, and Leon Wilson will also be high on her list. See, she knows that if she destroys the Chosen Ones, word might spread to those who had battled Dartz and Marik, and she would be challenged again."

"Even worse," he added, "after this tournament, she will no longer be bound by the rules of fair play. Her minions will be able to cheat to their hearts' content. Cyrus… Some of them might even use your favorite Equip Card in its most unfair combo…"

Cyrus gasped.

"You mean the Butterfly Dagger-Gearfried-Magical Marionette combo?" he gulped. "That's horrible! Someone who uses that combo can raise the Attack Score of a Marionette as high as he wants, while destroying all opposing Monsters in the process! That's the reason no one is allowed to have Butterfly Dagger and Gearfried in the same deck for tournaments!"

"Having them both is grounds for disqualification…" muttered Gerald.

Merlee nodded again.

"But she wouldn't care," he said. "The Shadow Queen would use that combo and worse to defeat the King of Games, Kaiba, and all the other good duelists in Shadow Games and trap them in her Graveyard. Once they were gone, nobody would be able to challenge her. We would have to make sure she cannot lay her traps..."

"Then…" muttered Aesop, sadly, "you need duelists who can challenge her, who can manipulate the rules as well as she can…"

"Possibly," answered Merlee. "I'll put my faith in the Chosen Ones for now. But if they fail…"

There was a long pause.

"It could be the end…" sighed Sean.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The next day…

Francesca was the first to wake up, and was surprised to find bagels, donuts, and croissants on her bedside table.

She snuck to the kitchenette, and sure enough, the refrigerator was stocked with milk and orange juice.

She smirked as she headed for the shower. It was awfully nice of the Queen to give them breakfast before challenging them again.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Meanwhile, the Shadow Queen was sipping coffee in her dining room.

The six Shadow Spawn walked in.

"So how did you sleep, dears?" she asked.

All of them except Vladimir (who was chuckling softly) gave her cold stares.

"Still a little tender?" she asked. "Well maybe now you'll realize that when I make a rule, I expect it to be followed!"

"When do we get a chance to duel them again?" asked Tyson.

"Soon," answered the Queen, sliding on her Disk. "I intend to challenge them like never before if you six become needed again. Until then…"

She picked up a Magic Card…

Monster Reborn.

"…we can simply watch their progress…"

She slid the card into her Disk…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Everybody ready?" asked Andy, shuffling his deck.

"Am I?" answered Stan. "The Shadow Queen had best watch out!"

"Then let's go!" exclaimed Francesca.

They opened the door to the group of rooms, and were met by a bright light…

Before they knew it, they were in a huge, circular room, similar to an arena. The floor was concrete, and the walls were brick. The room was at least a hundred feet wide and thirty feet tall. The door they had come through was gone. Ahead of them were three iron doors. Again, the room was lit by large torches.

They noticed something on the wall behind them – three levers, and each one had one of their names on it.

"Uhm, I think each of us is supposed to pull his or her lever…" muttered Andy.

"It could be a trap…" suggested Stan.

They all looked at each other.

They all shook their fists, and then thrust them out. Andy and Francesca opened, paper. Stan's two fingers jutted out, scissors.

"Okay," he said, grabbing his lever, "be ready for anything…"

He pulled it down…

The middle door slowly opened…

Out of the door walked a familiar figure. It was a fiendish creature with purple skin and patches of fur. Its head was shaped like that of a jackal. It wore a Duel Disk on its arm.

"Hello, Stan," it cackled. "Did you miss me?"

"The End of Anubis!" exclaimed Stan.

"That's right!" sneered the demon. "Thanks to you, I've spent the past week buried in the Queen's Graveyard! I want revenge, so we're dueling right here and now!"

"Please…" muttered Stan. "I'm not afraid of Exodia anymore! You can't intimidate me with him!"

"Once you see my new strategy, you WILL be scared!" laughed End.

Stan sighed.

"Fine," he said. "I'll duel you… just give me a minute…"

He reached into his side deck and pulled out his Soul Release card. He then removed Disgraceful Charity from his deck and replaced it with the Magic Card.

He quickly reshuffled.

_I know what you're doing Stan,_ thought End. _Adjust your deck all you like! It won't make a difference!_

"Be careful Stan…" pleaded Francesca. "You know if he gets all five pieces of Exodia into his hand, it's all over!"

"Don't worry," assured Stan. "I'll take him down just like I did last time!"

"Enough talk!" laughed End. "Time to choose your Deckmaster!"

"Fine," answered Stan. "I'm choosing my favorite Monster!"

He held a card up, and the mighty Dark Magician appeared behind him!

"Dark Magician is my Deckmaster!" he announced. "So what is yours, pray tell?"

The Fiend laughed.

"I'm The End of Anubis, Stan!" it laughed. "That makes me the duelist and the Deckmaster! A regular two-for-one sale! Now let's reshuffle and start!"

As Stan reshuffled, he heard a mystical voice of wisdom behind him… It was Dark Magician.

"_Stan,"_ he said. _"Just as my apprentice helped you before, I can aid you greatly in this struggle. I am connected to your soul more than any Monster, so we can make a team better than any…"_

"_I see,"_ answered Stan. _"So how can you help?"_

"_If you spend one thousand Life Points,"_ he answered, _"I can let you play any one Magic Card a second time in a row. Use this ability wisely."_

"_Okay, gotcha,"_ answered Stan.

"Ready?" chuckled The End of Anubis. "Then it's time to duel!"

The Disks swung into position, and the Life Point counters rose to 8,000.

"I'll start this off…" cackled End.

It drew a card.

_Perfect,_ it thought. _Already I have most of what I need to bring my strategy out._

"First," it said, fitting a card into a slot, "I'll play Pot of Generosity!"

A peaceful-looking vase appeared in front of it.

"Okay…" mused Stan. "What does that do?"

"This Magic Card lets me take two cards from my hand that I don't want, and shuffle them back into my deck!" answered End.

Two cards flew from his hand, and then back into his deck.

"Huh?" asked Stan. "Why the heck would you do _that_?"

"I have my reasons," it said. "Now I'll place a Monster in Defense Mode, and it's your move."

A facedown Monster appeared in front of it.

"That's it?" asked Stan. "No Traps? No Wall of Revealing Light?"

"I said, it's your move…" repeated End.

"Fine…" sighed Stan.

He drew one card.

He placed a card down on his Disk.

"I summon Skilled White Magician in Attack Mode!" he shouted.

The mage of Light in his white robe arose. (1,700/1,900)

_That facedown Monster is likely Dekoichi the Battlechanted Locomotive,_ thought Stan, _and flipping it will let him make one draw… But I don't have many options…_

"Skilled White Magician, attack!" he shouted.

The Magician shot forth his rainbow colored beam…

And a tall woman with long, dark hair in a dark cloak appeared before she was blown away.

"Aw, Witch of the Black Forest?" gasped Stan.

"Uh huh…" answered End.

A card slipped out of its Deck, and it took it.

"I suppose you used her effect to search for an Exodia piece," said Stan, offhandedly.

"Uh, no," answered End. "No I didn't, actually."

Stan gave it a look.

"Yeah, right," he replied. "You're lying!"

The End of Anubis gave him a glare.

"If I'm lying, may I be blasted by Obelisk the Tormentor's mighty Fist of Fate!" it exclaimed.

Stan drew back…

He knew that this guy was a Fiend, and that Fiends were likely liars… But that sure sounded like an oath that a Duel Monster wouldn't break.

Stan looked at his hand.

"I'll place a card facedown and end my turn," he said, fitting a card into a slot.

A facedown card appeared behind Skilled White Magician.

"Okay…" said End, drawing.

It added the card to its hand, and then fit a card into a slot.

"Now I play… Painful Choice!" it declared. "That means…"

"I know what it means, sheesh!" interrupted Stan. "I know the rules! Clearly you plan to use Painful Choice to thin out your deck!"

Skilled White Magician stored the energy, his staff turning copper.

"You're just no fun to play against, Stan!" chuckled End.

"Just show me the five cards so we can continue, okay?" sighed Stan.

"All right," chuckled End.

He took five cards from his deck and placed them on his Disk.

"I think you'll recognize these cards…" it said with a chuckle.

The five cards appeared in the air in front of it…

Stan, Andy, and Francesca gasped!

They were the five Exodia cards!

"WHAT?" shouted Stan. "What are you up to? You're using Painful Choice on your Exodia cards?"

"Yes I am," answered End. "Is that a problem?"

"What is he doing?" whispered Andy to Francesca.

"I don't know…" answered Francesca. "I really don't… Anyone who holds all five of those cards wins automatically… But not if he draws them that way! Now Stan can make him discard four of them!"

"Well Stan, it's your choice…" chuckled End.

"Uh… okay…" muttered Stan.

"_Be careful, Stan,"_ warned Dark Magician's voice. _"He's clearly up to something… No sane duelist would throw those cards away unless doing so served some greater purpose…"_

"I choose…" mumbled Stan.

_Hold it!_ he thought. _If he drew them all using Painful Choice, he wasn't lying when he said he searched for something else with the Witch! What on earth did he use her for?_

He paused.

_Obviously, this is why he played Pot of Generosity. He had one or two of those cards in his opening hand, and he wanted them back in his deck so he could draw them with Painful Choice. But why? This makes no sense!_

"Confused Stan?" asked End. "Let me give you a hint about my strategy… I got this idea after watching a guy named Gozaburo Kaiba."

"Gozaburo Kaiba?" replied Stan. "Seto Kaiba's stepfather who disappeared after Seto overthrew him? That guy couldn't duel worth beans!"

"How little we know…" chuckled End. "Now make a choice. We haven't got all day…"

Stan hesitated again.

"Scared?" chuckled End. "Why do you think it's called _Painful_ Choice? Come on… The longer you take, the harder it's gonna be!"

"I'll let you keep the Left Arm!" shouted Stan, quickly.

"You sure?" asked End. "Not too late to change your mind…"

"Yeah, I'm sure!" shouted Stan.

The cards in front of the Fiend vanished.

"So then, I get to keep the Left Arm of the Forbidden One, and I discard the others…" it stated, discarding the four cards.

"Still my turn…" it continued. "So now that I have this card, I'll place it in Defense Mode, and end my turn…"

Stan was shocked as he saw the disembodied Left Arm of the Forbidden One appear in front of his opponent. (200/300)

"Are you nuts?" shouted Stan. "Now I'll send that to the Graveyard too! You'll never retrieve all five pieces!"

The End of Anubis just chuckled.

Stan drew a card.

"I'll play my Pot of Greed!" he shouted.

The Pot handed him two more cards, and Skilled White Magician stored more energy, his staff turning silver.

"Now I'll summon… Gemini Elf!" he shouted.

He threw a card down, and the two twin elves leapt into view, making a four-point landing. (1,900/900)

"Skilled White Magician, obliterate the last Exodia piece!" shouted Stan.

Skilled White Magician cast his spell, and the Left Arm was blown to bits.

"Gemini Elf, attack directly!"

Gemini Elf cast their lightning bolts! End cringed as they hit it.

The Fiend's Life Points fell down to 6,100.

It chuckled an evil chuckle.

"That's my turn," said Stan, "but unless you have some super-monster to take the place of Exodia, this duel isn't going to last much longer…"

The Fiend drew a card.

"Why Stan," it said, "that's exactly what I have!"

Ittook a card from its hand and showed it to him.

"See this?" it chuckled. "It's a Magic Card called Contract With Exodia!"

"What?" gasped Stan. "Contract With Exodia? What the sam-hill is that?"

"A very powerful Magic Card," laughed End. "So powerful, that in order to play it, all five of my Exodia cards had to be in the Graveyard!

"You see Stan, Exodia has more than one power… A duelist automatically wins if he holds all five pieces in his hand… But used in another way, the almighty Exodia is powerful, even if he's in the Graveyard!"

"So you put them there on purpose… to do what?" asked Stan, starting to sweat.

End played the card… The room darkened…

A glowing circle surrounded them, and the interior of the circle formed a glowing five-pointed star!

A huge shadow arose, and it formed into a hulking shape…

"I summon the almighty Exodia Necross!" shouted End.

The creature in front of Stan was at least twenty feet tall, hulking, with black skin the texture of steel, surrounded by an aura of dark energy. And its appearance…

"It looks just like… Exodia!" gasped Francesca.

"That's because it _is_ Exodia," laughed End, "or at least his avatar of sorts…"

(1,800/0)

"Wait a second…" muttered Andy. "That thing only has 1,800 Attack Points! Stan can crush it!"

"Maybe…" chuckled End. "But first… Exodia Necross, attack his Skilled White Magician with your mighty fist!"

Exodia Necross roared, and lunged at Skilled White Magician…

"I activate Negate Attack!" shouted Stan.

His Trap Card lifted. Skilled White Magician braced himself, as Necross's huge fist slammed against an invisible barrier.

"Ah, well," sighed End. "Close but no cigar… That's my turn."

"I'm not fooled by your Exodia Necross's apparent weakness," accused Stan. "I'm sure it's hiding a dark secret!"

"Well, it is a… _Dark_ Monster…" agreed End.

Stan drew.

_I've got to try something…_ he thought.

"Since three Magic Cards have been played, I can now sacrifice Skilled White Magician for Buster Blader!" he shouted.

Skilled White Magician vanished, and the mighty Warrior appeared. (2,600/2,300)

"Gemini Elf!" he shouted. "Attack Exodia Necross!"

Gemini Elf shot forth their lightning bolts, striking the beast…

But it merely shrugged them off. End's Life Points fell to 6,000.

"Heh, heh…" chuckled End. "Why don't you try again?"

Stan looked a little worried…

"Buster Blader, _you_ attack it!" shouted Stan.

Buster Blader leapt up, and slashed at the great beast with his sword, causing sparks to fly…

But again, Necross was unharmed. End's Life Points were reduced to 5,200.

"Getting the picture?" chuckled End. "So long as the five pieces of Exodia are in my Graveyard, Exodia Necross can't be destroyed in battle! It also can't be destroyed by Magic or Trap Cards! It's indestructible!"

Stan looked at him hard.

"Fine," he snarled. "It's your move…"

"Then I draw…" said End, drawing. "And a little thing I forgot to mention… on each one of my turns, its Attack rises by 500 points!"

Necross's Attack grew to 2,300.

"Now my Monster, attack his Gemini Elf!"

Necross struck with its fist, flattening the two elves!

Stan's Life Points dropped to 7,600.

"Your move…" chuckled End, "unless you want to give up now…"

Stan made a draw.

"_Stan…"_ said Dark Magician. _"This creature is powerful… But there is a card in your hand that we can use to harm our opponent greatly…"_

"_Yeah,"_ replied Stan. _"I see what you mean…"_

Stan fit a Magic Card into a slot.

"I play the Magic Card, Shrink!" he exclaimed, which will reduce your Necross's Attack down to 1,150!"

Necross didn't actually reduce in size, but its Attack Score did halve.

"Heh," chuckled End. "Gozaburo's opponent did the exact same thing!"

"Did he do this?" asked Stan. "Now I'm paying 1,000 Life Points to activate my Deckmaster's special ability!"

His Life Points fell to 6,600.

"It lets me use the effect of Shrink a second time!"

Exodia Necross lowered to an Attack of 575.

"I noticed that you still took damage when I attacked your Necross with a stronger Monster…" said Stan with a smirk. "So, Buster Blader, attack!"

Buster Blader swung his sword, and again sparks flew! End's Life Points fell to 3,125.

"Now I'll place one card facedown, and end my turn by summoning Mystical Elf in Defense Mode."

A card appeared in front of him, and Mystical Elf appeared in her praying position. (800/2,000)

"That was clever, Stan," chuckled End, "but it was too little too late, and I doubt you can do it again…"

He drew a card.

"Now my turn starts, and not only does your Shrink effect wear off, but Necross rises to 2,800 Attack!

"Necross, obliterate his Buster Blader!"

Necross threw a mighty punch, and Buster Blader shattered!

Stan shielded himself, as his Life Points fell to 6,400.

"Your move…" chuckled End.

Stan drew and grumbled.

"I'll pass this turn…" he sighed.

"Then I'll move…" chuckled End, "and now Necross is even stronger…"

(3,300/0)

"Even better Stan, look what I just drew!"

He showed him the card…

Change of Heart.

"NO!" screamed Francesca. "He's going to move Mystical Elf out of the way so he can attack Stan directly!"

"That's right!" laughed End, playing the card.

The demonic spirit flew towards Mystical Elf…

"Not so fast!" shouted Stan. "I activate Spell Shield Type-8!"

His Trap Card lifted, and a weird machine appeared in front on Mystical Elf. It spun in a strange pattern, and Change of Heart shattered.

"Okay, you escaped that one…" growled End. "Necross, destroy his Elf!"

Exodia Necross threw his mighty fist forward and blasted apart Mystical Elf!

"Make your move…" dared End.

Stan drew.

"I play Graceful Charity!" he exclaimed.

The angel flew out of his deck, and handed him three cards.

He quickly handed her two of the ones in his hand.

"I'll place one card facedown," he said, placing a card into a slot.

Another facedown card appeared.

"And now I'll summon Goombella the Scholar in Defense Mode!"

He played the card, and Goombella materialized.

"This lets me use her Tattle!" exclaimed Stan.

Goombella hopped on his shoulders, and the top four cards lifted off of his deck.

Stan smiled as he saw one. He made one adjustment, and then they flew back.

Goombella moved back into position.

"Your move," said Stan with a smile.

"What could Stan be planning?" asked Andy, as The End of Anubis drew.

The beast's Attack Score rose to 3,800.

"It better be something good!" gasped Francesca.

"Necross, flatten his mushroom!" shouted End.

Exodia Necross charged forward.

"Activate… Spellbinding Circle!" shouted Stan.

Necross froze in place, as the shimmering pentagram surrounded it!

"See?" chuckled Stan. "I may not be able to destroy it with Trap Cards, but I can halt its attacks!"

"Can you?" chuckled End.

He fit a card into a slot.

"I play… Remove Trap!"

The Spellbinding Circle shattered.

"Remove Trap?" said Stan, almost laughing. "Someone actually uses that old card?"

"Yes, antiquated I know," answered End, "but effective. I know that Exodia Necross can be hindered by Continuous Magic and Trap Cards… And I'm allowed to have three copies each of Remove Trap and De-Spell in my deck, unlike Heavy Storm and Mystical Space Typhoon.

"And it's your move."

Stan drew.

"Well then, I think I know Exodia Necross's weakness…" he stated.

"Do tell…" chuckled End.

"You said that in order to summon him, you needed all five pieces of Exodia in your Graveyard," started Stan. "So I'm betting that if I take those pieces out, it'll go away! Am I warm?"

"You're red hot!" laughed End.

"Well then…" said Stan with a smile.

He fit the card he had just drawn into a slot.

"I play Soul Release!"

The card revealed itself…

"Will you now?" laughed End.

The Fiend pointed, and the Soul Release card was smashed to bits!

"WHAT?" gasped Stan. "HOW?"

"HA, HA, HA, HA, HA!" laughed The End of Anubis. "Did you forget we were playing via the Deckmaster system Stan? My Deckmaster ability negates and destroys any Magic or Trap Card my opponent uses that affects a Graveyard!

"I, on the other hand, can use any such cards I want… Not that I need to!"

The demon chuckled.

"It is true that if even one piece of Exodia is removed from the Graveyard, Exodia Necross is destroyed. That's its weakness. So that's why the Shadow Queen chose me as her Exodia duelist! With my Deckmaster ability, Exodia Necross is truly indestructible!"

"We'll see about that…" snarled Stan.

"What do you mean?" answered End.

"The problem with you, pal," replied Stan, "is that Exodia Necross is the only offensive weapon in your whole deck. The rest of your cards are concentrated on summoning and protecting it. Only a fool relies on one powerful Monster to win a duel.

"Make your move…"

"I will!" shouted End.

It drew, and Necross grew to 4,300 Attack!

"Destroy Goombella!" he shouted.

Exodia Necross flattened the Goomba.

"Now what?" said Francesca, almost crying. "How on earth is he going to beat that thing?"

"I wish I knew…" muttered Andy.

Stan wished he knew too…

He thought back to what the Fiend had said after his first attack on Exodia Necross had failed…

"_So long as the five pieces of Exodia are in my Graveyard, Exodia Necross can't be destroyed in battle! It also can't be destroyed by Magic or Trap Cards! It's indestructible!"_

Stan paused.

_Hold on,_ he though. _Something's missing from that…_

He reached for his deck.

"_Stan,"_ said Dark Magician's voice. _"It may be that Exodia Necross has a weakness that even this maniac is unaware of… There is a card in your deck that may exploit this weakness. Trust in your deck, and it will come to you…"_

Stan paused again.

"_Yeah…"_ he answered. _"I get it… but first, I have to draw it…"_

Stan closed his eyes and drew.

_Well, that's halfway there…_ he thought, looking at it.

"I'll place a Monster in Defense Mode and end my turn," he said.

He put a card on his Disk, and a facedown Monster appeared.

End drew, and Necross grew to 4,800 Attack.

"Haven't given up yet?" he laughed. "Exodia Necross is unbeatable! Attack his facedown Monster, my beast!"

Exodia Necross threw his fist…

A female magician dressed in purple robes with long blonde hair carrying a fancy staff appeared. She cringed and was blown away.

"You destroyed my Apprentice Magician," stated Stan. "And when she's destroyed, I can search my deck for a Spellcaster of two stars or less, and summon it in facedown Defense Mode."

A card slipped out of his Disk, and he set it down on his Disk. Another facedown Monster appeared.

The End of Anubis chuckled.

"I know your plan, Stan," he chuckled. "That's Magician of Faith, isn't it? You're going to use her to get back your Shrink card, so you can pull that trick with your Deckmaster again!"

"Maybe!" answered Stan.

"Well, this will discourage you!" laughed End, showing him two cards.

They were two Magic Jammer Traps.

"Huh?" gasped Stan.

End placed them in slots.

"Just in case you try to blow them away with Heavy Storm!" it chuckled, as they appeared. "Now make your move…"

Stan sighed and drew a card…

"I summon Magician's Valkyria in Defense Mode…" he said with a heaving sigh.

Valkyria appeared, kneeling in Defense. (1,600/1,800)

"Magician's Valkyria?" said End in surprise. "Wow, that card is super-mega-rare! I can't wait to crush her!"

He drew one card… Exodia Necross grew to 5,300 Attack.

And The End of Anubis laughed harder than he ever had!

"Look at what I just drew, Stan!" he laughed, showing him the card.

"NO!" screamed Stan. "Not Fairy's Meteor Crush!"

Andy and Francesca gasped.

"That's right," laughed End, playing the card, "and I'll Equip it to my Necross!"

Exodia Necross glowed with purple fire!

"Now," giggled the Fiend, "I could do a lot of damage to you by obliterating your Magician of Faith… But I think I'll wipe out your Valkyria first. After all, I love crushing ultimate rare cards much more than I do commons! Necross, flatten his Valkyria!"

Exodia Necross threw a mighty punch! Magician's Valkyria screamed and was blasted apart!

Stan's Life Points fell to 2,900.

"Well Stan…" said the Fiend with a grin, "that's my turn… But your Magician of Faith is next, and if memory serves me correctly, she has only 400 Defense Points! Next turn, Exodia Necross will have an Attack Score of 5,800, meaning you'll lose 5,400 Life Points and lose!"

Stan made a draw.

He looked at the Monster on the card.

_Please let me be right…_ he thought.

"This isn't Magician of Faith, End," he said with a smirk, "you only _assumed_ that…"

"What?" replied End. "Then what the heck is… Oh… no…"

Stan hit a command on his Disk, and the facedown Monster flipped into Attack Mode…

"Reveal… Old Vindictive Magician!" he shouted.

The wizened old witch doctor in colorful clothes with his exotic staff appeared. (450/600)

Old Vindictive Magician cast his powerful spell, and shot a beam of energy at Exodia Necross! The great beast howled… and shattered!

"AAARRRGHH!" screamed the Fiend.

"You said that Exodia Necross couldn't be destroyed in battle, by Trap Cards, or by Magic Cards," said Stan, calmly, "but you said nothing about Monster Effects. So I was able to figure out its other weakness…

"And since you were dumb enough to tell me that those two Trap Cards are Magic Jammers, I can safely finish this!"

He switched cards on his Disk.

"I sacrifice Old Vindictive Magician to summon Dark Magician Girl!"

Old Vindictive Magician vanished in a sparkle of light, and Dark Magician Girl appeared in a flurry of hearts. (2,000/1,700)

"And now," continued Stan, "I call my Deckmaster to the field! You're on, Dark Magician!"

Dark Magician leapt up in the air, made a flip, and landed beside his apprentice. (2,500/2,100)

The two Magicians looked at each other and nodded.

"Go!" shouted Stan. "Attack that thing directly with double dark magic attack!"

Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl put their staffs together and fired a burning beam of dark energy! The End of Anubis screamed as its Life Points were reduced to zero…

It fell to his knees, and smoke rose from its form…

And then it shattered, just as its Monster did…

Stan took a deep breath.

"What do you suppose happened to him?" asked Francesca.

"Don't know, don't care…" sighed Stan. "Hopefully, he'll have learned his lesson, and we won't be seeing him again…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The Shadow Queen walked down a long hallway with her children close behind. They had their Duel Disks strapped to their arms.

They entered a large chamber full of screens. She snapped her fingers, and pictures of people appeared on the screens. On the three largest screens were three of the greatest duelists in the world… Yugi Mouto, Seto Kaiba, and Joey Wheeler.

One, a boy who held the spirit of a heroic Pharaoh within him who had once saved the world; the second an expert strategist and planner who lived for games of all types; the third a tough-as-nails youth with legendary luck.

The Queen turned to her children.

"Kids," she said. "I'm not going to lie to you… Once we complete our goals, we have to do away with any potential threats. And these will be the biggest threats once we leave this place.

"A question… Do you have any idea why these three duelists succeeded so often and defeated countless adversaries?"

"Uh," said Melissa. "Because their opponents were big idiots who kept making dumb mistakes?"

The other five Spawn gave her a look…

"Actually…" answered the Queen, "yes! Although their own strategies did have something to do with it…"

The screens flashed.

"The history of these three is full of fools who could have beaten them if they hadn't screwed up and reviewed their strategies a bit more carefully…"

A picture of Marik Ishtar (as he appeared with his dark side dominant) appeared on a screen.

"Marik Ishtar's dark side was a prime example," said the Queen. "When he faced Yugi in the final battle, his entire deck revolved around summoning and strengthening his Egyptian God Card, The Winged Dragon of Ra. Ra is indeed powerful, but even I wouldn't have relied on it for everything. As our… friend The End of Anubis just illustrated, concentrating on one powerful Monster is a sure way to lose."

She growled.

"Let's watch another duel where a _stupid_ mistake changed the whole course of history…"

A duel appeared on a large screen. One of the duelists was Kaiba. The other was not immediately recognizable.

Strangely, the whole arena was surrounded by a strange green circle, forming a pentagram.

"Now, I'll bring you up to where we are at this point. Kaiba's opponent is a guy named Alister, one of Dartz's Three Swordsmen. He had lured Kaiba to Duelist Kingdom by impersonating Pegasus.

"See that weird circle surrounding them? That's the work of an enchanted card that Alister has called The Seal of Orichalcos.

"It would take too long to fully explain it, so I'll give you the basics – its magic gives Alister's Monsters a 500-point bonus to their Attack, the Seal prevents both duelists from escaping…

"And whoever loses the duel… loses his soul."

"Cool!" exclaimed Maria. "Why can't we use stuff like that?"

"The Seal of Orichalcos also slowly drives whoever uses it insane," noted the Queen. "We don't want to mess with that. Now note that Kaiba's only defense right now is Versago the Destroyer… Kaiba has 2,000 Life Points, and Alister has 2,200.

"Tyson, I believe you'll recognize the Monster Alister is about to summon…"

Alister summoned a Monster… A hideous-looking Fire Fiend with a blazing sword.

"Yeah, that's a Gorlag," said Tyson. "It only has 1,000 Attack Points, but it gains 500 for every Fire Monster on the field, itself included."

"Plus another 500 from the Orichalcos," added the Queen.

They watched as Alister's Gorlag destroyed Versago.

Then a form appeared on Alister's side. It was Versago.

"Yep, just like clockwork, the Monster Gorlag destroys appears on the user's side, and its Attribute is changed to Fire," added Tyson.

"Indeed," said the Queen. "So now Gorlag has 2,500 Attack Points. Plus, Versago gains 500 from the Orichalcos, for a total of 1,600. Now it's Kaiba's move."

Kaiba played one card facedown, and then summoned Pitch Dark Dragon in Defense Mode.

"I'm wagering that facedown card is Kaiba's Crush Card," noted Vladimir.

"It is," answered the Queen. "And Alister knew that too. He had studied Kaiba extensively…

"Uh, I think we can fast-forward this part… It's just a bunch of rants by Alister about why he hated Kaiba…"

The image on the screen sped up.

"Stupid, stupid…" said the Queen. "More stupid… I really hate it when the villaingives dumb speeches. So unprofessional..."

The action stopped.

"Okay, here we are," said the Queen. "Here's where Alister _totally_ screws up…"

They watched as Alister activated his facedown card – Royal Decree.

"That seems like a smart move to me…" noted Kurtis.

"Just wait…" sighed the Queen.

Alister ordered Gorlag to attack Pitch Dark Dragon and destroyed it. Then he attacked directly with Versago, bringing Kaiba's Life Points down to 400.

Then Pitch Dark Dragon appeared on Alister's side, powering up Gorlag even more.

"How did Alister screw up?" asked Leopold.

The Shadow Queen sighed.

"Can anyone tell me what the idiot did wrong?" she asked.

All of the Spawn looked at each other…

"Sibs…" said Vladimir, "Pitch Dark Dragon had only 600 Defense Points. Alister could have destroyed it with Versago and then attacked Kaiba directly with Gorlag, wiping away 2,500 of his Life Points, which was more than he had! He could have won right there!"

"Exactly!" said the Queen, throwing up her arms. "He threw a victory away! You can't afford to make such boneheaded moves when the stakes are this high!"

"Well, come on mum," persuaded Maria. "We want to see how this ended…"

"Very well," said the Queen. "Let's watch the rest…"

They watched as Kaiba played his White Dragon Ritual, sacrificing his Blue Eyes from his hand to summon Paladin of White Dragon; then he played Monster Reborn to summon the Blue Eyes. He attacked the Pitch Dark Dragon with the Paladin, bringing Gorlag down to 2,500 Attack, and then attacked Gorlag with the Blue Eyes, destroying it and Versago.

Alister's Life Points were now at 1,200, and as Kaiba ended his turn, Paladin's effect allowed him to sacrifice it for a second Blue Eyes.

But then Alister turned the tables. He played Aetonix's Flame, destroying the two Dragons, AND reviving Gorlag. Then he played Fire Whip, summoning the two Blue Eyes to his side and changing their Attribute to Fire. The Orichalcos also increased their Attack to 3,500 apiece.

"Good lord!" squeaked Melissa. "How did Kaiba survive!"

"Well," said the Queen, "since Alister played Aetonix's Flame, he couldn't attack that round, but Kaiba thought he was doomed – he knew he didn't have a card in his entire deck that could get him out of this one…

"But, you know when someone is facing insurmountable odds, and people say, 'May Heaven help him'? Well, Heaven decided to help him. The gods of Duel Monsters found Kaiba worthy…"

They watched as Kaiba made his draw.

"…and that's when Kaiba met Critias!"

They all watched as Kaiba merged his Crush Card with the Fang of Critias, forming Doom Virus Dragon!

"Critias is a magical card that can fuse with any Trap to form a powerful Monster," explained the Queen. "Although that Dragon only had 1,900 Attack Points, summoning it destroyed every opposing Monster with more than 1,500 Attack Points!"

The two Blue Eyes and the Gorlag were vaporized, and Kaiba prepared to attack…

"Certainly," continued the Queen, "Alister would have fallen victim to his own Seal, if he hadn't a Quickplay Magic Card prepared…"

Alister's facedown card lifted.

"Contagion of Madness?" asked Tyson. "What's that?"

"It isn't exactly common," answered Vladimir. "You can activate it when you take damage, and your opponent takes half the damage you take."

Both Alister and Kaiba were thrown backwards, and the Seal of Orichalcos vanished.

"As you can see, that duel ended in a draw," explained the Queen, "and as powerful as the Seal is, it cannot steal two souls at once – ending in a draw is the only way for both duelists to escape unharmed…

"But the fact remains… If Alister had not been a total moron with that move, history would have been _very_ different!"

She turned to the Spawn.

"If we are to succeed in our goals, we cannot repeat the mistakes that people like this made. We must be smart where they were stupid…

"And I thought a little practice might help…"

"Practice?" asked Melissa.

"Yes," replied the Queen. "The magic in this chamber can produce illusory replicas of these duelists for you to practice against. So when you go up against the real thing, you won't be caught by surprise. I've programmed their strategies, decks, and even personalities…

"I think it might even be… enjoyable…"

Leopold chuckled.

"I'll give it a try, mom," he laughed. "Set me up against Wheeler… he shouldn't be too hard."

"As you wish," said the Queen with a smile.

She waved her hand, and Joey Wheeler appeared, Duel Disk in hand.

He grinned, and gave a thumbs-up to Leopold.

"Just remember, Leopold," warned the Queen, "this is still a duel, and the Disks work just as well as they do with living opponents. If you want to end the duel prematurely, just say 'abort'."

Leopold and the virtual Joey activated the Disks, and "Joey" drew his first hand.

"I'll start this off, Leo," chuckled "Joey", drawing his first card.

He looked at it.

"Um, eheh…" he said nervously.

He played a card.

"I'll play one card facedown, and that will be my turn."

Leopold laughed out loud.

"What's the matter, Wheeler, have a bad first hand?" he laughed.

The illusory duelist stared at him…

Leopold made a draw.

"I'll play Gaia Power," he chuckled, fitting a card into his Field slot, "which increases the Attack of all my Earth Monsters by 500 at a cost of 400 Defense…"

A ring of trees surrounded them.

"Now I'll summon… Two-Headed King Rex!" he shouted.

The powerful, double-headed Dinosaur appeared. (1,600/1,200) –) (2,100/800)

"Attack him directly!" cackled Leopold.

The Dinosaur charged forward.

"Activate Scapegoat!" shouted "Joey".

His facedown card lifted, and four fluffy sheep appeared. Two-Headed King Rex snapped up one of them.

Leopold growled.

"Okay, make your move…" he said.

"With pleasure…" said "Joey", drawing.

He put a card down.

"I summon Panther Warrior in Attack Mode!" he exclaimed.

The feral, cat-like Beast-Warrior with his armor, cape, and sword leapt into view.

"And in case you didn't realize it," laughed "Joey", "he's an Earth Monster too!"

(2,000/1,600) –) (2,500/1,200)

"HA, HA, HA!" laughed Melissa. "Looks like Joey was leading you right into that one, Leopold!"

"Shut up!" shouted Leopold.

"Now I'll sacrifice one Scapegoat so he can attack!" laughed his opponent.

A second Scapegoat vanished, and with one swing of his sword, Panther Warrior cleaved the Dinosaur in half, reducing Leopold's Life Points to 7,600.

"'Kay…" chuckled "Joey", "I'll place another card facedown and end my turn…"

Another facedown card appeared.

"Be careful, Leopold," warned Vladimir. "Wheeler can be crafty when he wants to be…"

"Don't worry," said Leopold, as he drew, "I already have a backup plan…"

He fit a card into a slot.

"I'll play Graceful Charity!"

The angel appeared, and handed him three cards. He quickly gave her his Little D. and Uraby.

"Next," he said, "I'll play Soul Release, removing from play Two-Headed King Rex, Little D., and Uraby…"

He played the card, and transferred the three cards from his Graveyard to the removal slot.

"And now I'll summon Tyranno Infinity!" he shouted.

He placed a card down, and the huge, multicolored Dinosaur appeared in front of him. (3,000/0) –) (3,500/0)

"Go!" he shouted. "Devour his Panther Warrior!"

Tyranno Infinity roared…

"Activate… Kunai With Chain!" shouted "Joey".

His Trap lifted, and a bladed boomerang with a chain attached to it appeared in Panther Warrior's hand. He hurled it, grabbing the huge Dinosaur by the neck!

"Now your big bad dino can't attack, and my Panther gets even stronger!" laughed "Joey".

Panther Warrior's Attack climbed to 3,000.

"Big deal!" shouted Leopold. "He's still too weak to destroy my Dinosaur…"

"We'll see…" said Joey, drawing.

"Hee, hee, Pot of Greed time!" he said, playing the Magic Card.

"Must he be this annoying?" said Leopold, turning to his mother.

"The real Joey Wheeler _is_ this annoying," answered the Shadow Queen. "If you can't get used to it, you haven't a chance against the real one!"

"Joey" drew two cards.

"I play Giant Trunade!" he exclaimed.

He played the card, and Gaia Power and the Kunai with Chain was blown off the field. Panther Warrior's stats were changed to (2,000/1,700), while Tyranno Infinity's were reduced to (3,000/0).

"Next," stated Joey, "I'll summon Gearfried the Iron Knight…"

He put a card down, and Gearfried appeared. (1,800/1,600)

"Now I play… Shield and Sword!"

He played the card and Leopold gasped! The Attack and Defense of all three Monsters on the field were flip-flopped, Panther Warrior becoming (1,700/2,000), Gearfried becoming (1,600/1,800), and his Dinosaur becoming (0/3000)

"Gearfried, take down that dino!" shouted "Joey".

Gearfried swung his mighty blade, and Tyranno Infinity was blown apart!

"Now…" laughed Joey, "goodbye Scapegoat, hello Panther!"

Another Scapegoat vanished, and Panther Warrior charged, slashing at Leopold with his sword!

Leopold's Life Points plummeted to 4,300.

"Ready to throw in the towel, Leo?" mocked his opponent.

"This _isn't_ 'enjoyable'!" growled Leopold, making a draw.

He snarled…

"I summon a Monster in Defense Mode…" he growled, placing a card down.

A hidden Monster appeared.

"Great," chuckled Joey.

He placed a card on his Disk.

"I summon Hayabusa Knight!" he exclaimed.

A tall Warrior in armor with a hawk's head, carrying a rapier appeared. (1,000/700)

"Attack his facedown Monster!" shouted "Joey".

Hayabusa Knight flew forward. Mammoth Graveyard appeared, and was blown to pieces.

"I figured that Monster couldn't defend worth beans…" chuckled "Joey". "Now, Hayabusa Knight, direct attack!"

Hayabusa Knight attacked again, and Leopold screamed!

"Gearfried, Panther Warrior, finish him off!"

The last Scapegoat vanished, and the two Monsters plowed into Leopold. He howled as his Life Points hit zero and he was thrown on his back.

"Joey" grinned and gave another thumbs-up before he vanished.

"Bravo…" said the Queen, clapping. "That may have been the most pathetic display I've ever seen from you, Leopold…"

"He had a lot of lucky draws…" moaned Leopold.

"The real Joey is just as lucky…" noted the Queen.

"I could have taken him down…" said Maria. "I wouldn't have been stupid enough to play Gaia Power against him – everyone knows that most of his Warriors are Earth."

"You want to make a bet on that, Maria?" shouted Leopold.

"Yes, Maria, prove to your brother that you aren't a lot of hot air…" said the Queen. "Get up here…"

Maria gulped and stepped up to where Leopold had been.

"Because you're all going to do this until you get better…" warned the Queen.

**0**

**0**

**0**

"**Dark Magician":** Spellcaster/Dark, Level 7, (2,500/2,100)

Deckmaster SA: "Magic User": Spend 1,000 Life Points to use one Normal or Quickplay Magic card a second time in row.

_Note: Yugi used Dark Magician as his Deckmaster in the multipart anime episode "Merger of the Big Five". All creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0**

**0**

**0**

"**The End of Anubis":** Fiend/Dark, Level 6, (2,500/0)

Deckmaster SA: "Defiler": You can negate and destroy any Magic or Trap Card your opponent uses that effects a Graveyard or cards in a Graveyard. You can still use any such cards yourself.

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**Coming up next…**_

_**Again, we give our heroes (and the Spawn) a break, as we check in on another of the finalists…**_

**_A legally inclined Monster confronts Raven and forces her to confront her illicit past, in a trial by combat. It's a chapter called "Legal Maneuvers", and it's coming soon._**


	42. Legal Manuvers

_**Before I begin, I'd like to point out that I've taken a few liberties with one card. I'm using anime rules.**_

_**So, on with the show.**_

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**My name is Raven… Don't expect me to give you any name other than that.**_

_**Life dealt me a cruel blow when I was a kid, due to a corrupt society full of lazy, rich snobs. To survive it, I had to take what I wanted from those who didn't deserve it.**_

_**Madripor is long behind me, and I thought I was done with trials. Seems I was wrong.**_

_**I got into the Thousand Year Door, and now some chick with wings has decided to prosecute me. I mustadmit her jurisdiction is more fair than most of the ones I'm used to – at least here I have some means of defense.**_

_**But I still don't like it. These types of places chafe me.**_

_**And if anyone is going to throw the book at me, it isn't going to be this weirdo…**_

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER FORTY-ONE**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Legal Maneuvers**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

It was around the same time as Francesca's duel with Jackson, on the previous day.

A figure in a cowl and cloak was carefully making her way through a dark part of the Palace of Shadow.

Raven would never admit it to anyone, but she was nervous. The filthy streets of the poor sections of Madripor were one thing – creepy haunted dungeons were quite another.

She took a small object out of her pouch. I was a black gem that seemed to glow with an uncanny aura. Her last opponent had called it the Onyx Star, and it had gotten her past the Thousand Year Door.

Her last opponent was one of her toughest…

Once she got seven cards, an Interdimensional Matter Transporter had taken her to a secret grove in Boggly Woods. There she met an odd creature. Had Stan managed to summon Vivian during their duel, she might have compared the creature to her…

But this creature, who called herself Beldam, was much older-looking, and not nearly as cute. Still loyal to the Shadow Queen, she had been granted immortality – but eternal life didn't come with eternal youth. Youth would be given back on the condition that no-one got the Onyx Star.

Raven told her that she'd be disappointed. But she was in for a struggle…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Archfiend Soldier, attack her Life Points directly!" cackled Beldam.

Raven cringed as the Fiend struck her with his Sword and her Life Points tumbled to 2,000.

"Has it sunk in yet, dearie?" laughed the witch. "I have 3,000 Life Points more than you do, and you don't even _have_ a Monster stronger than the one I have on the field now!"

"Strength isn't everything…" muttered Raven, making a draw.

She played a card.

"I play Swords of Revealing Light!" she shouted.

The glowing swords crashed down around Beldam.

"That will hold you," sneered Raven. "Make your move."

"Fine," chuckled Beldam. "I'll pass the time by summoning a few more Monsters…"

She gestured, and a card flew off of her deck and into her hand.

"Opticlops, in Attack Mode," she chuckled, placing a card down.

The huge, muscular, cyclopsed Fiend appeared. (1,800/1,700)

"That's it for my move…" she chuckled.

Raven drew one card.

_Good…_ she thought. _This will give that crone a rude awakening…_

She put a card down.

"I summon Dark Scorpion Shanna the Quick in Defense Mode," she stated.

She placed a card down, and the young teenage thief appeared, kneeling and shielding herself. (1,300/500)

"Interesting," chuckled Beldam. "But next time, you might want to think about defending with a Monster who has more Defense Points!"

"Just move…" growled Raven.

"Gladly…" snarled Beldam, as another card flew into her hand. "Don't tell me what to do…"

She looked at the card.

And then she let loose an evil cackle!

She placed a card down.

"I summon my Goblin King in Attack Mode!" she laughed.

The dark, ornate throne rose up, holding the small, royally dressed Goblin.

"And since I have two other Fiends on the field, his Attack and Defense are both 2,000!" laughed Beldam. "Plus, you can't attack him until you destroy my other Fiends! Not like that's going to happen!"

"I dunno…" sighed Raven. "I have a sneaking suspicion that I can take him down…"

She drew a card.

"All right!" she announced. "I'm moving Shanna into Attack Mode!"

She turned her card, and Shanna stood up, brandishing her daggers.

"And now I summon this guy in Attack Mode… Dark Scorpion Tornas the Joker!"

She placed a card down, and the young urchin in ragged clothing appeared. (300/300)

"Ha!" laughed Beldam. "Your Tornas is no stronger than a Kuriboh!"

"Oh really?" answered Raven. "Tornas, attack her Opticlops!"

"What?" shouted Raven as Tornas leapt forward.

Opticlops fired a burning beam of energy from its eye, and Tornas was blown to bits!

Raven's Life Points fell to 500.

"You want to explain why you did that?" chuckled Beldam.

"Simple," said Raven with a smirk. "When Tornas is destroyed in battle, all other Dark Scorpions on my side of the field have their Attack Score increased to 3,000 for the rest of the turn!"

Shanna's Attack went up…

"And that's not all," continued Raven, discarding a card. "By discarding one Monster Card, I can have Shanna attack _three_ times in one round!"

Beldam gasped…

"Shanna, attack her Archfiend Soldier!" shouted Raven.

Shanna leapt forward and stabbed the Archfiend, destroying it!

"AND her Opticlops!"

Shanna slashed at the Opticlops, blowing it away!

Beldam's Life Points fell to 2,700…

"And now that you have NO other Fiends," chuckled Raven. "Goblin King's Attack Score is…

"…zero…"

Beldam screamed as Shanna drove her daggers into the diminutive monarch, blowing him to shards! Beldam's Life Points fell to zero, and she collapsed…

Smoke rose from the wicked hag, and she vanished…

A sparkling shower of motes came from the roof of the grove, and the glowing Onyx Star lowered into Raven's hands. It tingled when she touched it…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_Well,_ thought Raven, _I'm here, and so far, meeting up with that creepy Dragon was the most interesting thing that happened…_

_This place looks expensive… Wonder if there's anything worth lifting here…_

A door appeared in front of here.

_Well, that looks unusual…_ she thought.

She opened it.

She entered what looked like a stuffy office. Bookshelves lined the walls, and a very fancy desk was in the center. A flag was next to the desk (no nationality – it was simply sky blue), and the desk was loaded with papers and pens, a few of them _very_ old fashioned.

Raven went to the bookshelf and took down two of the books.

_Law books?_ she thought, looking at them.

"This isn't a library, Raven," said a stern, female voice. "Please put down my books, most of them haven't been made obsolete yet. Now have a seat in front of the desk, please…"

"And what if I don't want to?" asked Raven.

For a second there was no reply…

Then the chair in the front of the desk turned, and sped towards her! It did a one-eighty, and hit her from behind! She fell into it, and it carried her back to its previous position.

"Ow…" muttered Raven. "You want to warn me before you do that again?"

"Quiet!" ordered the voice.

A beam of light appeared in front of her, and an intimidating form appeared on the other side of the desk…

It was a woman, and even sitting down, she was tall. She had sapphire blue skin, and wore robes and jewelry that suggested ancient Egypt. Most remarkably, she had huge wings coming out of her back with blue feathers.

"What are you?" asked Raven, in awe.

"I take it no-one's ever used me against you in a duel," responded the creature. "Good thing too, because that would have been a duel you'd have painfully lost. I'm known as The Agent of Judgment – Saturn."

"Agent of Judgment?" stammered Raven. "That doesn't sound good."

"Just call me Saturn, everyone does," responded the Agent, putting on a pair of reading glasses. "Now I wouldn't try leaving, because even if you could get away from me, which you can't, no one can leave this chamber unless I allow it. So let's just look at your record, shall we…"

She picked up a folder and skimmed through it.

"Okay, here we are…" said Saturn. "Boy, this is pretty long… sixty-three counts of pickpocketing, forty counts of breaking and entering, thirty-eight counts of burglary…"

"HEY!" shouted Raven. "That's none of your business!"

"I'm afraid I have to disagree with you there, Raven," answered Saturn. "Bringing criminals to justice has been my business for several millennia… Agent of_ Judgment_, get the picture?"

Raven was silenced, and the Agent continued.

"Ten counts of armed robbery, three counts of assault and battery, one count of extortion…"

"That's a dirty lie!" shouted Raven. "I never committed extortion!"

Saturn glared at her for a second.

She threw a set of photographs at Raven.

"Do THESE jog your memory?" asked Saturn.

Raven let out a squeak of fear…

No one had ever connected this to her… In fact, she had burned all the copies she had kept, and she figured the negatives were still in some vault in some Madripor records archive…

"You remember, don't you?" asked Saturn. "A judge had sentenced you to be tortured. Stick and the rest of your group saved you from a lot of pain, but you wanted revenge. So you took these photos of that judge in an indecent act with a woman who wasn't his wife. Then you sent him copies, telling him that you'd send the negatives to the town council if he didn't fork over a year's salary.

"You knew that adultery was unforgivable among the brass in Madripor. So naturally, the guy was scared out of his mind, and he did what you told him to do…

"And to make matters worse, after he had done it, you sent the negatives to the town council anyway… It ruined his life.

"You never even told your mentor that you had done it – you knew he wouldn't have approved."

"How did you get these?" growled Raven.

"I can get any evidence I want, Raven," answered Saturn. "No criminal can hide an incriminating piece of evidence from my powers. I'm not the average lawyer… I have divine powers when it comes to finding justice."

Raven paused.

"Hey," she snarled. "The only reason that guy was a judge anyway was because he had rigged an election! Even the other members of the ruling class hated him!"

"True, he was a criminal himself," agreed Saturn, nodding, "and an evil man. But two wrongs don't make a right, Raven."

She closed the file.

"So I'm going to give you one last chance, Raven," said Saturn. "Now we're either going to wipe your record clean, or punish you for it…

"…severely…"

She waved her hand, and the room started to change… The desk vanished, and the walls seemed to expand…

After about ten seconds, they were still in the office, but it had changed shape to a circular arena-like area. Saturn was now standing five meters from Raven, and she was wearing a Duel Disk.

Raven winced… The Duel Monster in front of her was nearly seven feet tall… Clearly, trying to escape by overpowering her was out of the question...

"Raven," said Saturn. "In ancient times, rulers often gave criminals the option of trial by combat. If the accused defeated his opponent, he would be acquitted; losing would mean conviction, if he even survived.

"So here's the deal, and I don't expect you to like it. Defeat me, and I'll acquit you of every crime you've ever committed. My authority on such matters is practically limitless. You must admit that I'm offering a far better deal than those judges ever gave you in Madripor."

"And if I lose?" asked Raven with a sneer. "I suppose I'll sentenced to hanging again?"

"The ruler of this Palace has no death penalty," answered Saturn. "But if you're convicted, your sentence will be to be tucked away in solitary confinement… forever."

Raven gulped.

"Now it's time to present your Deckmaster…" ordered Saturn. "After all, as the old saying goes, he who is her own lawyer has a fool for a client."

Raven pulled her deck out of her tray.

"This is a no-brainer…" she snarled, pulling out a card.

She lifted it up.

"I choose Don Zaloog!"

There was a flash of light, and the master of thieves appeared beside her.

"Very well," answered Saturn, as Raven reshuffled. "And I'll be serving as my own Deckmaster.

"Now let's duel!"

As they drew their first hands, Raven heard a voice behind her.

"Raven," said Don Zaloog's powerful voice. "Don't let this creature intimidate you. Just as your team stood by you in the past, I promise the Dark Scorpions will stand by you here."

Raven was a little stunned. She had used Don Zaloog a thousand times in her dueling career, but she had never expected him to talk.

She merely nodded.

"I'll start things off," said Saturn. "After all, the prosecution always presents its case before the defense…"

She drew her first card.

"And I'll summon this creature in Attack Mode," she stated. "Agido!"

She placed a card down on her Disk, and a weird creature appeared. It was spherical, with an orange covering and a large central eye. Strange claws and blades jutted out from its sides. (1,500/1,300)

"Now it's your move…" she stated.

Raven drew.

_Hmm, Chick the Yellow…_ she mused.

"If you summon a member of the Dark Scorpions," stated Don, "I can increase his or her Attack strength by 500 points."

"Great…" whispered Raven.

"I'll summon Dark Scorpion Chick the Yellow, in Attack Mode!" exclaimed Raven.

She put the card down, and the young, blonde teenager carrying a mallet appeared.

(1,000/1,000) –) (1,500/1,000)

"Clever," stated Saturn. "But that 'little boost', as you say, makes him and my Agido equally matched."

"Then I guess it's your move…" stated Raven.

Saturn drew a card.

"Now I'll summon Spirit of the Harp in Defense Mode," she stated.

She placed a card down, and a beautiful woman in a golden robe, holding a large harp appeared. (800/2,000)

"You seem to like Fairies a lot," remarked Raven.

"Technically, that's my own species," answered Saturn. "But between you and me, the Agents and other ones of my class don't like the term 'Fairy'. I mean, no one would call Shinato by such a frail term, would they? We prefer the terms 'celestial heralds', 'seraphim', that sort of thing… A few duelists even flatter us by calling us deities."

"Uh, you know Shinato?" stuttered Raven, in fear.

Did she have that Monster in her deck?

"We're not here to discuss my colleges, Raven, now move!" snapped Saturn.

Raven drew.

She switched cards on her Disk.

"I sacrifice Chick the Yellow to bring forth Gorg the Strong!" she shouted.

Chick shattered, and the muscular, bald-headed muscleman of the Dark Scorpions arose. (1,800/1,500) –) (2,300/1,500)

"Gorg, attack her Agido with Scorpion's crush!"

Gorg leapt forward and brought his mace down on the spherical Fairy, smashing it!

Saturn's Life Points fell to 7,200.

"And since he damaged your Life Points," said Raven with a smirk, "I can send your Spirit of the Harp back to the top of your deck!"

Spirit of the Harp vanished.

"Really…" muttered Saturn, "well, maybe Agido will be coming right back…"

A dice appeared in the air.

"I suggest you watch this dice, Raven," she continued. "When Agido is destroyed, it rolls, and I can then summon a Fairy from my Graveyard with the star level of the resulting roll."

"Agido is the only Fairy there," said Raven with a smirk. "You'd need an exact four to summon it."

"You never know…" answered Saturn.

The dice rolled.

And it landed on the two.

"Aw," said Raven. "Too bad…"

_Enjoy it while you can,_ thought Saturn. _Soon my secret weapon will take this duel by storm…_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Two sets of eyes were watching.

"Ah, Grodus, look at Saturn toy with that girl," chuckled the Shadow Queen. "I should know that even Fairies have a dark side…"

"Mmm," answered Grodus. "Any duelist will tell you that for a Fairy, Saturn is a cruel Monster… If she's used at the right time in the right way, her effect can wipe the user's opponent out."

"True," answered the Queen. "And she has a Monster in her deck that can be almost as powerful…

"Let's just see what develops…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Saturn drew one card.

"I'll summon Spirit of the Harp again, in Defense Mode," she said.

Spirit of the Harp reappeared.

"Now…" she stated.

She started to glow with a golden aura.

"…I'm activating my own Deckmaster ability!"

"Huh?" asked Raven. "What's it do?"

"It costs me 1,000 Life Points," answered Saturn, as her Life Points slipped to 6,200, "but now I can take a Monster or Magic Card from my deck…"

"Any at all?" gasped Raven. "That's crazy!"

A card slipped out of Saturn's deck.

"No, a _specific_ Monster or Magic Card," she said, adding it to her hand. "Being able to add any at all _would_ be crazy. Now I'm ending my turn."

Raven drew a card.

"I summon Dark Scorpion Meanae the Thorn!" she shouted.

She threw the card down, and the glamorous, female Warrior appeared, holding her whip! (1,000/1,800) –) (1,500/1,800)

"Gorg, take out Spirit of the Harp!" shouted Raven.

Gorg charged forward and obliterated the Spirit.

"Meanae, attack directly with Scorpion's lash!"

Meanae let out a squeal of delight, and lashed at Saturn with her whip! Saturn cringed as she was hit.

Her Life Points fell to 4,700.

"Are you done?" she asked, sarcastically.

"No…" chuckled Raven. "Since Meanae damaged your Life Points, I get to add another member of her team to my hand from my deck or Graveyard!"

A card slipped out of her deck.

_Shanna the Quick will end this in a hurry!_ she thought. _Especially since my Deckmaster can raise her Attack Score to 1,800!_

"It's my move!" said Saturn, drawing.

She drew one card.

"Since I used my Deckmaster ability last turn to get the Monster," she continued, "I'll use it on this turn to get the Magic Card!"

She glowed golden again, and her Life Points fell to 3,700. A card flew out of her deck.

She added it to her hand, and then looked at the field.

"Now then," she said, "I'll place one card facedown, and summon my Winged Kuriboh in Defense Mode!"

A facedown card appeared in front of her, and then the adorable, furry Fairy with wings appeared. (300/200)

"And that's my turn," she stated.

Raven chuckled as she drew.

"Right…" she chuckled. "You expect me to fall for that? Forgive me for playing devil's advocate, but being a thief all my life, I've learned to see setups coming from a mile away, and if that isn't a Trap you just put down, then I'm the Queen of England!"

Saturn was silent…

"So I'll summon Dark Scorpion Shanna the Quick in Attack Mode, and end my turn," stated Raven.

She placed the card, and Meanae's younger sister appeared, holding her daggers. (1,300/500) –) (1,800/500)

"Clever girl," stated Saturn, making a draw. "But it won't help you.

"I'm placing another card facedown, and that will be my turn."

She set the card, and it appeared.

Raven drew.

_All right!_ she thought. _Mystical Space Typhoon!_

"I activate my Trap!" shouted Saturn.

The card she had just set lifted.

"Solemn Wishes! And I'm sure you know what that does…"

_Man, I've gotta end this quick…_ thought Raven.

She plugged her card into a slot.

"I play Mystical Space Typhoon!" she shouted. "Say goodbye to THAT card!"

The storm shot forward, heading towards the other card…

"Pity…" sighed Saturn. "I was hoping to keep that part of my secret for a little longer. Sorry, Raven, but by destroying that card, you activated it!"

The Magic Card revealed itself…

"Transcendent Wings!"

"HUH?" gasped Raven. "I've never heard of THAT!"

"I have to discard two cards to make it work," stated Saturn, discarding two of her cards, "but it's worth it!"

Winged Kuriboh started to glow…

It started to grow and change shape…

Before Raven's eyes, it formed into a beautiful creature, resembling a golden dragon with feathered wings, holding the Kuriboh in its claws! (300/200)

"Transcendent Wings transforms plain old Winged Kuriboh into Winged Kuriboh Lv. 10!" shouted Saturn.

"Heh, heh…" chuckled Raven. "Very pretty… but it has no more Attack or Defense Points than the old version!

"And this duel is over…"

She raised her finger…

"Raven, wait…" warned Don Zaloog. "This may be dangerous… I'm sensing incredible power coming from that Monster! We have no idea what it can do!"

"It's still my turn," answered Raven. "If I destroy it with Meanae, Shanna and Gorg will flatten her! We'll win!"

Don only sighed…

"Meanae, attack that thing!" she shouted.

Meanae the Thorn raised her whip.

"Hold it right there, Raven!" shouted Saturn, raising her hand. "I activate my Monster's special effect! Wrath of the Divine!"

"What?" gasped Raven. "Wrath of the Divine?"

Winged Kuriboh Lv. 10 started to glow with a blinding light!

"By sacrificing itself, Winged Kuriboh Lv. 10 can destroy all opposing Monsters in Attack Mode!" shouted Saturn.

Raven stared in horror…

Gorg, Meanae, and Shanna screamed, as they were blown to bits! Raven was thrown back, and landed on her behind!

"And that's not all…" chuckled Saturn. "Now the base Attack Scores of each Monster it destroyed will be taken right out of your Life Points!"

Raven held her head, as her Life Points fell to 3,900.

Don Zaloog sighed again, as Raven got up.

"Your side's looking kind of empty, Raven," chuckled Saturn. "Maybe you should summon a Monster…"

Raven looked at her hand.

"I don't have one!" she cursed.

"Then it's my move," gloated Saturn, making a draw. "And I'll take a boost from Solemn Wishes…"

Golden rain fell on her, and her Life Points went up to 4,200.

"Now I have a friend I'd like you to meet," stated Saturn, placing a card down. "Shining Friendship, that is!"

A cute Fairy shaped like a green ball with a smiley face and feathered wings appeared. (1,300/1,100)

"Shining Friendship," she chuckled, "attack directly with your lovely kiss!"

Shining Friendship laughed with joy and flew forward. Raven cringed as it planted a wet one on her face.

_Now I know what it means to kill with kindness…_ she thought.

Her Life Points fell further, to 2,600.

"Your move," chuckled Saturn. "And I really can't remember the last time I had this much fun with a defendant! Usually trials are boring affairs… They consist of too much talking and not enough action. I mean, Hollywood makes them look exciting, and dramatic, but in reality… borefests. Don't you think the legal profession would be more respected if we all did it this way?"

"I didn't know 'celestial heralds' had such senses of humor…" growled Raven.

"You should see Archlord Zerato," chuckled Saturn. "He can really spice up a party!"

Raven looked at her deck.

_I have no Monsters in my hand…_ she thought, _and I only have 2,600 Life Points left… If I don't draw something good now, she'll in all likelihood summon something else on her next round…_

_Life in solitary… Personally, I'd rather be hanged…_

"Raven…" said Don Zaloog's voice.

He put her hand on her shoulder.

"You're in dire straights, and you need to start thinking better… You can't duel carelessly anymore. If you lose, you won't just pay with your Life Points this time…"

"What do I do?" asked Raven.

"You've got to think sensibly, Raven," he answered. "You've dueled using instinct and powerful cards for so long, that perhaps you've forgotten the mind and heart of true dueling…

"The power of dueling is here…"

He pointed to his head.

"…and here…"

He pointed to his chest.

"…but it's never here."

He pointed to his gut.

"Have faith… Trust in your deck. If you want your freedom more than this creature wants to imprison you, and I'm certain that that is the case, the right card will come to you."

_I just hope you're right…_ thought Raven, reaching for her deck.

She closed her eyes.

She drew.

"I play my Pot of Greed!" she shouted.

She played the card, and the colorful jar appeared, and handed her two cards.

_Excellent,_ she thought.

"I play Heavy Storm!" she shouted, throwing one of the cards into a slot.

A storm covered the field, blowing the Solemn Wishes card apart!

"Now I'll summon a swashbuckler named Dark Scorpion Fandral the Dashing!" she exclaimed, throwing a card down.

Fandral appeared, waving his rapier dramatically. (1,500/800) –) (2,000/800)

"Attack her Shining Friendship!" shouted Raven.

Fandral leapt forward and impaled Shining Friendship with his blade! The Fairy shattered.

Saturn's Life Points went down to 3,500.

"And thanks to Fandral's special effect, I gain 300 Life Points for every star level of the Monster he destroyed!" gloated Raven. "This isn't over yet!"

Her Life Points went up to 3,800.

"So whatcha gonna do now?" chuckled Raven. "I doubt there's a Fairy you can summon with no sacrifice that has more than 2,000 Attack Points?"

Saturn drew a card.

"Will this guy do?" she asked. "I summon Mudora!"

She placed a card down, and muscular Fairy with golden skin, wearing a mask and headdress appeared. (1,500/1,800)

"Oh, crap…" muttered Raven.

"I take it you know his ability," chuckled Saturn. "He gains 200 Attack Points for every Fairy in my Graveyard, and there are four."

(2,300/1,800)

"Mudora, take down Fandral!"

With one swipe of his sword, Mudora cut down Fandral.

Raven's Life Points fell to 3,500.

_All right, back where I started…_ thought Raven.

She drew one card.

I play Monster Reborn!" she shouted, playing the card.

The holy ankh appeared, and Gorg the Strong appeared again. (1,800/1,500) –) (2,300/1,500)

"Heh, heh," chuckled Saturn. "Talk about the luck of the draw! But is seems we have another standoff… our Monsters have equal Attack power!"

"Fine. I end my turn," said Raven.

Saturn drew a card.

"I'll place one card facedown," she said, fitting a card into a slot.

A facedown card appeared.

"And then I'll summon a critter called Kaiser Sea Horse in Defense Mode!"

She put a card down, and an aquatic warrior with shiny violet scales, holding a trident appeared. He knelt in Defense. (1,700/1,650)

"That's enough for my move…" chuckled Saturn.

_No,_ thought Raven as she drew a card. _If she sacrifices that Monster for a Light Attribute Monster, it counts as two sacrifices!_

"Sorry, Saturn," she shouted, "but I'll destroy your Kaiser Sea Horse! Gorg…"

Gorg lifted his mace…

"I activate… Compensation Mediation!" shouted Saturn, as her facedown lifted.

The Trap Card was revealed, showing the image of a man being strangled by a ghostly figure.

"What?" asked Raven.

The chamber grew dark, and all the Monsters on the field vanished.

"It's sort of complicated, so I'll explain," started Saturn, walking up to her. "Take this…"

She handed her the Trap Card.

"Now, take two non-Monster Cards from your Graveyard. A word of advice – make sure they're ones you might want to use again…"

Raven went to her discard slot.

"Fine," she said, removing her Pot of Greed and Monster Reborn.

"Now, place them facedown with the Trap Card," explained Saturn. "If I can guess which one is mine, your Battle Phase is skipped, and you can add the other two cards to the top of your deck. If I can't, you can attack like you were planning, and only the card I picked goes to the top of your deck."

Raven was a little nervous…

"Don't worry…" said Don Zaloog. "This is all a matter of luck… If yours is better than hers, you won't lose. And you didn't become one of the greatest thieves in Madripor by being unlucky…"

Raven placed the three cards into slots.

"Good…" sighed Saturn. "Now then…"

She paused.

"Card on the left…"

Raven sighed and hung her head…

The card lifted, showing the Trap Card.

"You were saying?" she angrily said to Don.

She withdrew the Trap Card and hurled it at her opponent, and the Monsters reappeared.

"You may have stopped me from attacking," snarled Raven, "but you gave me access to two very powerful Magic Cards."

She placed them at the top of her deck.

"Well, we'll soon see if that was a good idea or not," chuckled Saturn.

"And it's still my turn!" shouted Raven. "I play Swords of Revealing Light!"

She played the card she had drawn when she started her turn, and the shimmering swords fell down around Saturn.

"Clever again," chuckled Saturn. "But they won't hold me for long. It's my move…"

She drew, and added the card to her hand.

"Now I sacrifice my Kaiser Sea Horse to summon the mighty Wingweaver!" she shouted, switching cards.

Kaiser Sea Horse shattered, and a huge form arose. It was a beautiful Fairy, dressed in a toga, with six glorious wings. (2,750/2,400)

"And that ends my turn," she chuckled.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Too bad," sighed the Shadow Queen. "Talk about bad luck. I had high hopes for Raven… But once those Swords wear off, Saturn's Monsters will swarm the field, and she'll be finished."

"Not that it matters," asked Grodus, "but what were you planning on doing if Raven had won?"

"That's just the point, Grodus," sighed the Queen. "It doesn't matter. Raven's chances of winning now are pretty much infinitesimally small…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Raven drew a card.

_Not scared of her Wingweaver,_ she lied to herself. _So what if she has more Attack Points than any Monster in my deck? I can still do this…_

"Since you were so nice to let me have Pot of Greed back, I'll play it!" she said, playing the card.

The Pot handed her two more cards.

"Now I'll move Gorg into Defense Mode…" she continued.

Gorg the Strong knelt and held his mace in his lap.

"…and I'll also summon Cliff the Trap Remover in Defense Mode."

She placed a card down, and the Dark Scorpions' master of disarmament appeared, kneeling and holding his dagger downward. (1,200/1,000) –) (1,700/1,000)

"That will be my turn, Saturn," she finished.

"Very well," chuckled Saturn, drawing. "Think I'll just pass for this turn."

Raven closed her eyes and drew.

She gave the card a strange look.

"All right, Agent of Judgment," she stated, "I'm playing my next card facedown."

She played a card, and it appeared behind Cliff.

"Now make your move."

"Very well," chuckled Saturn, making a draw.

She smirked.

"I'll play Elf's Light!" she exclaimed, placing a card into a slot.

A glowing Fairy appeared over Wingweaver and waved a wand.

"This will make Wingweaver's Attack 400 points stronger, at the cost of 200 Defense Points!"

(3,150/2,200)

"And with that, I end my turn," she said.

The Swords vanished.

"Didn't get much help out of your three free turns, did you?"

"On the contrary," said Raven, making a draw, "I got just what I needed!"

She fit a card into a slot.

"I play Monster Reborn!" she shouted. "I'll bring back a Monster from _your_ Graveyard… A little guy called Winged Kuriboh!"

Winged Kuriboh appeared on the ankh. (300/200)

Mudora's Attack fell to 2,100.

"And now I'll reveal my facedown card," continued Raven. "It's a Trap called Dark Scorpion Pilfer!"

"Huh?" asked Saturn, as the card lifted. "What does that do?"

"It lets a member of the Dark Scorpions steal any Magic Card from your Graveyard that I want…" answered Raven.

Cliff the Trap Remover cleared his throat.

"Oh, sorry Cliff," said Raven. "I meant any Magic Card that _he_ wants. So which one do you want to take Cliff?"

The Trap Remover rubbed his chin. Then he whispered something to Raven.

"Wonderful!" laughed Raven. "You guys always have the best ideas!"

Cliff gestured, and a large image of a Magic Card appeared in his hands.

"That's my Transcendent Wings card!" shouted Saturn.

"Exactly!" laughed Raven. "So now I'll discard two of my own cards to activate it!"

She discarded two cards, and Winged Kuriboh started to glow… Just like before, it grew, and formed into Winged Kuriboh Lv. 10! (300/200)

"I must say, Raven," chuckled Saturn. "That was a smart move… Too bad it won't work! Using a hostile witness is always a chancy affair…

"You see, that's my Monster you have up there, and I'm well aware of all its strengths and weaknesses…"

"Weaknesses?" asked Raven.

"Yes, weaknesses," answered Saturn. "It's true that if you managed to activate its effect, I'd lose 4,250 Life Points, and the duel…

"But Winged Kuriboh Lv. 10's effect can only be activated when your opponent enters her Battle Phase. And you know as well as I do that I'm free to simply skip my Battle Phase, thus not giving you a chance to do it!"

"So what now?" asked Raven, with her eyes narrowing. "Do we just skip our turns until one of us is decked out?"

She was a little nervous about this… She had played Pot of Greed twice, so if Saturn had as many cards in her deck as she did, she'd run out first…

"Not quite…" chuckled Saturn. "That Monster has another weakness… but I won't tell you what it is…"

Raven sighed.

"It's your move…" she stated.

"Then I'll draw…" said Saturn.

She looked at the card.

She smirked.

"And I'll place one card facedown…" she said, fitting a card into a slot.

_What other weakness could that thing have?_ thought Raven.

She thought for a minute.

_Of course! It couldn't be more obvious!_

_I hope I don't draw the right card too late…_

She drew a card.

"I activate a Trap!" laughed Saturn, as her card lifted. "A powerful one, called Left Arm Offering!"

A frightening card appeared, bearing the image of an executioner about to chop a man's arm off.

"To activate this card, I have to discard my whole hand…" explained Saturn.

She discarded the five cards in her hand.

"…and in return, I get to take any card I choose from my deck!"

She took out her deck, and got what she wanted.

Raven looked at the card she had just drawn.

_Well, what do you know…_ she thought.

"I'll place this facedown, and end my turn," she stated.

She fit a card into a slot, and it appeared behind the Kuriboh.

Saturn made a draw.

She chuckled.

"Well then," she said, "I'll place one card facedown, and that will be all."

She placed a card in a slot, clearly the one she had gotten from Left Arm Offering.

_If I'm right,_ thought Raven, _this duel will end on her next turn!_

She drew a card.

"I pass for my turn," she stated.

_Hope I'm right…_ she thought.

Saturn drew a card.

"Mudora!" she shouted. "Attack Winged Kuriboh!"

Mudora raised his sword…

"Go, Winged Kuriboh!" shouted Raven. "Wrath of the Divine!"

The Kuriboh started to glow with a blinding light…

Wingweaver and Mudora cringed, as they were blown into shards…

"That's just what I wanted you to do, Raven!" laughed Saturn.

Her Trap Card lifted.

"My Barrel Behind The Door will blast the damage right back at you!" she laughed. "You're through!"

An ancient magical cannon appeared… it started to glow.

_That's a surprise… _thought Raven, sarcastically.

"Actually," said Raven with a smirk. "That's exactly what I was expecting… I activate my Counter Trap! Go, Seven Tools of the Bandit!"

Her own facedown card lifted…

"This may cost me 1,000 Life Points…" continued Raven.

Her Life Points fell to 2,700.

"But it's worth it to make you fall flat on your face!"

A huge jackknife shot forward, shattering the Barrel! An explosion ripped through Saturn's side of the field… the Agent shrieked and fell over…

Her Life Points fell to zero…

Raven paused to catch her breath.

"I'd be a pretty pathetic thief," she gasped, "if I didn't know how to disarm a trap…"

Don Zaloog gave her a thumb's up.

"Not bad, kid," he said. "That was some good thinking. Your journey is far from over… Keep being strong…"

Saturn slowly got up… She was also out of breath.

"I lost…" she muttered.

She let out a long sigh.

"Very well," groaned the Agent. "As promised, case dismissed, and your record is hereby wiped clean…"

She walked up to Raven.

"And since you dueled so admirably, I'm also commuting the sentence of another criminal to time served."

"What do you mean?" asked Raven.

Saturn handed her a card.

"WHAT?" asked Raven in shock. "I thought this card was only a myth!"

"He's quite real," answered Saturn. "Pegasus only made five copies, but never distributed them – they were part of a project that was unfortunately cancelled. I can't say exactly how I got him, but he's yours now.

"Use him in your deck, and you'll become even stronger. I guarantee it."

A door appeared in mid-air.

"Now then," said Saturn. "Your journey continues. The finals aren't far behind."

Raven was speechless.

She shuffled the card into her deck, and went for the door.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The Shadow Queen chuckled.

"All going according to plan…" she chuckled. "All going according to plan…"

**0**

**0**

**0**

**COMPENSATION MEDIATION (Trap Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Trap  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description: **Image of a group of people, one of them being strangled by a dark ghost. This card can only be activated during your opponent's turn. Your opponent chooses two non-Monster cards from his Graveyard and shuffles them with this card. Choose one of the three cards without looking at it. If the card you choose is "Compensation Mediation", your opponent skips his Battle Phase, and puts the other two cards on the top of his deck. If you choose one of the other two cards, your opponent can conduct his Battle Phase normally, places the card you chose on the top of his deck, and discards the other one.

_Note: "Compensation Mediation" was first used by Joey in the anime episode "My Freaky Valentine (Part Two)". All creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0**

**0**

**0**

**DARK SCORPION PILFER (Trap Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Trap  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description: **Image of Don Zaloog snatching a priceless gem from a safe. You can activate this card when a Monster that has the words "Dark Scorpion" in its name, or is named "Don Zaloog" or "Cliff the Trap Remover" is face-up on your side of the field. Take one Magic Card of your choice from your opponent's Graveyard and add it to your hand. (If this card goes to the Graveyard, it goes to the original owner's Graveyard).

_Note: "Dark Scorpion Pilfer" first appeared in "The Mandate of Heaven"_

**0**

**0**

**0**

**LEFT ARM OFFERING (Trap Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Magic  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description: **Image of an executioner about to lop off a man's left arm. Discard your whole hand. Then add any card from your deck to your hand. Then, shuffle your deck.

_Note: "Left Arm Offering" was used by Marik in the anime episode "The Final Face-Off (Part One)". All creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0**

**0**

**0**

"**Don Zaloog":** Warrior/Dark, Level 4, (1,400/1,500)

Deckmaster SA: "Team Rally": Increase the ATK of all Monsters with the words "Dark Scorpion" in their names, or who are named "Cliff the Trap Remover" on your side of the field by 500.

**0**

**0**

**0**

"**The Agent of Judgment – Saturn":** Fairy/Light, Level 6, (2,400/0)

Deckmaster SA: "Wrath of the Divine": Pay 1,000 Life Points to search your deck for either one "Winged Kuriboh" or one "Transcendent Wings" and add it to your hand. This effect can be used once per turn, during your main phase.

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**Coming up next: **_

**_We go back to our main characters, as The Unfriendly Amazon challenges Francesca to a rematch. And wait until you see her new strategy! It's all coming up in a chapter called "Girl Power", coming soon._**


	43. Girl Power

_Someone asked me if the story I told about Cortez is real. Well, no. The historic Cortez was not even a real pirate. In truth, I based that story off the legend of Gold Roger from "One Piece", as you all might have guessed. (For those who did not play the video game, the Cortez in that game had little to do with the historic Cortez.)_

_Anyway, on we go._

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**I like the Amazons… But up until the time I came to Monster Island, I thought that legends like the story of The Unfriendly Amazon were just fairy tales that some duelist who happened to be a writer made up…**_

_**Turned out I was wrong. Shortly after I met Stan and Andy, the real thing showed up gunning for me. She affirmed my story, and showed a great hatred of true Amazons, like the ones in my deck. Naturally, she hates anyone who uses them… people like me. **_

_**I thought I was done with her – but now she's back, and she's gunning for revenge with a whole new strategy. **_

_**I hope I can take her out again… That Skill Drain deck of hers was rather rough. **_

_**But I'm not a coward. If I can't stand up to her, I'll never defeat the Shadow Queen…**_

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER FORTY-TWO**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Girl Power**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

The Shadow Spawn had certainly seen better days.

They knew that the images of Joey Wheeler and Seto Kaiba in front of them were only phantasms (none of them had the guts to face Yugi yet), but that didn't make being smashed by them any less embarrassing.

Their mother had left them alone for the time being, and Melissa was trying her luck against Kaiba. She had been waiting to face him for years so she could steal his three Blue-Eyes…

And right now, it seemed like that dream was a long way off…

"Twin-Headed Thunder Dragon!" shouted "Kaiba". "Attack The Creator!"

Melissa cringed as The Creator was blasted into shards.

"Blue-Eyes!" shouted Kaiba. "Attack her directly!"

Melissa screamed as a bolt of White Lightning ripped through her, and her Life Points fell to nothing.

She fell on her back, and smoke rose from her clothing…

"Pathetic," said her opponent. "Even Wheeler gave me a better challenge than that…"

"Kaiba" vanished.

"Bravo," said Kurtis, clapping. "Encore!"

"Hey…" groaned Melissa, "I brought his Life Points down more than you could…"

"Yeah," he responded. "You brought them down to 7,000 instead of 7,500…"

"People, this is embarrassing," sighed Maria. "We've each lost by shutout at least once…"

"Twice here," groaned Leopold.

"We'd have the advantage if we could do it _our_ way…" sighed Tyson.

Vladimir stared at him.

"Tyson," he stated. "These duelists are non-living doppelgangers. They may be able to talk and even insult us, but they're actually mindless, with no more real souls than a player piano. 'Our way', as you put it, can only be done against living, sentient opponents."

"I guess…" muttered Tyson.

Melissa smirked.

"Hey, Vladimir…" she chuckled. "You claim to be the best one of us… I _dare_ you to take on Yugi!"

Vladimir drew back.

"Why?" he asked. "Mom was planning on dueling him personally."

"Aw, are you afraid to go up against the King of Games?" asked Melissa.

Vladimir's eyes narrowed.

He stepped up to where Melissa had been.

"Present Yugi Mouto," he ordered.

A light flashed, and the intimidating form of Yugi Mouto appeared in front of him…

A light shone from the Millennium Puzzle…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Half an hour earlier…

In the arena where Stan had dueled The End of Anubis, the three partners still were no closer to proceeding.

"I guess one of us should pull a lever next," said Andy to Francesca.

Francesca sighed.

"I'll do it, baby," she said.

She went to the lever with her name on it, and threw it down.

The door on the right slowly opened…

A tall figure walked out…

Francesca gasped. She recognized her immediately…

"The Unfriendly Amazon!" she shouted.

"Hello Fran," scowled the Amazon. "So good to see you again."

"What do you want?" asked Fran. "You want your butt kicked again?"

The Amazon growled.

"Thanks to you Fran," she replied, "the Queen buried me for what seemed to be an age. But she can be generous – she gave me another chance. I'm not going to lose to you this time.

"And once I defeat you, you'll be the one who's tucked away in the Graveyard, and I'll get what I wanted all along… Namely your deck."

"WHAT?" exclaimed Francesca, nearly laughing. "What do you want my cards for? I thought you hated the Amazons!"

"I do!" snapped The Unfriendly Amazon.

She paused.

"Perhaps it hasn't kicked in yet," she said, "but the Shadow Queen can enchant cards and bring them to life. Once I defeat you, she's promised to do exactly that to the Monsters in your deck… And then force them to serve as my slaves. I'll finally be able to enact my revenge by dominating them!

"They'll suffer forever…"

"You're insane…" scowled Francesca.

"We're all a little insane, Fran," chuckled the Amazon, "and you'll either duel me, or you and your friends will never leave this arena…"

She drew her sword.

"…at least not in one piece…"

Francesca sighed.

"Fine…" she said.

"Fran…" warned Andy, "be careful. "You know she plays a Skill Drain deck, and most of your Monsters are powerless without their effects…"

"Then I'll just have to be really careful, Andy," replied Francesca.

_Fools,_ thought the Amazon. _Little do they know, I'm now using a completely different deck. I'll take Francesca completely by surprise…_

Francesca faced her foe, and the two activated their Disks.

"Now choose your Deckmaster," chuckled the Amazon. "As you can see, I'm my own… And I can guarantee my powers will be better than any you have!"

Fran looked through her deck.

Her eyes caught sight of her most powerful Monster.

_Heh, why not?_ she thought.

She held the card up.

"My Deckmaster is Guardian Angel Joan!" she shouted.

A flash of light appeared, and the lovely form of Joan appeared beside her.

"Now let's duel…" dared Francesca.

Then she heard an enchanting, musical voice behind her.

"_Francesca,"_ said Guardian Angel Joan's telepathic voice. _"Fear not, for I will stand behind you and help you vanquish this evil creature. My power of Resurrection is incredibly potent…"_

"Resurrection?" asked Fran. "How does that work?"

"_If you simply discard one card and pay 500 Life Points, I can revive a four-star or lower Monster, chosen at random, from your Graveyard,"_ answered Joan. _"But be careful, because I cannot use this ability to revive the same Monster twice."_

"Okay," answered Francesca. "That sounds good…"

"All right Francesca," chuckled The Amazon, making a draw. "I'll start this thing off…"

She added the card to her hand.

"Okay…" she chuckled. "I'll place one card facedown…"

She played a card, and it appeared.

"And now I'll summon Etoile Cyber in Attack Mode!"

She placed a card down, and a tall form appeared. It was a thin woman dressed in a colorful blue and red bodysuit decorated with ribbons, with gorgeous, flowing, chestnut hair. She spun a pirouette and then turned to face Francesca. (1,200/1,600)

"That will be my turn," chuckled The Amazon.

_Etoile Cyber?_ thought Francesca, making a draw. _Who the heck is that?_

She looked at her hand.

_Her facedown card is likely her Skill Drain… But Getsu Fuhma can handle that gal without her effect…_

She threw a card down.

"I summon Getsu Fuhma in Attack Mode!" she shouted.

The redheaded Warrior of Darkness appeared, holding her katana aloft. (1,700/1,200)

"A new one?" chuckled The Amazon.

"Uh huh," answered Francesca. "And unless you have any Fiends or Zombies in your deck, she doesn't care about your Skill Drain! Getsu Fuhma, attack her Etoile Cyber!"

Getsu Fuhma lifted her sword and leapt forward…

"I activate Mirror Wall!" shouted The Amazon.

Francesca gasped as a wall of glass sprang up! Getsu Fuhma's blade struck the glass, and her Attack Score was reduced to 850!

"Etoile Cyber, counter-attack!" shouted The Amazon.

Etoile Cyber spun around and delivered a kick to Getsu Fuhma, smashing her apart!

Francesca's Life Points fell to 7,650.

"All right, you win round one…" muttered Francesca.

"Of course," chuckled the Amazon, making a draw.

"I'll pay 2,000 Life Points to keep my Trap in place…"

Her Life Points fell to 6,000.

"What's she thinking?" asked Andy. "That's an expensive Trap to keep…"

"Now I'll place a card facedown," said The Amazon with a grin, placing a card.

The card appeared.

"And now that you have no Monsters to defend you, I can attack you directly with Etoile Cyber," she continued. "And when she makes a direct attack, her Attack Score increases by 600 points!"

Etoile Cyber spun her pirouette and her Attack rose to 1,800. Francesca grunted as the Warrior kicked her in the stomach.

Her Life Points fell further, to 5,850.

"I warn you, Francesca," sneered The Amazon. "You haven't even seen the beginning of my new strategy…"

"You can't keep hiding behind that Mirror Wall forever," gasped Francesca. "It's my draw…"

She made a draw.

"I activate my Trap!" shouted The Amazon.

Her Trap Card lifted.

"It's a handy Continuous Trap called Life Absorbing Machine!" she declared. "What does it do? You'll see on my next turn!"

"Wonderful," muttered Francesca. "I'll summon Amazoness Swords Woman in Attack Mode…"

She placed a card down, and the scantily clad Warrior with her huge sword appeared. (1,500/1,600)

The Warrior sneered at The Unfriendly Amazon.

"What was it you said about this one?" asked Francesca. "Didn't you say she was the one who argued the loudest for having you thrown out of the tribe?"

The Amazon frowned.

"Yeah," she said, "and once the Queen gives life to your deck, I'm going to torture her the most!"

"It's your move…" growled Francesca.

_I'll never let you enslave my Amazons…_ she thought_. I won't let you win this duel…_

The Unfriendly Amazon drew.

_Good,_ she thought. _My combo is two-thirds complete…_

"First, my Life Absorbing Machine restores my Life Points by half of what I paid last turn," she announced.

Her Life Points went up to 7,000.

"Then I'll pay 2,000 again, to keep the Mirror Wall…"

They went down to 5,000.

"And finally, I'll summon Blade Skater in Attack Mode!"

A flash of light appeared on the field, and a figure actually _skated_ into view. It was a female in a silvery bodysuit, with a bald head, wearing ice skates and two sharp blades on her forearms. (1,400/1,500)

"This gal is lighter on her feet than Michelle Kwan on her best day!" laughed The Amazon.

"Big deal…" replied Francesca. "She still can't defeat Swords Woman. And what's with the dancers and figure skaters? Aren't they a little… effeminate for someone who's supposed to be as tough as you are?"

"That's the whole idea…" snarled the Amazon, with an evil glare.

Fran didn't like that look.

"The Amazons who banished me take pride in being so tough and rugged…" she snarled. "So in this duel, I'm going to humiliate them and you with a female Warrior who's much more cultured!

"And as soon as I draw the right card, you'll see her true power!

"Now make your move…"

Francesca drew.

_Perfect…_ she thought.

"Time to use my Field Magic Card," she announced.

The Unfriendly Amazon chuckled.

"Hate to break this to you," she replied, "but Etoile Cyber and Blade Skater are both Earth Monsters. Your Gaia Power will benefit them too…"

"This isn't Gaia Power," answered Francesca, opening her Field slot.

She placed a card in it.

"Time to bring us… to Themyscira!"

A blinding flash of light pervaded the arena, and the surroundings changed. Before everyone's eyes, they were standing in what best could be described as… paradise. It was a beautiful, lush rain forest, unspoiled and pure, with sparkling waterfalls. Ancient temples of strange architecture surrounded them.

"Since you were once an Amazon yourself," chuckled Francesca, "I'm sure you've heard of Themyscira… maybe when you were young, and being trained? The ancestral home of the Amazons? It is said that an Amazon who dies heroically in battle will be welcomed into this paradise… That pretty much leaves _you_ out.

"And because this is their true home, all Amazons gain a 500-point bonus to both their Attack and Defense Score!"

Amazoness Swords Woman rose to (2,000/2,100)

"Your move…

The Amazon snarled as she drew.

"Yes…" she chuckled as she looked at it. "Now my combo is complete…"

"First I'll gain 1,000 Life Points from Life Absorbing Machine," she stated.

Her Life Points rose to 6,000.

"Then I'll deactivate my Mirror Wall, so I don't lose any more."

The Trap Card vanished.

"And now I play… Polymerization!"

She fit the card into a slot. Etoile Cyber and Blade Skater started to dance up a storm…

A flash of light consumed them, and from out of the flash, a new figure appeared. It was a female in a red and purple spandex suit, with flowing black hair, and red shades. She wore ice skates and had spiked protrusions on her shoulders.

"I summon Cyber Blader!" laughed The Amazon.

(2,100/800)

"Now I'll place a card facedown," she continued.

She played a card, and it appeared.

"That will be my turn," chuckled The Amazon.

"Fine…" stated Francesca.

She drew a card.

_Waboku…_ she thought.

"I'll place a card facedown, and that will be all…" she stated.

She fit a card into a slot, and it appeared.

"Stan," muttered Andy. "You ever hear of Cyber Blader?"

"No…" answered Stan. "Somehow I doubt that she's good news…"

The Amazon drew.

"Cyber Blader," she ordered, "attack Amazoness Swordswoman with whirlwind rage!"

Cyber Blader spun into a furious pirouette and hurtled towards Swords Woman…

"I activate Waboku!" shouted Francesca.

Her Trap Card lifted.

"Oh, will you?" answered the Amazon. "I activate my Trap Jammer!"

Her own Trap Card lifted, and the Waboku card shattered.

Cyber Blader plowed into Swords Woman, and she was blown to shards.

"That may have cost me a few Life Points," sighed The Amazon, as her Life Points fell to 5,900, "but I just couldn't resist a chance to destroy her… It was so… therapeutic."

"Keep yakkin', you sorry excuse for an Amazon," snarled Francesca.

She made a draw.

_Good,_ she thought. _That was just what I needed…_

"I summon Amazoness Fighter in Attack Mode!" she shouted.

The muscular Warrior appeared. (1,500/1,300) –) (2,000/1,800)

"And now," stated Francesca, "I'll Equip her with The Girdle of Hippolyta!"

She placed a card in a slot, and the golden belt formed around the Fighter's waist, bringing her Attack up to 2,800.

"Now she's strong enough to defeat your dancer!" stated Francesca. "Fighter, attack!"

Amazoness Fighter leapt forward and aimed a kick at Cyber Blader…

She hit the Warrior in the gut…

Cyber Blader let out a groan of pain, but when Amazoness Fighter fell back, she was still there!

The Unfriendly Amazon chuckled… Her Life Points fell to 5,200.

"Wha?" asked Francesca. "How did she survive?"

"That's one of Cyber Blader's powers," chuckled the Amazon. "When my opponent has exactly one Monster on the field, she can't be destroyed in battle!

"And you haven't seen anything yet…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

As usual, the Shadow Queen was watching with Grodus.

"Perfect," said the Queen. "With our arsenal of rare cards, it's only a matter of time before my servants bring down those kids…"

"Uhm, your majesty," asked Grodus, "if I may ask a question…"

"Shoot," answered the Queen.

"Where exactly did we get all these rare cards?" he asked. "Every duelist in your employ seems to have them…"

The Queen chuckled…

"We got them the easiest way we could, Grodus," she answered. "We _bought_ them."

"Uh, bought them?" asked Grodus. "Even we aren't that rich…"

The Queen chuckled.

"Lesson number one of business, Grodus," she replied. "Always be on the lookout for great bargains… Let me tell you a story…"

"Marik Ishtar once sought to usurp the power of the Pharaoh… And in his quest, he became the leader of a criminal organization called the Rare Hunters.

"The Rare Hunters stole and otherwise illegally obtained the rarest Duel Monsters cards, selling some of them on the black market, while keeping the best for themselves. As you can imagine, they had powerful decks, even though some of them had weak strategies.

"Anyway, Marik made a lot of mistakes. Eventually, the dark spirit within him took complete control of him. When Yugi eventually defeated the dark side, Marik's soul was healed, and he decided to start a new life…

"A peaceful one, with his sister and his foster brother…

"But he had a lot of cleaning up to do first. He had to disband the Rare Hunters and get a lot of guilt off his conscience. He gave them all an ultimatum – either hand over their ill-gotten cards or be turned over to the authorities. They didn't have a choice.

"Marik knew that returning the cards to the original owners would be too difficult. So he decided on a better way to get the weight off him. He'd have an intermediary sell them at the next Duel Monsters convention, for a mere five percent of the legitimate market value, and then give every cent of the proceeds to charity.

"Of course, everyone running the event thought that the seller was nuts, but it was his choice.

"I found out about it of course – it was publicly advertised. So I sent several duelists – my kids among them – to get all they could carry…

"And we walked away with a king's ransom in rare cards that we had bought for relative peanuts.

"Like I said, always take advantage of a bargain…"

She chuckled again. Then she sighed.

"And we owe it all to Marik…" she pondered. "Too bad he, his sister, and his foster brother are three of the duelists we're going to have to take care of once we leave this place. We can't have any duelists of that caliber able to threaten us…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"_Francesca,"_ urged Joan, _"Don't give up hope yet… No Monster is indestructible… I'm sure that Cyber Blader has a weakness…"_

"Yeah…" muttered Francesca with a smirk. "And I think I know what it is…

"She said that her Cyber Blader can't be destroyed in battle if I had exactly one Monster on the field… So if I have _two_ she loses that power!"

"_Be careful, Francesca!"_ warned Joan. _"I doubt it is that simple!"_

The Unfriendly Amazon drew one card.

"Perfect," she said. "First I'll play this card facedown…"

She fit a card into a slot, and it appeared.

"Now I'll use Emergency Provisions to send it and Life Absorbing Machine to the Graveyard!"

She played a card, and a huge mouth appeared, swallowing the two cards.

"And thus I gain 2,000 Life Points…"

Her Life Points went up to 7,200.

"...and it's your move."

Fran drew her next card.

"For my next move," stated Francesca, "I'll summon Amazon Archer in Attack Mode!"

She placed the card, and the Amazon fletcher appeared. (1,400/1,000) –) (1,900/1,500)

"Now your Cyber Blader _can_ be destroyed in battle!" gloated Francesca.

"True," chuckled The Unfriendly Amazon, "but neither of your Warriors are powerful enough!"

"What do you me…" started Francesca. "YAAAH!"

Cyber Blader's Attack Score shot up to 4,200!

"How the Hell?" shouted Francesca.

The Unfriendly Amazon laughed out loud.

"Time to come clean," she said, "and tell you exactly how my Monster works. If my opponent has exactly _one_ Monster on the field, as I've already said, she can't be destroyed in battle. If you have exactly _two_ Monsters on the field, her Attack Score is doubled! If you have exactly _three_, she's immune to all Magic Cards, Trap Cards, and Monster Effects!

"That makes getting rid of her very hard, wouldn't you say?"

Francesca started to sweat.

"I… I end my turn…" she gulped.

"Good," said the Amazon. "So which of your Warriors should I crush? I could do you a lot of damage by attacking your Archer, but since your Fighter is the bigger threat right now…

"Cyber Blader, attack her Fighter with whirlwind rage!"

Cyber Blader spun forward, and obliterated the Fighter.

Her Attack Score returned to 2,100.

"Well, make your move…" sighed The Amazon.

Francesca angrily drew…

"I'm activating my Deckmaster ability!" laughed The Amazon. "Come Forth!"

She discarded a card.

"Huh?" asked Francesca. "What can you do?"

"It's simple, really," stated The Amazon. "Each time it's your turn, I can discard one card, and then choose one card from your hand. If that card is a Monster Card, you have to Special Summon it in Attack Mode!"

Fran gasped…

_If she guesses right, I'll have two Monsters on the field again, and one of them will be wide open for an attack!_

She looked at her hand… Of the six cards she had, two were Monsters: Amazoness Paladin, and Amazoness Blowpiper…

"Card on the far right, Francesca," stated The Amazon.

"You made a lucky guess, pal…" sneered Francesca.

She played the card, and Amazoness Blowpiper appeared. (800/1,500) –) (1,300/2,000)

Cyber Blader went up to 4,200 Attack again.

"I'm so sorry, Blowpiper…" she whispered.

She turned a card on her Disk.

"I'll end my turn by switching Amazon Archer to Defense Mode," she stated.

Amazon Archer knelt, and held her bow in her lap.

"My move…" chuckled The Amazon, drawing.

_Ooh, Mirror Force…_ she thought, excitedly. _This should be good for insurance…_

"I'll place a card facedown," she said, setting it.

The card appeared.

"And now, Cyber Blader, attack her Blowpiper!"

Cyber Blader did her deadly dance, and blasted Amazoness Blowpiper to pieces!

Fran's Life Points took a nosedive to 2,750.

"That's my move, Francesca," she chuckled.

Fran angrily drew…

_Hey,_ she thought, looking at the card. _Time to give this witch a little stroll down memory lane…_

"I'm using my Deckmaster ability again, Francesca!" laughed The Amazon, discarding a card.

"Well, by all means, pick a card," said Francesca with a grin.

_Huh?_ thought The Amazon. _You'd almost think she wants me to drag out another of her Monsters. What's she up to?_

_Well, I already discarded a card, and I intend to make the most out of it…_

"Card on the far left," she said.

Francesca chuckled.

She showed her the card, which was Dramatic Rescue.

"Sorry, wrong," she said. "But you know, my friendless friend, I'm going to summon someone anyway…"

She put a card down.

"I summon Amazoness Paladin!"

The general of the Amazon army appeared. (1,700/300) –) (2,300/300)

"What?" asked The Amazon, surprised. "Why would you _want_ my Monster's Attack to go up?"

"Remember THIS card?" asked Francesca, showing her a card.

"ARRGH!" shouted The Amazon. "That's your Earth Tremor card! That accursed thing cost me the duel last time!"

"Aw, you remembered!" laughed Francesca, fitting it into a slot. "Then you know that I simply have to sacrifice an Earth Monster…"

Amazoness Paladin vanished.

"…and it creates an earthquake that blasts off 500 of your Life Points for every star of the strongest Monster you have on the field!"

"NOOO!" screamed The Amazon. "Cyber Blader has seven stars!"

What happened next could have been described as an _unnatural_ disaster. The realm of Themyscira shook, and illusory stones tumbled from the cliff-sides! Cyber Blader screamed and covered her head as debris rained down on her master, crushing her!

As The Unfriendly Amazon pulled herself up in a daze, her Life Points tumbled to 3,700.

"See?" chuckled Francesca. "Your Cyber Blader is nearly indestructible, but _you_ sure aren't…"

The Amazon hissed.

She drew one card.

"I hope you enjoyed that as much as I'm going to enjoy this!" she shouted. "I'm playing a classic… Stop Defense!"

She fit a card into a slot, and Amazon Archer rose up into Attack Mode!

"Cyber Blader, attack!" she shouted.

Cyber Blader danced forward, and demolished Amazon Archer.

Francesca's Life Points fell again to 2,550.

_There's got to be something I can do…_ thought Francesca.

"_Francesca,"_ said Joan, _"There is a way… Cyber Blader is powerful depending on how many Monsters you have on the field… but only to a point…"_

Francesca looked at her cards…

And then at the field…

"It all depends on what I draw now…" she whispered.

She drew a card.

"Okay, Amazon, I play Mystical Space Typhoon!" she shouted.

She played the card, and the Mirror Force card was blown away.

"Big deal!" laughed the Amazon. "I hardly need it anymore!"

"Oh, I beg to differ!" laughed Francesca. "I'm activating my own Deckmaster ability!"

She took three of her cards.

"First, I'll discard three cards, and spend 1,500 Life Points!" she exclaimed.

"What?" shouted The Amazon.

"Is she crazy?" gasped Andy.

Fran discarded three cards, and her Life Points fell to 1,050.

"Now Joan, do your stuff!" she shouted.

Guardian Angel Joan clasped her hands, as if in prayer…

"Now I can Special Summon three random four-star or lower Monsters from my Graveyard!" exclaimed Francesca.

Three shapes appeared in front of Fran. The first was Getsu Fuhma (1,700/1,200), followed by Amazoness Fighter (1,500/1,300) –) (2,000/1,800), and then Amazoness Swords Woman (1,500/1,600) –) (2,000/2,100).

"Well, that will work…" added Francesca.

"What do you mean?" sneered The Amazon. "They're all weaker than Cyber Blader!"

"I still have one more Monster to summon!" laughed Francesca. "I call my Deckmaster herself to the field!"

Guardian Angel Joan spread her wings and flew upward! She made a pose in the air, and then landed gracefully beside the others. (2,800/2,000)

"Notice that I have four Monsters now," growled Francesca. "That means Cyber Blader can be destroyed in battle… She has her original Attack… And she isn't immune to card effects.

"And most importantly…

"…Joan outranks her by 700 Attack Points!

"See? I learn fast…"

The Unfriendly Amazon gulped…

"So you can just forget about your dreams of getting your hands on my deck," snarled Francesca, "because this duel is over! Guardian Angel Joan, attack Cyber Blader with searing light of Heaven!"

Joan raised her arms, and a ball of pure light appeared in them! She shot it forward… Cyber Blader screamed and shattered into pixels!

"And now…" ordered Francesca. "Amazoness Swords Woman… Amazoness Fighter… Attack that reject directly and end this!"

The two Amazons leapt forward… Fighter delivered a fierce kick, and Swords Woman slashed with her blade!

The Unfriendly Amazon's Life Points fell to zero…

She fell to her knees, and smoke rose from her form…

And then she shattered…

Francesca turned to Stan and Andy.

"You know guys," she sighed. "When I was a little girl, my parents wanted me to take ballet lessons, but I didn't want to, because I thought dance lessons were for wimps… They told me that dancers can be just as cool as anyone else…

"This whole thing has taught me… It's good to listen to your parents…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Meanwhile, Vladimir was facing a very realistic facsimile of the King of Games.

"Yugi" had 4,000 Life Points remaining, one facedown card, and Gazelle the King of Mythical Beasts in Defense Mode. (1,500/1,200)

Vladimir was behind at 3,000.

He drew a card.

"I summon Drillago in Attack Mode!" he shouted.

He placed the card down, and an infernal Machine with drills and screws all over it appeared. (1,600/1,100)

"Destroy his Gazelle!" shouted Vladimir.

Drillago's drills spun. It leapt forward and Gazelle shattered.

"Yugi" smirked.

"Thank you," he said. "You activated my Trap… Soul Rope!"

His Trap lifted, and his Life Points fell to 3,000.

"Now I can summon any four-star Monster from my deck that I choose, and I choose Queen's Knight!"

He placed the card down, and the lovely Warrior dressed in scarlet armor appeared. (1,500/1,600)

"Uh oh," sighed Kurtis. "I can see what's coming…"

"So," mocked "Yugi", "any other moves you'd like to make?"

"Just move…" sighed Vladimir.

He couldn't believe this pre-programmed hologram was talking down to him like this…

"Yugi" quickly made a draw.

"I summon King's Knight!" he shouted.

He placed a card down, and the monarch in golden armor, carrying a sword and shield appeared. (1,600/1,500)

"And that lets me summon… Jack's Knight!"

He put another card down, and the handsome Warrior in sapphire armor with a shield and sword appeared. (1,900/1,000)

"Jack's Knight, attack his Drillago!" he shouted.

Jack's Knight brought his sword down on the Machine, and it exploded.

"King's Knight, Queen's Knight, attack directly!"

Vladimir screamed as the two Knights closed in on him and made two swipes with their blades, knocking him over.

His siblings chuckled.

"Bravo, well done," said a voice.

"Yugi" vanished, and the Shadow Queen's image appeared.

"You're improving, Vladimir…" she said.

"What do you mean?" asked Leopold. "He lost…"

"Not many duelists could have reduced Yugi to half his Life Points," noted the Queen. "You're all getting better…

"Of course, until you actually start winning a few of these matches, we won't know for sure if we can take them down or not. I'll probably have to duel Yugi personally, but he's still good practice."

"Uhm, mom?" asked Melissa. "Question? After you beat him, can I have those Knights?"

"I guess," sighed the Queen. "But we're still a long way from that. First we have to get out of here…

"Anyway, Francesca has just won another duel, and this is starting to worry me… It seems that with each duel they win, these kids get stronger. If your involvement is needed, you'll have to up the ante…"

The Spawn looked at each other.

They chuckled…

"Hee, hee," giggled Melissa. "I love dueling that way."

"So do I," laughed Maria. "If there's one thing I love more than banishing some poor fool to the Shadow Realm, it's the duel that leads up to it!"

"Quite," replied the Queen. "For one thousand years, I've never given anyone but you six the gift of Shadow Magic, and only one of my original servants who has it remains…

"Speaking of which, maybe I'll have him test one of them first…"

The Shadow Spawn all gasped.

"Are you crazy?" gulped Kurtis.

"That guy's a monster!" shouted Leopold. "What were thinking keeping him as a pet?"

"He not only ate my homework," shuddered Maria, "he ate my tutor!"

"That was her own fault…" sighed Tyson.

"Look," stated the Queen, "I know none of you like him that much, but he's one of my oldest surviving servants. And I've been secretly teaching him how to duel.

"Eventually, we'll see if one of those kids is able to handle the horrors of a Shadow Game…"

"So who's his intended victim?" asked Vladimir, who was just as frightened.

"That's entirely up to him," answered the Queen. "But given his state of mind, I think there's a very good chance that he'll choose Francesca…

"He has his reasons…"

**0**

**0**

**0**

**THEMYSCIRA (Magic Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Magic/Field  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description: **The ancestral home of the Amazons, where the souls of all Amazons who die honorably enter upon death. All Monsters on the field with the word "Amazoness" in their name, or who are named "Amazon Archer" gain a 500-point bonus to their ATK and DEF.

**0**

**0**

**0**

"**Guardian Angel Joan":** Fairy/Light, Level 8, (2,800/2,000)

Deckmaster SA: "Resurrection": Discard one card and pay 500 Life Points. Put all the Monsters of Level Four or lower in your Graveyard into one pile and shuffle, and draw one at random. Special Summon the drawn Monster. You can use this effect multiple times during your turn. If a Monster that is Special Summoned this way is sent to the Graveyard, it is removed from play.

**0**

**0**

**0**

"**The Unfriendly Amazon":** Warrior/Earth, Level 4, (2,000/1,000)

Deckmaster SA: "Come Forth!": Discard one card from your hand. Choose one card from your opponent's hand. If the card you choose is a Monster Card, your opponent must Special Summon it in face-up Attack Mode, ignoring any Special Summoning requirements.

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**Who is this strange servant of the Queen whom even the Spawn are afraid of? That is a question that will go unanswered for now.**_

_**Coming up next…**_

_**Again, we leave our trio alone to check up on another finalist. Chico enters a den of evil, where a vile seductress waits… Can he escape her clutches?**_

**_A chapter called "Mistress of the Night" is coming soon…_**


	44. Mistress of the Night

_Before I begin, I'd like to explain something: The antagonist in this chapter uses the anime version of a real card that was recently released. The real card is not as powerful_

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**One of the actors I most admire is Clint Eastwood. I share one thing in common with one of his most famous characters… I don't truly have a name. I rejected the name my parents gave me, because they rejected me. Until I prove myself worthy of being a man, everybody can just call me Chico… I don't mind.**_

_**The moment I set foot on Monster Island, I knew that the natural order was out of balance and that evil spirits ruled this place. I'm not a Native American by birth, but my adoptive family's tradition rubbed off on me enough so that I could sense when something is wrong with the land. This land was suffering, crying out in pain…**_

…_**crying out for help.**_

_**I resolved to fight this evil by doing what I did best – dueling. I worked hard to get as far as I could in this tournament, and now I've reached the apparent epicenter of the evil that rules this land.**_

_**And now I've come face-to-face with one of the evil spirits I was seeking. The worst part is, she seems to have a crush on me… And she's issued a challenge…**_

_**Well, as another of Clint Eastwood's characters once said…**_

_**Go ahead… Make my day…**_

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER FORTY-THREE**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Mistress of the Night**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

It was shortly before Stan's duel with the End of Anubis.

Like the other finalists, Chico was trying hard to hide how nervous he was.

He didn't need his gut instincts to know that there was evil around him – anyone who wasn't blind could tell you that the Palace of Shadow was a den of evil. It seemed that whoever had built the place _wanted_ it to look evil. It was like Dracula's castle, only not in black and white.

Right now, he was walking down a long stone staircase. Torches lit the walls, and cobwebs hung from the ceilings. He had the feeling he was heading into some dark cellar, but he had to go forward.

He sat down on the steps, and fished something out of his pocket.

It was a Crystal Star that had been called the Golden Star, and like its name implied, it was the color of pure gold. Getting this had not been easy…

Once he got his seventh card, the Interdimensional Matter Transporter had taken him to Petalburg. There, someone had pointed him in the direction of a ruins outside of town, commonly known as the Shwonk Fortress to locals.

He quickly found his way into the inner sanctum of the fortress, a strange crypt that suggested Egypt. He was met by a curious creature. He resembled Koops in general outline – he was, like Koops, a turtle – but there the similarities ended. This creature wore shades and an Egyptian headdress. He promptly introduced himself as Tutenkoopa.

Chico didn't know whether to laugh or be insulted. But he still had to duel this creature…

And he soon learned that despite Tutenkoopa's ridiculous appearance, he was no amateur…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Chico was in trouble.

His Life Points stood at 2,500, and his enemy's were just ahead at 3,200. Even worse, his Necrovalley had been wiped out. His only defenses right now were two facedown cards. His foe had a Monster facedown in Defense.

Tutenkoopa chuckled.

"Run out of insults, Chico?" he asked. "Maybe it's sunk in that I'm more than I appear… I've been the high priest working for the Shadow Queen for years, and I know how to handle upstarts like you."

"Humph," snarled Chico. "You know, in this tournament, I dueled a guy who used a Monster that looked kind of like you. Andy is a far more noble duelist than you'll ever be, and I'll wager that his Monster is a nobler _Monster_ than you are!"

He drew a card.

"But it's my turn, so I'll place a Monster facedown in Defense, and that will be my turn."

A facedown Monster appeared.

"So be it," chuckled Tutenkoopa, making a draw.

He grinned.

"I flip my facedown monster into Attack Mode!" he laughed. "Go, Poison Mummy!"

The card flipped face-up, and a rotting mummy clad in rags appeared. (1,000/1,800)

Poison Mummy breathed a foul gout of decay at Chico and he gasped! His Life Points fell to 2,000.

"If you think that was impressive, wait until you see this," continued Tutenkoopa. "I'll sacrifice Poison Mummy for a Spellcaster called Great Dezard!"

He switched cards on his Disk, and Poison Mummy vanished. In its place rose a tall Egyptian priest in white robes and a headdress. (1,900/2,300)

"Great Dezard, attack his facedown Monster with kopesh slash!" ordered Tutenkoopa.

Great Dezard lifted a curved blade, and swung it forward…

Cat of Ill Omen appeared on the card and shattered.

"Thank you…" muttered Chico. "Now I can search my deck for any Trap Card and place it on the top of my deck. It isn't as good an effect as it would have been with my Field Card, but I'll take what I can get…"

A card slipped out of his deck, and he placed it on top.

"That will hardly be a problem," chuckled Tutenkoopa.

Great Dezard's robes turned silver.

"Now that he's destroyed one of your Monsters," he continued, "he's immune to Magic and Trap Cards that target!

"And it's your move…"

Chico made a draw.

_I know what's coming next,_ he thought. _But I have to do something…_

"I'll place this card facedown…" he said, placing down the card he had drawn.

It appeared next to the other two.

"And then I'll summon Gravekeeper's Vassal in Defense Mode."

He set the card, and the short, weasly Gravekeeper dressed in rags appeared, shielding himself. (700/500)

"Aw…" said Tutenkoopa, feigning sympathy. "Run out of good Monsters? Well I sure haven't!"

He made a draw.

"Great Dezard, destroy his Vassal!"

Great Dezard swung his sword, and the Vassal was eradicated.

Great Dezard's robes turned gold…

"And now that he's destroyed _two_ of your Monsters," chuckled Tutenkoopa, "I can sacrifice him…"

Great Dezard vanished…

…and the stench of a grave pervaded the chamber…

"To summon a creature feared to all as… Fushioh Richie!"

A hideous Zombie arose! It was a gaunt, rotting creature wearing the remains of a wizard's robe, carrying a sickle-ended staff. He glowed with an unholy aura. (2,600/2,900)

"You confront me with Fushioh Richie…" snarled Chico. "He was the Gravekeepers' deadliest enemy! The Gravekeepers protect tombs, and that walking worm nest only defiles them!"

"Say what you will," chuckled Tutenkoopa, "but behold his power! Descend into the earth, Fushioh Richie!"

The Zombie vanished, and was replaced by a facedown card.

"That will be my turn," chuckled Tutenkoopa. "And by the way, this guy is just as immune to Magic and Trap Cards as Great Dezard was…"

Chico surveyed the situation.

_Every time that… thing flips face-up, this guy can summon a Zombie from his Graveyard,_ he thought._ I have to make this next draw count…_

He drew. He looked at the card.

"I place a Monster facedown in Defense Mode, and end my turn," he said, setting the card.

A facedown Monster appeared.

"Fine," chuckled Tutenkoopa, drawing a card. "Now rise, Fushioh Richie!"

The Zombie flipped into Attack Mode.

"And now I'll use his ability to bring back Wandering Mummy!" exclaimed the Koopa.

A pair of rotting mummies appeared next to the undead sorcerer. (1,500/1,500)

"Fushioh Richie, blow away his facedown Monster with unholy blight!"

The creature thrust his staff forward…

A bald, chubby nomad appeared on the card, and was blown into pixels.

"HA!" laughed Chico. "You just flipped my Gravekeeper's Guard! And when that happens, I can send one Monster on your side of the field back to your hand! Goodbye Richie!"

Fushioh Richie vanished.

"And unless you can somehow repeat the process of summoning Great Dezard and destroying two more of my Monsters with him, he won't be coming back," gloated Chico.

Tutenkoopa was speechless for a second.

"I'm not finished yet, Chico!" he cursed. "I can still attack you with my Wandering Mummy! Attack him directly!"

The two mummies lurched forward and slugged Chico! He groaned, and his Life Points fell to 500.

"So now what?" asked Tutenkoopa. "You seem to be out of Monsters!"

Chico drew.

"On the contrary," he said with a smirk, "I've had _three_ waiting on the field for quite a while! Go, facedown cards! Embodiments of Apophis!"

His three Trap Card lifted up, and purple smoke poured from them…

The three snake-like Embodiments of Apophis emerged, holding their swords high! (1,600/1,800 x3)

Tutenkoopa gasped…

"Go!" shouted Chico. "Attack his Wandering Mummy!"

The first Apophis struck down the Zombie.

"Now, you two, attack directly!"

Tutenkoopa screamed as he was struck down by the two serpents.

His Life Points fell to zero, and he fell to floor.

He vanished, and a golden glow lit up the chamber…

The shining Golden Star lowered itself into Chico's hands…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Chico remembered this and the other battles he had fought as he continued to descend the stairs. He wondered where Andy was right now – Andy was the only duelist who had defeated him during this tournament. He was guessing that Andy had likely succeeded too… Perhaps they would get a chance for a rematch when he finally found the finals.

The stairway finally ended, and he came to a stone door, one with strange runes over the surface.

With a creak, the door opened…

Most folks would have turned and ran at this point, but Chico was motivated by bravery and a desire to put an end to the blight on this land. But he was still cautious. He carefully walked in…

He almost regretted that he had. He was in a crypt, a very evil-looking one. Demonic gargoyles and sinister paintings adorned the walls. Curtains the color of blood were hanging from several places. A fireplace with a lit fire was on one wall, carved in a fiendish shape.

Most shocking, at the far end of the room was a coffin, well-made and painted black, with a pentagram-symbol on the lid, surrounded by a silk canopy.

"Okay…" muttered Chico. "Think I'll be leaving…"

As he turned, the door slammed shut…

Chico nervously turned towards the coffin, and a girlish giggle came from it…

The lid of the coffin slowly opened, and a form rose out of it…

It was a woman with green skin and hair, and a near-perfect figure. She was dressed in a purple dress with a long train.

She grinned at Chico, showing a flash of small, pointed teeth…

"Vampire Lady?" gulped Chico, sweating.

"And who might you be?" she purred. "I don't get guests too often… Oh, it's so lonely down here…"

She drifted up to him… Chico tried to run, but he was rooted to the spot.

"You're so handsome…" she said, stroking his cheek. "Such nice hair…"

She felt his arms.

"Such muscles… Why not stay a while and keep me company, hmm…?"

Chico pushed her away.

"I don't date outside my species," he growled. "Now how about letting me out of this place?"

"You can't get away from me darling," chuckled Vampire Lady. "And I won't let you go so easily. Big, strong boys like you come along once in a blue moon.

"But if you're willing to make a little gamble, I'll give you a chance…"

"What kind of gamble?" asked Chico.

Vampire Lady gestured, and a Duel Disk appeared on her left arm.

"I just want to play a little game," she answered. "Duel me… If you win I'll let you go…"

"And if I lose?" asked Chico, getting nervous.

"Like I said, I've been lonely for a long time," replied the vampire. "If I win, you have to share my coffin…"

Chico gulped.

"For how long?" he asked.

"As long as I want," she purred.

Chico paused.

"Not sure if that's a good idea…" he stammered.

Vampire Lady took hold of his arm and applied pressure.

Chico could feel it – she was _strong._

"If you refuse, I'll simply drag you there," she warned with a smile.

"All right, all right!" gasped Chico. "I guess I really have no choice…"

Vampire Lady backed up, and started to shuffle her deck.

_I have to beat this creature,_ thought Chico, looking at his. _Otherwise I'm going to be her bedmate for as long as she wants, which could be forever… And who knows what she'll do if she gets tired of me… I know what vampires do! I have to trust my deck…_

"Well Chico," said the Monster. "Time to choose a Deckmaster… Make certain it's a good one…"

Chico looked through his deck.

_Well,_ he thought. _This guy is pretty hard to summon… Maybe he'd be better as a Deckmaster…_

He held the card up.

"I choose Mystical Knight of Jackal!" he exclaimed.

A golden glow surrounded him, and the golden-armored Beast-Warrior appeared.

"Splendid," chuckled Vampire Lady. "I, of course, will be my own Deckmaster. Now let's begin…"

The Duel Disks flipped into position, and they drew their first hands.

"You may go first," she purred.

Chico drew his first card.

_Awesome!_ he thought. _I haven't had an opening hand this good in months!_

Then he heard a haunting voice in his head. He sensed it was coming from Mystical Knight of Jackal.

"_Chico,"_ said the Beast-Warrior, _"I swear on the divine power of Re-Horakhty that I can help rescue you from this demoness. My Deckmaster ability is great…"_

"_Really?"_ answered Chico. _"What is it?"_

"_Normally,"_ responded the Knight, _"My power can 'spin' a defeated Monster back to the top of your foe's deck. Now, however, if one of your Monsters is destroyed in battle, simply pay 500 Life Points, and I'll transport it back to the top of YOUR deck."_

_Yes!_ thought Chico. _I can't lose!_

"Now then," he said, flicking open his Field slot.

He fit a card into it.

"I play Necrovalley!"

A vortex surrounded the two of them, and the creepy tomb transformed into the desert valley. Cliffs rose around them, and the Pyramids and the Sphinx appeared far behind Chico.

"In this ancient burial ground, tombs are sacred places," explained Chico, "so folks like _you_ are abominations!"

Vampire Lady giggled.

"You flatter me," she chuckled.

Chico chose a card.

"Now I'll summon one of the guardians of Necrovalley…" he continued. "Gravekeeper's Curse, in Defense Mode!"

He set the card, and the black-robed nomad carrying his hooked staff appeared, kneeling in defense. (800/800) –) (1,300/1,300)

"And just by summoning him," stated Chico, "I can take a piece right out of your Life Points!"

Gravekeeper's Curse pointed his staff and fired a blast of black energy at Vampire Lady…

She merely smiled as it hit her. Her Life Points fell to 7,750.

"What?" gasped Chico in surprise. "You should have lost 500 Life Points!"

Vampire Lady giggled.

"In case you didn't realize it yet, darling, I'm a vampire," she chuckled. "Vampires are very hard to hurt. My Deckmaster ability halves any damage I take from card effects. So your Curse barely left a mark!"

"Then it's your move," answered Chico.

Vampire Lady drew.

"Well," she said, "my opening hand isn't too great…"

She played a Magic Card.

"So I play Magical Mallet!"

A toy, wooden mallet with wings on its head appeared in the air, and spun in a chaotic pattern.

"What's that?" asked Chico.

"A reset card," answered the vampire. "This lets me put this card, and any number of cards I want from my hand back into my deck, reshuffle, and draw the same number of cards. And I'm going to return all six!"

She returned the cards to her deck and reshuffled. Then she drew six more cards.

"Well," she sighed. "Still not the best hand… but fortunately…"

She played a Magic Card.

"…I drew Magical Mallet again, meaning I can use it again!"

The Mallet spun again.

Chico's eyes opened wide.

_Talk about a dangerous card…_ he thought. _It basically lets her choose what cards she starts this duel with!_

Vampire Lady returned the Magical Mallet and two other cards to her deck and reshuffled again. She drew three more cards.

"See Chico," she said, "Magical Mallet is a great card to have when you're looking for an important card… Like this one!"

She played another Magic Card.

"I play… Dark Snake Syndrome!"

Chico felt a tingling over his skin…

He looked at his arms, and saw that they were covered with hideous tattoos, shaped like demonic snakes!

"What did you do?" he gasped.

"Dark Snake Syndrome is a curse that will slowly sap your Life Points," chuckled Vampire Lady. "On my next turn, you'll lose 200 Life Points… then 400 on the next turn, then 800 on the next turn, and then… well, you get the idea…"

Chico looked at her. He noticed that the same tattoos were covering her flesh as well.

"I notice that you have the same problem," he snarled.

"True," chuckled his opponent. "But remember my Deckmaster ability? It will only hurt me half as much. And my turn is just starting…"

She took another card from her hand.

"Next I'll place one card facedown on the field…" she stated.

She fit a card into her Disk, and a facedown card appeared.

"Next, another Continuous Magic Card," she stated, playing another card. "It's called Level Limit Area B. So long as this card is in play, all Monsters of four stars or greater are shifted into Defense Mode and kept there!"

She put another card on her Disk.

"Finally," she said, "I'll summon a creature called Servant of Catabolism in Attack Mode!"

An ugly creature resembling a cross between a snail and a squid appeared in front of her. (700/500)

"It may be weak," she stated, "but it can bypass your Monsters and go straight for your Life Points! Servant of Catabolism, attack!"

Chico gasped as the mollusk leapt at him and grabbed him with its tendrils! It squeezed!

He panted for breath as his Life Points fell to 7,300.

"Your move, darling," said Vampire Lady.

"Don't call me 'darling'," growled Chico, making a draw.

He switched cards on his Disk.

"I sacrifice Gravekeeper's Curse for Gravekeeper's Chief!" he shouted.

The Curse vanished, and the nomad wearing formal robes carrying a golden staff appeared. (1,900/1,200) –) (2,400/1,700)

He knelt in Defense.

"And now I can use his effect to Special Summon one Gravekeeper from my Graveyard," stated Chico, "and with only one in my Graveyard, you can guess who's coming back!"

Gravekeeper's Curse reappeared. (800/800) –) (1,300/1,300)

He swung his staff, and blasted the ray at Vampire Lady again. Again, it didn't seem to bother her much. Her Life Points went down to 7,500.

"And your strategy has a fatal flaw in it," said Chico with a grin. "My Chief may not be able to attack right now, but my Curse only has three stars! Gravekeeper's Curse, attack her Servant of Catabolism!"

Gravekeeper's Curse aimed his staff and it glowed…

Vampire Lady chuckled…

"Activate… Sakuretsu Armor!" she shouted.

Her facedown card lifted, and Gravekeeper's Curse was blown to bits!

"See honey?" she purred. "That apparent flaw wasn't so much of a flaw, now was it?"

Chico growled.

"It's your turn…" he said.

Vampire Lady made a draw.

Chico felt a slight burning on his skin, as the snaky tattoos started to slither! His Life Points went down to 7,100. Vampire Lady's went down to 7,400.

She placed down a card.

"I summon Jinzo #7 in Attack Mode!" she laughed.

A tall, humanoid android covered with wires and tubes appeared. It had the number 07 printed on its chest. (500/400)

"This guy may be even weaker than Servant of Catabolism," chuckled Vampire Lady, "but he can do the same thing! Jinzo #7, attack directly!"

The Machine leapt forward and slugged Chico in the face!

"Your turn, my Servant!" shouted the vampire.

Servant of Catabolism leapt forward and constricted Chico again!

His Life Points fell to 5,800.

"Well," chuckled the Monster, "I think that's enough for one move…"

Chico made a draw.

_What can I do?_ he thought. _She's got me totally locked down!_

"I summon Gravekeeper's Assailant…" he stated, placing a card down.

The shadowy assassin appeared, brandishing her dagger. Again, she knelt in Defense. (1,500/1,500) –) (2,000/2,000)

"Anything else?" asked Vampire Lady.

"No," sighed Chico. "I have to end my turn…"

Vampire Lady drew.

The tattoos on Chico's flesh throbbed. His Life Points fell to 5,400. Vampire Lady's fell to 7,200.

The vampiress drew.

"I summon Rainbow Flower in Attack Mode," she stated.

A clay flower pot with an angry face painted on it appeared. Then a large flower with multicolored petals, a smiling mouth, and a single eye in the center sprouted out of it. (400/500)

"Let me guess," sighed Chico, "this Monster can attack me directly too…"

"You're smart, cutie," chuckled Vampire Lady. "Go my creatures!"

Rainbow Flower darted forward and bit Chico on the arm! Jinzo #7 slugged him in the face again! Servant of Catabolism gripped him in its lethal hug!

Chico's Life Points fell to 3,600, and he fell to his knees.

"Well, we're almost done," sighed Vampire Lady. "But don't despair Chico… It may be hard at first, but I assure you, you'll grow to like me after a while…"

_Fat chance…_ thought Chico.

Then he heard Mystical Knight of Jackal's voice.

"_Chico,"_ he stated, _"This has taken a dangerous turn…"_

"_Tell me about it…"_ answered Chico.

"_Our foe is playing a Direct Damage Deck,"_ said the Beast-Warrior. _"I fear my Deckmaster ability is of no use, because she has no intention of EVER attacking your Monsters."_

The creature offered his hand.

"_But if all I can do is encourage you, that's what I'll do…"_

He helped him up.

Chico drew a card.

"Okay, Elvira," he said, "I'm playing Pot of Greed!"

He played the card, and the jar handed him two new cards.

"All right!" he shouted. "First I'll summon Gravekeeper's Cannonholder!"

He placed the card down, and the black-robed nomad carrying a primitive cannon appeared. (1,400/1,200) –) (1,900/1,700)

He knelt in Defense.

"With this guy," explained Chico, "I can sacrifice a Gravekeeper and blow away 700 of your Life Points! So I'll sacrifice both my Assailant AND my Chief!"

The two Gravekeepers melted into orbs of dark energy, and they were absorbed into Cannonholder's cannon.

"All right Cannonholder… lock and load!"

Cannonholder pulled the pin back and aimed at Vampire Lady…

"FIRE!" shouted Chico.

The Gravekeeper fired two blasts, striking Vampire Lady in the chest! She flinched a little as her Life Points fell to 6,500.

"Not bad…" she chuckled. "But don't you remember my Deckmaster ability? I only take half damage from card effects!"

Chico frowned.

"I'll place this card facedown, and that will end my turn," he said.

He played the card, and it appeared in front of him.

Vampire Lady drew again.

Chico grunted as the tattoos burned again. His Life Points fell to 2,800, while Vampire Lady's fell to 6,100.

She put a card down.

"I summon another direct damage Monster," she said with a smile. "Mystic Lamp!"

An old oil lamp, like the kind genies came out of, appeared. (400/300)

"Do the math, Chico!" laughed the vampire. "I have four Monsters who can attack you directly, and their total Attack adds up to 2,000! I simply have to attack this turn, and my Magic Card's curse will finish you on my next turn!

"Mystic Lamp, attack!"

A blast of smoke shot out of the Lamp's spout…

"Activate Waboku!" shouted Chico.

His Trap lifted, and the three priestess in blue robes sprang up.

"Looks like I delayed my defeat for one turn," snarled Chico. "And I'll fight to my last card before I let myself become some teddy bear!"

"You're only delaying the inevitable," sighed Vampire Lady. "Why don't you give up? Are you sure you even WANT to win?"

She blew him a kiss.

"Oh, I'm sure…" growled Chico, drawing.

"I play Graceful Charity!" he shouted.

The beautiful angel flew out of his Disk, and handed him three cards.

_Okay…_ he thought. _Now I might still have a chance…_

"All right babe," he said out loud, "it's time to combo!"

He placed a card into a slot.

"I play Dark Room of Nightmare," he stated.

A Magic Card with the image of creepy shadows in a sinister temple appeared.

"Next," he continued, "I'll summon Gravekeeper's Vassal… in Attack Mode!"

He played the card, and the sneaky vassal of the Gravekeeper's appeared. (700/500) –) (1,200/1,000)

"Now, you're likely wondering why I keep such a pathetic Monster in my deck," stated Chico. "The answer is, he makes a good combo with this Magic Card."

"You see, so long as Dark Room of Nightmare is in effect, any time I do damage to my opponent that isn't battle damage, he or she loses an extra 300 Life Points.

"That brings us to Gravekeeper's Vassal's special ability. When he attacks, the damage he does isn't considered battle damage, it's considered effect damage.

"And even better, he's only a three-star Monster, so he's allowed to attack with your Level Limit card in place!

"So, Gravekeeper's Vassal, attack her Rainbow Flower with evil eye!"

The Vassal glared at Rainbow Flower, and a blast of dark magic struck the plant! Its one eye glazed over, and it shattered.

Vampire Lady's Life Points fell to 5,650

"Yeah, I know," said Chico. "Since that didn't count as an attack, it only does half damage, but at least I can destroy your Monsters…

"I'll place a card facedown, and end my turn."

He placed a card into a slot, and it appeared.

Vampire Lady chuckled as she drew…

This time the tattoos on Chico's flesh started to sizzle and smoke! He screamed as his Life Points fell to 1,200!

Vampire Lady grinned as hers fell to 4,850.

"So you have a Monster who can attack," she purred. "Doesn't matter. The three Monsters I have left can attack too, and they're packing enough Attack Points to win this duel right now…

"This has been fun, Chico, but…

"Servant of Catabolism, attack his Life Points directly!"

Servant of Catabolism leapt forward.

"I activate Eye of Wdjat!" shouted Chico.

His Trap Card lifted, showing an Egyptian eye surrounded by hieroglyphics.

"Eye of Wdjat?" gasped Vampire Lady. "What does that do?"

"It's a rare card," growled Chico. "Since you ordered your Servant to attack, I can now redirect that attack towards a target on _your_ side!"

A glowing eye appeared on the Servant's shell…

"And I choose your Mystic Lamp!" shouted Chico.

Servant of Catabolism did a one-eighty, and lunged at Mystic Lamp! It crushed the lamp into shards!

Vampire Lady's Life Points fell to 4,550.

She chuckled as she turned a card on her Disk.

"I'll end my turn by shifting Jinzo #7 into Defense Mode…" she giggled, as the Machine knelt. "But it was too little, too late Chico. On my next turn, my Magic Card's curse will drain your remaining Life Points, and that will be that…

"So make your last move…"

_She's right…_ thought Chico. _Unless this next draw is my best draw in whole career, I won't be winning this one…_

_I planned to defeat the evil that had polluted this land… Seems I'm nothing but a failure…_

"_You're not a failure,"_ said Mystical Knight of Jackal's voice. _"A failure wouldn't have even gotten this far…"_

"_But her strategy is so hard to defeat,"_ answered Chico. _"It was much easier in the beginning when this tournament started."_

"_Beginnings are often easier,"_ replied the Knight. _"Only someone willing to endure true difficulties can endure something to the end. And ever since your deadbeat parents left you to die, you've been taught that the easy way out was the wrong way…_

"_After all, you saved your allowance for six months to afford the rarest card in your deck…"_

_My rarest card?_ thought Chico, looking at his deck.

He knew what the Jackal was talking about. That card was his favorite… A card that held the very history and origins of the Gravekeepers in the form of one Monster…

But if he drew it now, it couldn't help… He'd need something different…

"_Believe in your deck, Chico,"_ said the Knight. _"If you have faith, the right card will come to you…"_

Chico made a draw…

The skies over Necrovalley darkened…

"All right, Vampirella!" he shouted. "Here's where it gets interesting! Feel the wrath of… Heavy Storm!"

He slammed the card into a slot, and a fierce wind tore through the whole area! First his Dark Room of Nightmare was blown apart, followed by Vampire Lady's Level Limit Area B, followed by the Dark Snake Syndrome! Finally, Necrovalley itself disintegrated, returning the arena to Vampire Lady's tomb.

He was relieved to see the hideous tattoos on his skin vanish.

"This duel isn't over, Vampire Lady," he snarled. "It's just getting started!

"First I'll shift my Cannonholder into Attack Mode!"

Cannonholder rose off the ground and aimed his cannon.

"Gravekeeper's Vassal, attack her Jinzo #7!"

The Vassal glared with his evil eye. The wicked android sparked and blew up.

"Cannonholder, attack her Servant of Catabolism with shadow blast!"

Cannonholder blasted a beam of dark energy from his weapon, blowing the Servant into pixels!

Vampire Lady's Life Points fell to 3,850.

"And don't think I'm done with you yet!" yelled Chico. "I'll sacrifice my Vassal so that Cannonholder can get in one more shot!"

Gravekeeper's Vassal melted into dark energy, and was absorbed into the cannon. Cannonholder fired, striking Vampire Lady in the chest!

Her Life Points fell down to 3,500.

Her brow furrowed.

"Seems I underestimated you," she said. "No matter… I like my companions a bit on the tough side…

"It's my move…"

She drew a card.

She showed it to him. Pot of Greed.

She played it, and the jar handed her two more cards.

_Chico may have defeated one strategy,_ she thought, looking at them, _but his Life Points are low enough to finish him with my back-up plan. And with these cards, I already have all the cards in my hand that I need to pull it off…_

"For my next move," she said, "I summon Jirai Gumo in Attack Mode!"

She placed a card down, and a huge spider with claws like scythes and a slobbering set of mandibles appeared. (2,200/100)

"Perhaps you heard of Jirai Gumo?" she asked.

"Yeah, I know about it," said Chico, quizzically. "I know that if you attack with it, there's a 50 chance you'll lose half your Life Points."

He paused.

"Wait…" he started. "Your Deckmaster ability…"

Vampire Lady shook her head.

"Paying half your Life Points to attack with Jirai Gumo is a cost, not a card effect," answered Vampire Lady. "So my ability is of no use there. So I'm not going to attack. I'm just leaving it as an offensive wall until my true strategy can be revealed. It's your move."

_What's she up to?_ thought Chico, making a draw.

He looked at the card.

"I'll place one card facedown," he stated. "And also a Monster facedown in Defense."

The two facedown cards appeared.

"Next, I'll move my Cannonholder into Defense Mode…"

He turned the card, and Cannonholder knelt.

"And that's my turn…"

"Wonderful!" cheered Vampire Lady, drawing a card. "Now, I always say, while one is good, two is better! So I'll summon _another_ Jirai Gumo in Attack Mode!"

She placed the card, and a twin of the first trapdoor spider appeared. (2,200/100)

Chico looked at her.

"You're up to something…" he snarled.

Vampire Lady laughed evilly.

"Well," she stated, "since you really can't stop me, I might as well show you the Monster I'm going to set on my next turn… After all, we're going to have to get to trust each other eventually…"

_Huh?_ thought Chico. _Why would she show me her strategy?_

She turned the card and showed him…

"Jigen Bakudan!" exclaimed Chico.

"That's right!" chuckled Vampire Lady. "The infamous bomb-Monster. I set this little guy facedown in Defense, and when he's flipped, all the Monsters on my side of the field are destroyed… And you take damage equal to half their total Attack Scores. That amounts to 2,200 Life Points gone, which is 1,000 more than you have left!

"And if you think you can save yourself by using Nobleman of Crossout, think again…"

She showed him another card in her hand.

"It's called Book of Taiyou," she stated. "This Magic Card lets me…"

"I know what it does!" snarled Chico. "I have that in my deck myself. It lets you activate a Monster's flip-effect on the round you set it!"

"Correct," stated Vampire Lady. "So I end my turn… And I'll accept a peaceful surrender if you want to be spared the humiliation…"

Chico drew.

He sighed.

"I place one card facedown…" he muttered.

The card appeared.

"Sorry," he sighed, "but I'd rather go down fighting… do what you have to…"

A tear fell down his cheek…

Vampire Lady chuckled as she made a draw.

"So brave…" she laughed.

She placed a card on her Disk.

"Anyway, I'll set this Monster facedown in Defense…"

The facedown Monster appeared.

"And now…" she stated, playing a card, "I activate Book of Taiyou!"

The card flipped, and Jigen Bakudan appeared…

"I activate my Trap!" shouted Chico. "Go… Divine Wrath!"

He discarded one of the two cards in his hand. Vampire Lady gasped as thunder rolled…

Lightning fell from the ceiling, vaporizing Jigen Bakudan!

"Heh, heh, heh…" chuckled Chico. "Couldn't you have recognized such an obvious bluff when you heard it? Thanks to my Divine Wrath Trap, your Jigen Bakudan was destroyed the instant it tried to activate its effect, negating the effect and destroying it.

"So what are you going to do now?"

Vampire Lady didn't answer…

"I take it that means it's my turn," stated Chico.

He made a draw.

His eyes opened wide!

"I flip my facedown Monster into Attack Mode…" he stated. "Presenting… Magician of Faith!"

The splendidly dressed Spellcaster with her crescent-moon staff appeared. (300/400)

A card slid out of his discard slot.

"I'll use her to get back my Necrovalley card, and play it now!"

He threw the card into his Field slot, and the vortex consumed the room. Necrovalley returned. Gravekeeper's Cannonholder's stats went up to (1,900/1,200)

"Now I'll move my Cannonholder into Attack Mode…" he continued.

Cannonholder stood up.

"And I'm not half-done yet!" exclaimed Chico. "I activate my other facedown card… Rite of Spirit!"

His Trap lifted.

"This lets me bring one Gravekeeper back from my Graveyard, and I'm choosing my Chief!"

Gravekeeper's Chief appeared, holding his scepter aloft. (1,900/1,200) –) (2,400/1,700)

"And just you know," continued Chico, "when he's on my side of the field, I'm not bound by the negative effects of Necrovalley. So I play… Monster Reborn! Gravekeeper's Assailant, return!"

He played the Magic Card, and the shadowy assassin appeared, carrying her long dagger. (1,500/1,500) –) (2,000/2,000)

"And finally…" said Chico. "I'm going to give you a taste of the rarest card in my deck… The mightiest Gravekeeper of all…"

He switched cards on his Disk…

"I sacrifice my Magician of Faith…"

Magician of Faith vanished into mist. The sky darkened over Necrovalley again, and lightning flashed!

"…and I summon… **_Gravekeeper's Mummy_**!"

A golden sarcophagus appeared on the field… It slowly opened…

A tall form crawled out. It was an ancient, mummified cadaver, clad in rotting burial linens, and decorated with golden jewelry and a bejeweled Egyptian burial mask. He carried a long crook. (2,000/0) –) (2,500/500)

"Gravekeeper's Mummy?" exclaimed Vampire Lady, startled. "How can a Gravekeeper be a mummy? You yourself said that in Necrovalley, Zombies were…"

"Abominations?" interrupted Chico. "Most of them are… But this one is a far nobler Zombie than any vampire. He was the _first_ Gravekeeper, and the one responsible for starting their proud tradition. Upon his death, his followers embalmed his body in a sacred ritual, and legend has it that when Necrovalley is threatened, he will emerge to defend it once more…

"But enough with legends… Gravekeeper's Chief, attack the first Jirai Gumo!"

The Chief cast a spell, and shot a beam of ancient magic at the huge spider, blowing it into pixels!

Vampire Lady's Life Points fell to 3,650.

"Gravekeeper's Assailant, attack the other one!" shouted Chico.

Assailant raised her dagger…

"Stupid…" chuckled Vampire Lady. "It's 200 Attack Points stronger!"

"True, but when Necrovalley is active, Gravekeeper's Assailant can change the battle position of a Monster when she attacks!" answered Chico. "So she's changing it to Defense Mode, where it's 1,900 points weaker!"

Jirai Gumo crouched in Defense Mode, and Assailant plunged her dagger into it, blasting it into pixels!

"And now that you're defenseless," chuckled Chico, "Cannonholder, attack directly with shadow blast!"

Cannonholder aimed his cannon and fired, striking the vampire in the stomach! For the first time all duel, she screamed…

Her Life Points fell to 1,750.

"And now for the grand finale…" proclaimed Chico, "Gravekeeper's Mummy, attack with Spell of Souls!"

Ancient, mystical energy started to flow around Gravekeeper's Mummy, and ghostly wisps surrounded him… cries from the souls of deceased Gravekeepers filled the room…

He pointed his crook, and blasted his mighty spell at Vampire Lady, knocking her over!

Her Life Points fell to zero…

Mystical Knight of Jackal turned to Chico.

"_Congratulations, Chico,"_ he stated_. "I may have been of little help as a Deckmaster this time, but perhaps in the future it will be different. _

"_For now, remember to have faith, and the evil in this land will wiped out…_

"_If not by you, than by those who you ally yourselves with…"_

He vanished.

Vampire Lady got up, as Necrovalley and Chico's four Monsters vanished.

She hung her head.

"Well, you won…" she said sadly.

She sighed.

"You can still share my coffin if you want…" she said softly.

"No thank you!" snapped Chico. "Just point me in the nearest direction out of this chamber of horrors…"

"Before you go…" sighed Vampire Lady, walking up. "Why don't you take something to remember me by…"

"Remember you by?" asked Chico. "I _want_ to forget you!"

"Just hear me out, please!" pleaded Vampire Lady. "There's a reason I'm so lonely… A reason I tried to force you to stay…"

She paused.

"The master of this Palace is a wicked creature… She keeps me as much a prisoner of this tomb as… as I wanted to make you. But I can help you defeat her…"

"Oh? How?" asked Chico, somewhat annoyed.

He wasn't sure whether or not to believe this vampire, but she had lost… He knew that no duelist with any honor would break a wager…

…hopefully.

Vampire Lady took four cards out of her dress.

"The master doesn't know I have these," she urged. "Take them, and you can defeat anyone…"

"Yeah, right…" said Chico, as he took them. "They're probably just some sort of cheap…"

His eyes bugged out as he saw what they were.

"No way…" he gasped. "No freakin' way! I've heard of these cards… But…"

He was speechless. These cards were so rare, they made Gravekeeper's Mummy look like something you could pull out of a booster pack…

A door behind Vampire Lady opened, revealing a stairway going up.

"Go…" she said, sadly. "Leave me…"

Chico walked to the door.

He looked at the cards.

_That vampire was a beast,_ he thought. _But is it wrong to accept help from one evil creature to defeat another? These cards would make my deck twice as powerful…_

A strong feeling of temptation came over him…

Finally, he removed three cards from his deck, and then shuffled the four new cards into it.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

In her tomb, Vampire Lady sadly sat on the edge of her coffin.

Not all of what she had said to Chico was lies, although a lot it was… She _was_ pretty lonely down here, and Chico would have made a great companion…

An image flashed in front of her. She stood up as the Shadow Queen's face appeared.

"Vampire Lady?" she said in a comforting voice. "Don't feel bad for losing… So you didn't get what you wanted…"

"It would have been nice…" sighed the vampire.

"Well," suggested the Shadow Queen, "you can still have him if you want… You just have to wait until the finals are over…

"And you played your part well… You're an excellent liar…"

Vampire Lady chuckled.

"He should have known never to believe a vampire," she giggled.

"What my victims don't know," stated the Shadow Queen, "is that by accepting my help in the form of these rare cards, they're technically on my payroll. So if Stan, Andy, or Francesca should fall to any of them in the finals… Well, my job is done…"

She chuckled.

"And once they're out of the way, I'm free to do anything with my unknowing minions as I want…

"Hang tight… You won't be lonely much longer…"

**0**

**0**

**0**

**EYE OF WDJAT (Trap Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Trap  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description: **Image of an Egyptian eye surrounded by hieroglyphics. You can activate this card when your opponent declares an attack. Redirect the attack of the attacking Monster to another Monster on your opponent's side of the field, or to your opponent directly if he has no other Monsters on the field.

_Note: "Eye of Wdjat" was used by Odion in the anime episode "Awakening of Evil (Part One)". All creative credit goes to the writers of this episode._

**0**

**0**

**0**

**GRAVEKEEPER'S MUMMY (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Zombie/Effect  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level: **5  
**ATK: **2,000  
**DEF: **0

**Card Description: **This embalmed creature was the first Gravekeeper, and the secret guardian of Necrovalley. When this Monster destroys an opponent's Monster, you can Special Summon one "Gravekeeper's Servant Token" (Zombie/Dark/1 star/500/500) to your side of the field in Attack Mode during your next Main Phase.

Note: "Gravekeeper's Mummy" was created by Man Called True for one of his chapters in the fanfic "Yu-Gi-Oh! Lady of Dragons". All creative credit goes to him.

**0**

**0**

**0**

"**Mystical Knight of Jackal":** Beast-Warrior/Light, Level 7, (2,700/1,200)

Deckmaster SA: "Self Spin": When one of your Monsters is destroyed in battle, you can pay 500 Life Points to put the destroyed Monster on the top of your deck.

**0**

**0**

**0**

"**Vampire Lady":** Zombie/Dark, Level 4, (1,550/1,550)

Deckmaster SA: "Vampiric Immunity": All damage you take from card effects is halved.

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**Before I continue, rest assured that this will NOT be the last you see of Gravekeeper's Mummy in this fanfic. Chico will use him again, and make good use of his effect.**_

_**Coming up next:**_

_**The heroes are still stuck in the arena, but an exit is in sight. Peten the Dark Clown shows up to challenge Andy again, and if you thought his deck was anti-Dragon before, wait until you see what he's got up his sleeve now. Plus, fans of "Yu-Gi-Oh GX", wait until you see what Andy has in his deck!**_

**_It's all coming up in a chapter called "Comedy and Tragedy", coming soon…_**


	45. Comedy and Tragedy

_**Being a duelist who uses a Dragon Deck, one great duelist who I admire is Seto Kaiba. **_

_**Kaiba uses a lot of Dragons, not the least of which are his three unique Blue-Eyes White Dragons. But his deck isn't truly Dragon-themed… More or less, it's a Beatdown Deck.**_

_**He uses a lot of other Monster Types… Warriors like Blade Knight, Beast-Warriors like Vorse Raider, Fiends like La Jinn…**_

_**I also believe he has three Peten the Dark Clown cards in his deck. These three Monsters are useful to him in two ways: One, their effect helps him put up a good defensive wall. Second, because they have only 500 Attack Points and are Dark Monsters, they can be used to trigger his deadly Crush Card Trap.**_

_**I doubt even Kaiba knows that one of his Monsters has come to life, turned evil, and is attacking a duelist who admires him. If Kaiba were here, he'd likely be upset. **_

_**Well, this clown is in for a rude awakening…**_

_**Because between the last time we met and now, I obtained a secret weapon or two…**_

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Comedy and Tragedy**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

Maria was sweating heavily…

She had Amphibian Beast (2,400/2,000), and Gagagigo (1,850/1,000) in attack Mode on her side; her opponent, Seto Kaiba's doppelganger, had a clear side, but he had just foiled her attempt at a direct attack with his Negate Attack.

The scores were at a dead tie, with each of them at 2,800…

And it was "Kaiba's" move.

"I play my Pot of Greed!" he shouted, playing it.

He drew two cards, and grinned.

"I play the Ritual Magic Card, White Dragon Ritual!" he exclaimed, playing the card. "To do this, I'll sacrifice the Blue-Eyes in my hand… And summon Paladin of White Dragon!"

A powerful Knight in shining white armor astride a white dragon appeared, holding a lance. (1,900/1,200)

"Next," he continued, "I'll play Monster Reborn, to bring back the Blue-Eyes I just sacrificed!"

He played the card, and the ferocious Blue-Eyes White Dragon appeared on the field. (3,000/2,500)

"Paladin!" shouted "Kaiba", "destroy Gagagigo with dragon lance!"

The Paladin flew forward, and speared Gagagigo, blowing it to pieces.

"Blue-Eyes, obliterate Amphibian Beast with white lightning!"

The Dragon blasted forth its powerful breath weapon, eradicating the Beast.

"But wait…" said Kaiba with a grin, "there's more! Now that my turn's ending, I can sacrifice my Paladin for another Blue-Eyes, so now I have _two_!"

Paladin vanished, and a second Blue-Eyes appeared in front of him.

Maria's Life Points were at 2,150.

"So what are you going to do now, Maria?" he gloated.

Maria shakily reached for her deck…

"I play the Magic Card… Reload!" she stated.

She put her five cards into her deck, reshuffled, and drew five more cards.

Her eyes opened wide.

"I play… A Legendary Ocean!" she shouted.

She threw a card into her Field Slot, and the arena became awash with sea water. The beautiful palace arose behind her.

"Now I play Premature Burial!" she exclaimed. "I'll use it to bring back Gagagigo!"

Her Life Points slipped to 1,350, and Gagagigo arose. (1,850/1,000) –) (2,050/1,200)

"But I won't be keeping him," she continued. "Due to the downgrading effect of A Legendary Ocean, I can now summon my next Monster with only one sacrifice… So I sacrifice Gagagigo to summon Levia-Dragon – Daedalus!

The lizard man vanished, and a huge form erupted out of the Ocean. It was a sea Monster with a serpentine body, fins, and huge teeth! (2,600/1,500) –) (2,800/1,700)

"Impressive…" said "Kaiba" with a smirk. "But that's still not strong enough…"

"I'm not done!" continued Maria. "Now I can sacrifice Daedalus to Special Summon an even stronger beast…"

Daedalus shattered as she put a card down.

"So arise, Ocean Dragon Lord – Neo-Daedalus!"

The biggest sea monster of all appeared… it looked like the original Daedalus, but with two heads and nastier-looking fins. (2,900/1,600) –) (3,100/1,800)

The two Blue-Eyes and their master drew back in fear…

"And that's not the half of it," chuckled Melissa, as the waters around her started to churn. "By sacrificing A Legendary Ocean, Neo-Daedalus can destroy all cards on the field and in both our hands except himself!"

A huge series of waterspouts shot up, and the two Blue-Eyes were blown apart!

After a minute, Neo-Daedalus was the only card in play…

"Kaiba" gasped…

"Neo-Daedalus, attack directly with fury of the tempest!" shouted Maria.

Kaiba's double screamed as a blast of water plowed into him, knocking him over…

He shattered into pixels.

"Uh… did I just win?" muttered Maria.

"Sure looks that way, Maria," said Leopold with a grin.

"I call it luck…" sighed Melissa.

"Luck or not, we're getting better," stated Vladimir. "But remember one thing… these virtual images are just phantoms. The real things will be a lot harder…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Earlier, Stan, Andy, and Francesca were still trapped in the arena…

But they figured they were closer to an exit.

"Only one lever to pull down, guys," said Andy, "mine. And I can just guess who's going to come out when I pull it…"

He went to the lever and pulled it down…

The door on the left slowly opened, and a cackling laughter echoed throughout the arena…

A figure tumbled into view, then leapt up and did a somersault…

He smiled at Andy.

"Peten the Dark Clown," sighed Andy. "Long time no see. Where have you been keeping yourself…?"

Peten's smile turned into a scowl.

"Where? WHERE?" he snarled. "The Queen punished me good, Andy. Do you know what it's like to be sealed away in the Graveyard? I couldn't move… I couldn't see… I couldn't hear!

"But there was one thing I could do… I could think! And the only thing I could think about was how I wanted to pummel you to pieces!"

He cackled with insane laughter again, as a Duel Disk appeared on his arm.

"If you defeat me," he chuckled, "you and your friends are free to progress to the second level of the Palace of Shadow. But that's not going to happen. I'm going to defeat you, little boy… And I've been improving my deck since our last encounter!"

The change fully came over Andy.

"I hate to tell you this, but so have I," answered Andy. "And I'll duel you if I can get rid of you for good!"

"Be careful, Andy!" shouted Francesca. "You know he has a Buster Blader!"

"I know!" answered Andy. "But I'm fully prepared for it!"

"Very well…" laughed Peten.

Their Duel Disks activated.

"Now choose your Deckmaster!" he laughed.

Andy took out his deck.

_Decisions, decisions…_ he thought. _Well, since I play a Dragon Deck, why not use a Dragon this time?_

He held a card up.

"I choose… Luster Dragon #1!"

In a flash of light, the beautiful sapphire Dragon appeared.

"Now then…" started Andy.

"_Andy…"_ said a soft, mystical voice in his head.

Andy turned, it was coming from Luster Dragon.

"_Was that you?"_ he answered. _"I didn't think dragons could speak…"_

"_Dragons possess the ability to communicate telepathically with any being who has a language,"_ answered Luster Dragon. _"Word just hasn't gotten out, because we tend to eat anyone who hasn't earned our respect…_

"_You, however, is someone we respect, so listen closely…_

"_My Deckmaster ability allows you to Special Summon my older brother, Luster Dragon #2 to the field, and it doesn't matter whether he is in your hand, your deck, or in the Graveyard at the time."_

"_How many times?"_ asked Andy.

"_As many times as you like, once per turn,"_ answered Luster Dragon. _"But it is only free the first time you do it. The second time, you must pay 500 Life Points… The third time, you must pay 1,000… And the payment increases by 500 each consecutive time._

"_Use this ability wisely, and we will defeat our foe. Remember, he holds dragonkind's mortal enemy in his deck…_

"_And I'm certain that Buster Blader is not the only bane of dragons he carries."_

"Okay Peten, enough talk," exclaimed Andy. "Let's duel!"

The Life Point counters rose to 8,000 apiece.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Watching closely – more closely than usual – were the Shadow Queen and Grodus.

"Are you sure it's wise to trust this joker?" asked Grodus. "He already cheated once…"

"I know," pondered the Queen, "but Peten and I reached an… understanding…

"First, while he was improving his deck, I made him replace the trimmed-down Buster Blader with a normal one…

"Second, he knows I'll be watching closely, and if he does anything to cheat, I'll not only stop the duel, but I'll use this…"

She held up a glowing card.

Last Day of the Witch.

"That…" muttered Grodus. "That destroys all Spellcasters on the field…"

"And if I use this magical version, it will destroy any of my servants in whatever room I choose who happen to be Spellcasters.

"So if Peten cheats this time, he dies, plain and simple. Since he knows I have this card, I don't think we have to worry about that…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_Bah…_ thought Peten, drawing his first hand_. I don't have to cheat to beat this child… My anti-Dragon deck is good enough using my own skills!_

He made his first draw.

He chuckled. He opened his Field slot.

"For my first move…" he giggled, "I'll play this card… A Field Magic Card called Array of Revealing Light!"

The Field slot closed, and a glow appeared on the arena. A mystic circle with glowing lines appeared on the floor.

"Array of Revealing Light?" asked Andy. "What does that do?"

"Simple," chuckled Peten. "I name one Type of Monster, and for as long as this Field remains in play, that Type of Monster cannot attack on the turn it is summoned!

"And I choose Dragons!"

"Aw, nuts!" exclaimed Francesca. "Now practically every Monster Andy has is going to have to wait a round before it can attack!"

"That's right!" laughed Peten as he placed another card down.

"Next, I'll summon this guy in Attack Mode… Mystic Clown!"

A tall figure appeared. It was a gangly, thin Fiend, with colorful clothes in shades of purple, and one eye.

"AND, he gets a little boost!" laughed Peten.

(1,500/1,000) –) (2,000/1,500)

"How did your Clown get stronger?" asked Andy.

"My Deckmaster ability increases the Attack and Defense of any clown Monster I summon by 500!" laughed Peten.

He took another card.

"I'll finish by placing this facedown, and turn it over to you…"

A facedown card materialized.

Andy drew a card.

"Well you aren't the only one with a powerful Deckmaster!" he warned. "First I'll summon my Cave Dragon!"

He placed a card down, and the lumbering, elderly Dragon appeared. (2,000/100)

"Next," he said, "I'll use my Deckmaster's ability to Special Summon Luster Dragon #2 from my deck!"

Luster Dragon #1 glowed, and a card flew out of Andy's deck. It fell on his Disk, and the powerful Luster Dragon #2 appeared. (2,400/1,400)

"Since I can't attack with them thanks to your Field Card," he continued. "I'll end my turn there…"

Peten growled. He drew a card.

"I'll summon Toon Alligator in Defense Mode…" he snarled.

He placed a card down, and the comical, grinning alligator appeared, shielding itself with its stone axe. (800/1,600)

"And I'll also move Mystic Clown into Defense Mode, and that will be all…"

He turned his card; Mystic Clown knelt and shielded himself.

Andy drew a card.

"Spear Dragon in Attack Mode!" he shouted.

He placed the card down, and the pterodactyl-like Dragon appeared. (1,900/0)

"I may not be able to attack with him this round, but I can attack with my other two! Cave Dragon, wipe out Mystic Clown with noxious breath!"

Cave Dragon blasted forth his gaseous breath; Mystic Clown gasped and shattered.

"Luster Dragon, attack that dumb-looking cartoon with emerald flash blast!"

Luster Dragon shot forth a beam of energy, blowing Toon Alligator away!

"Yes!" exclaimed Francesca. "Peten has no more Monsters on his side and Andy has three! Next round, Andy will clean his clock!"

"Then why is Peten smiling?" asked Stan.

Peten was indeed chuckling. He drew a card.

"I'm not done yet, Andy…" he giggled.

His Trap Card lifted.

"I activate Call of the Haunted to bring my Toon Alligator back!"

The comical Reptile returned.

"But I'm only doing that so I can sacrifice him…" continued Peten. "To summon this…"

He placed a card on his Disk, and Toon Alligator vanished.

"I summon Dragon Seeker!"

A man-sized Fiend appeared. It was hideously ugly, hunched over, and combining the features of a dinosaur and lizard. It had bat-like wings on its back. (2,000/2,100)

"Just by summoning this guy, he can destroy one Dragon on the field!" exclaimed Peten.

Beams of energy shot from Dragon Seeker's eyes, and Luster Dragon #2 was blown into pixels.

"Actually, he can destroy two," laughed Peten. "I still have his attack to use on Spear Dragon! Dragon Seeker, attack Spear Dragon with dark claws of fury!"

Dragon Seeker leapt forward, and slashed at Spear Dragon, tearing it in half!

Andy's Life Points fell to 7,900.

"Well," chuckled Peten. "Your move…"

_That guy's grinning like a Cheshire Cat…_ thought Andy as he drew. _I'll bet he already has Buster Blader in his hand, and he's just waiting for the right time to summon him…_

_For now, I'd best just protect myself…_

"I summon The Dragon Dwelling in the Cave in Defense Mode," he stated.

He placed a card down, and the sleepy, rocky Dragon appeared.

"And also, a card facedown," he continued.

He fit a card into a slot, and it materialized.

"Over to you, clown…" he dared.

"Then I draw…" chuckled Peten.

"Heh, heh…" he laughed. "HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA!"

He calmed down.

"I couldn't have asked for better!" he exclaimed.

He took another card from his hand.

"I bring my Toon Alligator back again with Monster Reborn!" he laughed.

He played the card. Toon Alligator reappeared.

"Now I'll sacrifice both my servants to summon…"

He chuckled, as Toon Alligator and Dragon Seeker vanished into mist…

He put a card down…

"BUSTER BLADER!" he laughed.

With a bellowing war cry, the huge Warrior in armor appeared, holding aloft his mighty sword! (2,600/2,300)

"Now, with two Dragons on the field and two in your Graveyard, he has more than enough power to cause you a world of hurt!" laughed Peten.

(5,600/2,300)

"Fifty-six hundred Attack Points already?" gasped Francesca. "Now what?"

"Buster Blader…" started Peten.

"I activate Threatening Roar!" shouted Andy.

His Trap Card lifted, and the great beast roared, causing both Peten and Buster Blader to shield themselves.

"Fine," chuckled Peten. "You've bought yourself a turn, nothing more. I'll end my turn by playing this card facedown."

He fit a card into a slot, and it appeared.

"_Andy,"_ said Luster Dragon's telepathic voice. _"This has gotten dangerous…"_

Andy drew a card.

"_Don't worry,"_ he replied. _"I'm gonna take down this joker the same way I did the last time…"_

"I'll place one card facedown," he said, fitting a card into a slot.

A facedown card appeared.

"Now I'll pay 500 Life Points to activate my Deckmaster's ability again," he exclaimed.

His Life Points fell down to 7,400.

"I'll summon Luster Dragon #2, and place him in Attack Mode!"

Luster Dragon reappeared.

"That will end my turn…" he sneered.

"Oh dear…" remarked Peten. "A facedown card… Whatever could it be…"

He held his forehead.

"Wait…" he chuckled. "It wouldn't happen to be… Burst Breath, would it?"

Andy glared at him.

_Strange,_ he thought. _He's right… but he doesn't seem to be the least bit worried. But what is he going to do? I'll activate it the second he draws!_

"Well Andy…" chuckled Peten, "I'll draw one card…"

He drew a card.

"I activate Burst Breath!" shouted Andy, as his Trap lifted.

Luster Dragon #2 growled… Energy appeared in its jaws…

"Poor Andy…" chuckled Peten. "You won't get me with the same trick twice! I activate my own facedown card!"

His facedown card lifted, showing a Quickplay Magic Card with the image of Marauding Captain fending off a fiendish creature.

"It's called My Body As A Shield!" laughed Peten. "Activating this card costs me 1,500 Life Points…"

His Life Points fell to 6,500.

"But it's a price I'm willing to pay, because it negates and destroys any card that destroys Monsters!"

The Burst Breath card shattered.

Andy gasped.

"Unfortunately," grinned Peten, "since your Trap was negated, your Dragons survived… but not for long! Buster Blader, attack his Cave Dragon with blade buster attack!"

Buster Blader leapt forward and made a slash, cleaving Cave Dragon in two!

Andy's Life Points tumbled to 4,800.

"God help him…" whispered Francesca.

"He'd better…" muttered Stan. "Cause I don't know who else can!"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Very clever, Peten," chuckled the Shadow Queen. "I never expected you of all people to learn from your mistakes…"

"Your majesty," said Grodus, "even if Peten wins, I must remind you that The End of Anubis and The Unfriendly Amazon have failed. What will become of Stan and Francesca after this?"

"Well, regardless of the outcome of this duel," she answered, "whoever is left will proceed to the next level of the palace…

"And if our victims thought it was hard so far, they're in for a surprise.

"In fact, Grodus, when they enter the second circle, I want you to confront them personally…"

"Me?" asked Grodus.

He reached into his robes and took out a deck of cards.

"Well, why not?" he chuckled. "It's been a while since I've gotten a chance to get involved…"

"Well, don't get carried away," warned the Queen. "Your deck has its strong points, but it does have weaknesses…"

Grodus drew a card from his deck. He looked at the hideous, fiendish figure clad in gold armor…

"Don't worry," he said. "Those three brats have seen plenty of Dark Monsters before, but not even Stan's Dark Magician is as Dark as the Darkness in my deck!"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Ready to give up, Andy?" chuckled Peten.

"I'll never give in to some Barnum and Bailey reject, Peten!" shouted Andy, making a draw. "I'll fight to the end!"

_Des Volstgalph?_ he thought. _Powerful, but useless right now…_

"I'll switch Luster Dragon into Defense Mode, and that will end my turn," he stated.

Luster Dragon bowed and folded its wings.

Peten cackled as he drew.

_This might be good for later,_ he thought, looking at the Warrior.

"Buster Blader, slay his Luster Dragon!" he shouted.

Buster Blader charged, and smote Luster Dragon, blowing it into shards.

"Make your move…" chuckled Peten.

Andy drew.

His eyes opened a little.

_One of my secret weapons… _he thought. _Aw, but if I summoned it now, it would just be killed!_

"Actually," he stated, "I choose to end my turn without making _any_ move!"

"Your choice," chuckled Peten, drawing a card. "Buster Blader, you know what to do…"

Buster Blader leapt forth, and destroyed The Dragon Dwelling in the Cave.

_Now what?_ thought Andy. _Keep defending until I run out of Monsters I can defend with? If he manages a direct attack with that super-strong Buster Blader, I've had it!_

"_Andy,"_ said Luster Dragon's voice. _"Things may look bleak, but remember one thing…_

"_In a duel, all it can take is one draw to turn the entire thing around. Remember when you dueled Gerald Laxina? Time nearly ran out… But your last draw made all the difference. _

"_It will come to you… Don't give up so long as you can make one more draw…"_

Andy paused.

"_Okay, thanks…"_ he answered.

He went to his deck.

_One draw…_ he thought.

He drew.

_Heh, heh… Well what do you know…_

"Time to say bye-bye to your Blader, Peten!" he shouted. "I play… Snatch Steal!"

The Magic Card appeared.

"NO!" shouted Peten. "My Monster…"

"…is mine!" laughed Andy.

Buster Blader vanished and reappeared on Andy's side, his Attack Score back down to 2,600.

Peten gulped.

"And now, to get rid of him, I'll sacrifice him to summon the Monster whose name is feared by everyone, whether they can spell it or not… **_Des Volstgalph_**!"

Buster Blader vanished, and the huge desert Dragon appeared with a roar. (2,200/1,700)

"Be glad I can't attack you with it this turn, thanks to your rotten Field Card," warned Andy. "It's your move."

"YEAH!" shouted Francesca. "Go Andy!"

"Uh, Francesca…" muttered Stan. "Andy just made a mistake…"

"Huh?" answered Francesca.

"Well," sighed Stan, "Andy was so nervous about Buster Blader and so anxious to get rid of him, he threw away a good opportunity to damage Peten. See, since Des Volstgalph couldn't have attacked anyway, Andy should have attacked Peten directly with Buster Blader, and _then_ sacrificed him."

Andy looked over at his friends. He had clearly heard that…

"Calm down, Andy!" shouted Stan. "You got rid of Buster Blader, didn't you?"

Peten chuckled.

"Should I make my move, Andy, or would you like to make another dumb mistake?" he giggled.

"Just move…" snarled Andy.

"Gladly!" laughed Peten, drawing. "My Buster Blader may be gone, but my deck is full of vicious beasts waiting to destroy you!"

He threw a card down.

"I summon… The Hunter With 7 Weapons!" he announced.

A figure materialized. It was a tall, grim-faced Warrior with a bald head, dressed in a leather suit and cloak. As his name suggested, he was armed to the teeth with weapons. (1,000/600)

"When this guy is summoned…" stated Peten.

"I know!" interrupted Andy. "When he's summoned, you can name one type of Monster, and when he battles that Type, he's assumed to have 1,000 extra Attack Points!"

"Clever," smiled Peten. "So I'm naming Dragons…"

"You're pretty lousy at math, Peten," called Francesca. "That makes his Attack Score 2,000, and Des Volstgalph is 200 points stronger!"

"Actually, Francesca, I knew that," answered Peten. "But I'm prepared. This guy has seven weapons… But I'm going to give him an eighth one! After all, as any Warrior knows, you can never have too many weapons…"

He fit a Magic Card into a slot.

"I'm Equipping him with Sword of Dragon's Soul!" he laughed. "The first effect of this Equip raises any Warrior's Attack by 700!"

The axe in The Hunter's right hand vanished, and was replaced by a large, serrated blade.

"This is more than strong enough to defeat Des Volstgalph!" laughed Peten. "Hunter, attack with specialized strike!"

The Hunter With 7 Weapons leapt forward and jabbed Des Volstgalph in the neck with his blade! The Dragon roared, and shattered into pixels!

Andy's Life Points fell to 4,300.

"I end my turn, Andy," laughed Peten. "So what are you gonna do? My Hunter has an Attack of 2,700 against your Dragons, and even if you managed to summon your Tyrant Dragon, which I doubt you can, any Dragon that battles a Warrior armed with Sword of Dragon's Soul is destroyed automatically!"

"Heh, heh…" chuckled Andy. "Heh, heh, heh, heh…"

"Hey!" shouted Peten. "What's so funny?"

Andy drew one card.

"What's so funny?" he asked. "I'll show you…"

Then he placed a card on his Disk.

"I summon Cyber Dragon in Attack Mode…" he stated.

The ground started to rumble…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"What's this?" gasped the Shadow Queen, getting up. "This is impossible… Andy's summoning a Monster… that I've never even heard of!"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

From out of the ground, a **_huge_** creature erupted! It was a giant, serpentine beast made of metal. It roared, and coiled around Andy. (2,100/1,600)

"GOOD GRIEF!" shouted Francesca. "Andy, where did you get _that_?"

"From Marty," answered Andy. "That secret stash of cards he had… It had everything…"

"Never mind where he got it!" shouted Peten. "How the heck did you summon a Monster that powerful when you had no Monsters on your side?"

"I was able to summon it _because_ I had no Monsters on my side," replied Andy. "Cyber Dragon's special ability lets me Special Summon it directly to the field if my opponent has at least one Monster on his side and I have none."

"Yeah?" said Peten, with a sinister chuckle. "Well a fat lot of good it will do you, because…"

"Cyber Dragon…" ordered Andy, "attack The Hunter With 7 Weapons with strident blast!"

Cyber Dragon roared! It blasted a wave of flame from its mouth, enveloping The Hunter!

Not even ashes were left.

Peten's Life Points fell to 6,100.

"WHAT?" shouted Peten. "HOW? Your Dragon…"

"The name 'Cyber Dragon' is a misnomer, Peten," answered Andy. "This Monster is a Machine, so he didn't care about your Field Card, your Hunter's effect, or that Equip Card."

Peten shivered.

"Your move…" dared Andy.

Peten drew.

"I p-play… Pot of Greed…" he stated.

He played the card, and it handed him two cards.

He grinned a sinister grin.

"I'll still beat you Andy!" he cackled. "I summon Crass Clown in Attack Mode!"

He placed the card down, and the ugly, fiendish clown appeared, balancing on his ball.

"And let's not forget my Deckmaster ability!" he laughed.

(1,350/1,400) –) (1,850/1,900)

"Humph," scoffed Andy. "Even with that bonus, your Fiend is no more than a clown to my Cyber Dragon."

"Well then," chuckled Peten, "I'll just have to make him stronger, with the Magic Card, Psycho Circus!"

He played a card, and a Magic Card with the image of several clown Monsters doing tricks around a sinister-looking carnival under a stormy sky appeared.

"This Continuous Magic Card increases the Attack Score of any clowns that I summon by 500!" laughed Peten.

Crass Clown's Attack went up to 2,350.

"Crass Clown…" shouted Peten, "attack Cyber Dragon with acrobatic daggers attack!"

Crass Clown let out a bone-chilling laugh… He did a handstand on his ball, and then threw three daggers at Cyber Dragon! The great beast exploded!

Andy's Life Points fell to 4,150.

"Poor Andy…" muttered Francesca. "A great Monster like that done in by a… clown…"

"I dunno, Fran," answered Stan. "Andy doesn't seem worried at all…"

"Is that your move?" asked Andy.

Peten chuckled manically, and nodded.

"Yeah, just keep laughing…" snarled Andy, drawing. "Laugh until the guys in the white coats come to take you out of here in a rubber truck!"

He looked at the card.

_I'll save this,_ he thought.

"Well, Peten, since I have no Monsters on my side again, I'll just summon _another_ Cyber Dragon!"

He placed a card down, and the ground shook again. Another Cyber Dragon erupted out of the ground!

"You have two in your deck?" exclaimed Francesca.

"No… _three_," stated Andy. "These guys have a lot of surprises.

"Next I'll play Monster Reborn! Guess who's back?"

He played the Magic Card, and in a flash of light, the first Cyber Dragon reappeared.

"I'm not impressed!" snarled Peten.

"But wait," answered Andy, "there's more! Or actually, less, depending on how you look at it."

He took a card from his hand and showed it to Peten…

Polymerization.

"I mean, any first grade math teacher will tell you that two is greater than one, but that isn't always the case…"

He played the card, and the two Machines swirled into a vortex of light…

"Especially when the one in question is… Cyber-Twin Dragon!"

An enormous form appeared. It was a bigger, meaner, two-headed version of Cyber Dragon, with even an even nastier-looking visage on its two faces. (2,800/2,100)

"Just when I thought he's done everything he can to surprise me, he proves me wrong," muttered Francesca.

"Your move…" said Andy with a glare.

"I uh…" stammered Peten. "I move Crass Clown to Defense Mode…"

Crass Clown shielded himself.

"And I'll place a card facedown…"

He set a card, and it appeared behind Crass Clown.

"That all?" asked Andy, drawing. "Well it won't help! Notice that Cyber-Twin Dragon has two heads! That means he can attack twice in one round!

"But first, I'll wipe out your facedown with Mystical Space Typhoon!"

He played the card, and Peten's Sakuretsu Armor shattered.

"Uh oh…" muttered Peten.

"Uh oh is right," chuckled Andy. "Cyber-Twin Dragon, destroy his Crass Clown!"

The Dragon's right head breathed flame, eradicating Crass Clown.

"Now attack directly!"

The left head shot forth its fire, and Peten screamed!

The Duel Monster's Life Points tumbled to 2,500.

"Had enough yet?" asked Andy.

"NO!" snarled Peten.

He drew a card.

He grinned at Andy again.

"I'll match you card-for-card, and fusion-for-fusion!" he shouted.

He fit the card into a slot.

"I'll summon another Crass Clown!"

Crass Clown appeared, again.

"Next I'll play Polymerization, to fuse him with… Dream Clown!"

The two clowns swirled into a multicolored portal of light…

"You remember my fabulous Fiend with the funny name, don't you?" laughed Peten. "Bickuribox!"

The large box appeared on Peten's side of the field, and the crazy fiend-in-a-box popped out, cackling.

"And by the way, in case you were wondering, it also benefits from my Deckmaster ability AND my Psycho Circus card!"

(2,300/2,000) –) (3,300/2,500)

"Now I can destroy your Dragon…" he warned.

"You'll have to wait one turn…" muttered Andy.

He drew a card, and added it to his hand.

"I'll place a card facedown, and that will be all," he said.

The facedown card appeared.

His eyes shot daggers at Peten.

"You don't fool me, Andy!" shouted Peten. "That card is nothing more than a bluff!"

He drew.

"Bickuribox, attack!"

Bickuribox cackled! It pulled a large scythe out of its mouth and sprang forward…

"Activate… De-Fusion!" shouted Andy.

His Quickplay Magic Card lifted, and Bickuribox was stopped dead in its tracks. It melted into a dark glob, and then split, forming into Crass Clown (1,350/1,400) –) (2,350/1,900) and Dream Clown (1,200/900) –) (2,200/1,900)

"_Where did you get that?" _shouted Peten.

"Wouldn't you like to know," answered Andy.

Peten growled…

"I'll place a card facedown and end my turn…" he muttered, placing his last card into a slot.

The card appeared.

"It's your move!" he shouted.

Andy drew.

"Cyber Twin Dragon, cream his clowns with double strident blast!"

Cyber Twin Dragon shot forth two bursts of flame, and the two clowns were incinerated.

Peten's Life Points were now at 1,450.

"Anything left in your bag of tricks, Peten?" asked Andy.

"I might," sneered Peten. "Since you attacked when I had no cards in my hand, I was able to activate this Trap!"

His Trap Card lifted.

"Card of Last Will! Now I can draw five cards!"

He made five draws.

"Well, make your move then," stated Andy. "We'll see if you have a good one."

Peten drew a sixth card.

He glared at Andy.

"Okay, Andy…" he growled. "This isn't fun anymore… You've forced me to resort to my emergency plan…"

His cards floated out of his hand, positioning themselves above his head. Then his Disk vanished!

"First I'll summon Saggi the Dark Clown in Attack Mode…" he growled.

One of his cards faded away, and the creepy-looking Saggi appeared. (600/1,200) –) (1,600/1,700)

_What's he up to?_ thought Andy.

"And now…" snarled Peten, "I'll summon my favorite Monster to the field… me!"

Peten floated forward, until he was side by side with Saggi. (500/1,200) –) (1,500/1,700)

"Uh, you can do that?" asked Andy.

"You're allowed to summon a Deckmaster to the field, Andy," answered Peten. "The End of Anubis, The Unfriendly Amazon, and I are no exceptions."

"Yeah, well that was a dumb move," said Andy. "Even with your Deckmaster ability, you only have 1,500 Attack Points – one shot, and you lose this duel!"

"I don't think so…" chuckled Peten.

Another of his cards faded, and it appeared on the field.

"Polymerization!" he shouted.

Peten and Saggi formed into blurs, and a flash of light covered the area…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Well, Peten's made a risky move…" sighed the Queen. "But then again, he'd have lost anyway if he hadn't…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Andy was now facing a clown that was ten feet tall, and almost as wide as he was tall.

The immensely fat clown was dressed in an orange suit, large pointy shoes on legs that seemed too small, had arms that also seemed too small, had a frilled collar, and a tall, pointy hat. His face has rosy painted cheeks and a silly smile.

Despite this comedic appearance, the creature exuded a definite aura of menace. (2,000/1,700)

"As you can see," said a voice that was deeper than Peten's original voice. "I have fused with Saggi to form a new Spellcaster called Clown-A-Round. This new form has 2,000 Attack Points…

"My Deckmaster ability still applies, giving me 500 more…

"And finally, my Psycho Circus card gives me 500 additional!"

(3,000/2,200)

"Not bad…" sighed Andy.

"And my turn is just starting…" continued Peten.

Another of his cards revealed itself.

"I play Quick Attack. Now I can _personally_ demolish your Dragon!"

A large ball with stripes and stars appeared in his hand.

"Bouncing ball barrage!" he shouted.

The ball flew forward, and bounced around in a chaotic mess! Cyber-Twin Dragon exploded!

Andy shielded himself as his Life Points fell to 3,950.

"Finally, I'll place a card facedown, and that will be all," he said, and a card appeared behind him on the floor. "Just try to stop me…"

He chuckled a chuckle that was clearly inhuman.

Andy drew.

"Fusing yourself with Saggi has clearly driven you _insane_, Peten," remarked Andy. "Not that you were entirely lucid to begin with!"

He placed a card on his Disk.

"I'll summon Masked Dragon in Defense Mode," he stated.

The masked, fiery Dragon appeared, crouching in Defense. (1,400/1,100)

"Andy is clutching at straws…" muttered Stan.

"There's got to be something he can do…" sighed Francesca.

_Please baby, do something…_ she thought.

"My draw…" said Peten.

A new card appeared.

"I play Pot of Avarice," he said, as the wacky jar that Andy had seen Gerald used appeared. "This lets me…"

"I know!" interrupted Andy. "It lets you put five Monsters from your Graveyard to your deck, reshuffle, and then draw two cards!"

Five cards appeared, and then vanished. Then two cards appeared, joining the two Peten already had.

"Next I'll summon Mystic Clown yet again," continued the Monster.

Mystic Clown reappeared. (1,500/1,000) –) (2,500/1,500)

"Too bad he can't stay," stated Peten. "Because I'll activate my facedown card… Altar For Tribute!"

His Trap Card lifted, showing the image of an evil-looking altar.

"Now I can sacrifice Mystic Clown, and gain Life Points equal to its original Attack Score," he stated.

Mystic Clown melted into light, and Peten's Life Points went up to 2,950.

"Next, I'll play the Magic Card Dark Designator," he said, as another card appeared. "Now I can name any Monster I can think of, and if you have it in your deck, you must add it to your hand."

Andy drew back in surprise.

"Now let's see," chuckled Peten. "I name Red Eyes Darkness Dragon!"

"What?" said Andy.

He went to his deck and leafed through it, taking the card out.

"Why did you do _that_?" he asked.

"So I could do this," continued Peten. "I now activate Confiscation!"

Another Magic Card revealed itself.

"This may cost me 1,000 of the Life Points I just gained…"

His Life Points went down to 1,950.

"…but now I get to see the cards in your hand, and force you to discard one!"

The images of Andy's four cards appeared before Peten.

"Heh, heh," he chuckled. "Naturally, I choose to banish Red Eyes Darkness Dragon!"

"NO!" shouted Francesca. "That was Andy's strongest Monster!"

"And now that that's done," chuckled Peten, "did you think you were safe putting that Masked Dragon in Defense Mode? Well you aren't! As Clown-A-Round, when I attack, I get to choose the battle position of the Monster I'm attacking, and I choose Attack Mode!"

The huge ball appeared in his hand, and Masked Dragon rose into Attack Mode!

"Bouncing ball barrage!" shouted Peten.

He hurled the ball, and Masked Dragon was blown apart!

Andy's Life Points fell to 2,350.

Andy snarled as he took a card from his deck…

He placed it on his Disk, and a second Masked Dragon appeared in Defense Mode.

"Finally…" chuckled Peten, "I'll place this card facedown…"

His last card vanished, and appeared on the field.

"Make your move…"

Andy drew a card.

_A Trap Card…_ he thought.

He fit it into a slot.

"I'll place a card facedown…" he stated.

The facedown card appeared.

"Now I'll pay 1,000 Life Points to activate my Deckmaster's ability one last time!"

His Life Points fell to 1,350, and Luster Dragon #2 appeared on the field once again! (2,400/1,400)

"And now I'll play this Magic Card…" he shouted. "Scorching Ruin!"

He threw a card into a slot.

"Not so fast Andy!" laughed Peten.

His Trap Card lifted.

"I activate Spell Shield Type-8!" he cackled. "That means your Magic Card fizzles!"

The Quickplay burst!

"No…" moaned Francesca. "That was his only chance…"

"Didn't you know that I saw your hand?" chuckled Peten. "I knew you had Scorching Ruin in it. Luckily, I had a Trap to counter it!

"There's nothing more you can do! Just end your turn!"

Andy hung his head…

Peten chuckled, and another card appeared.

"This duel is over…" he laughed.

The ball appeared in his hand, and Masked Dragon shifted into Attack Mode…

Peten hurled it, and Masked Dragon was blown to pieces!

"NOOOO!" screamed Francesca.

She fell to her knees.

"He lost…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"YES!" shouted the Shadow Queen, getting up.

"After nineteen failures, it seemed a good round number like twenty was the key!"

"Uhm, your majesty…" muttered Grodus.

"I knew it was only a matter of time…" cackled the Shadow Queen.

"Your majesty…" sighed Grodus.

"Grodus!" shouted the Queen. "Can't you see I'm happy?"

"Uhm, sire…" he said. "I think you should _slowly_ turn your head and look back at the orb…"

The Queen looked.

"What the?" she said, surprised.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The smoke started to clear…

"Hmmm…" murmured Peten.

Andy was still there, as was his Luster Dragon #2 in the front, and Luster Dragon #1 behind…

His Life Point counter still stood at 1,350.

"WHAT?" shouted the merged clown. "You should have no more Life Points!"

"It was a close one, Peten, I'll give you that," said Andy. "But see, I _knew_ you knew I had Scorching Ruin. I also knew that you could shift Masked Dragon to Attack Mode, and that you had a facedown card.

"Did you honestly believe I would have risked spending 1,000 Life Points without a little protection?"

He pointed to the activated Trap Card beside him.

"By destroying Masked Dragon, you activated this," he explained. "It's a Continuous Trap called Spirit Barrier. So long as it's active, I can't take damage from a battle so long as I have a Monster on my side of the field, and as you can see, Luster Dragon #2 is standing strong!"

Peten growled. Francesca gasped a sigh of relief.

"And due to Masked Dragon's effect, here comes my third one!" shouted Andy.

He threw down a card, and the third Dragon appeared. (1,400/1,100)

"Fine," chuckled Peten. "Then my turn is over… But what now Andy? You haven't got a card in your deck that can defeat me now!"

Andy looked at his hand. The only cards he had were Premature Burial and Mirage Dragon.

_Even if I brought back Cyber Twin Dragon, he wouldn't be enough to defeat Clown-A-Round…_ he thought.

_But he isn't completely right… There are still a couple of tricks I could use… It all depends on what my next draw is…_

_Come on, baby needs a new pair of shoes…_

He drew a card…

He placed the card in a slot.

"I'll place this card facedown…" he said softly.

A facedown card appeared.

He fit Premature Burial into another slot. His Life Points fell to 550.

"And now I'll use this to bring back another Masked Dragon!"

Another Masked Dragon appeared. (1,400/1,100)

"It's your move…" he growled.

Another card appeared.

"Well, now it truly ends, Andy!" laughed Peten. "I just drew Mystical Space Typhoon!"

"Too bad you won't get a chance to use it!" shouted Andy. "I activate… Supernova!"

His Trap Card lifted… The ceiling glowed with intense light…

"What?" muttered Peten. "What's happening?"

"Because I now have two Monsters with the same Type, Attribute, and star level on the field, I can now spend all my Life Points but one…" started Andy.

His Life Point counter fell to 1.

"And now I can destroy two opposing Monsters! But I only need to destroy one!"

The creature in front of him gasped in fear…

"Supernova…" shouted Andy, "wipe out Clown-A-Round!"

A burning beam fell from the ceiling, and Peten screamed!

"Curse… you… Andy…" he gasped.

And then he shattered into shards.

Andy fell to his knees.

His Monsters and Deckmaster vanished.

"ANDY!" shouted Francesca, running up to him. "Are you okay? Say something!"

"Something…" he muttered.

He gasped.

"Just… give me a minute."

"Look…" said Stan.

The three doors on the wall vanished…

And then a huge, double-door appeared.

It slowly creaked open.

"That door is our means of exploring further," stated Stan. "But we have to be careful… That was our closest shave yet…

"And people, I think that it's going to get even harder from here on out…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The Unfriendly Amazon opened her eyes…

She was sitting on an armchair in the center of a large cavern.

To her right was another chair holding The End of Anubis… To her left was another one holding Peten the Dark Clown (in his original body – possibly someone had used another De-Fusion).

She noticed that the three chairs were surrounded by a glowing circle, in a thirty-foot radius.

"End!" she shouted nudging him. "Wake up!"

The Fiend slowly came to.

"How'd we get here?" she asked.

"I think Peten had something to do with it," snarled the Fiend.

"Don't blame me!" accused Peten, lifting his head. "I did better than the two of you did! You should have used Ground Collapse on Francesca, you moron!"

The Unfriendly Amazon gave a sulk.

"I had three of them, Peten," she mused. "Just because I have cards in my deck doesn't mean I'm lucky enough to draw them, Mr. I've Got Three Polymerizations…"

"Well, well," said a voice from the shadows. "Tweedledum, Tweedledumber, and Tweedledumbest…"

The Shadow Queen walked into view.

The three Monsters gulped.

"Your majesty, please, we tried…" begged the Amazon. "You can't send us back…"

"Oh, I _could_ throw you three jerks in the Graveyard again," sighed the Queen, "but that wouldn't be any fun. You three are going to stay right here… And to make sure you do, we're going to play a little game…"

"A game?" asked End.

"Yeah," she answered. "I'm not going to tie you down or even lock the door to this chamber… Heck, there isn't even a door to lock… But I have another way of making sure you stay in those chairs…"

The Queen took three Magic Cards out of her dress and showed them to them.

Last Day of the Witch, Warrior Elimination, and Exile of the Wicked.

"NO!" shouted Peten.

"Have mercy, please!" pleaded the Amazon.

"I take it you know that if these cards were activated, it would mean your doom," muttered the Queen, gesturing over them.

The cards melted into a ball of light… Then the light split into three orbs…

And each orb shot into their chests!

"Here's the deal…" explained the Shadow Queen. "I placed one card inside each your beating hearts. I won't tell you who has what, except that each of you is carrying one that will doom one of the other two should it be activated. Only I can remove them.

"See the circle surrounding you? _Stay in the circle!_ If you aren't in the circle, the card inside you activates."

They all gulped.

"Simple enough?" she asked. "And don't one of you try to kill the other two, because if that happens, the one who dies is no longer in the circle!

"Of course, that means if one of you leaves the circle and one of you bites the dust, another one of you bites the dust, and then the third one bites the dust!

"Who needs a prison cell when your prisoners won't want to leave?

"Maybe after a few months, I'll decide to forgive you for screwing up… Maybe, that is…"

She waved her hand, and a globe of light started to form.

"But I'm not heartless. For now, to keep yourselves occupied, this will let you watch Stan, Andy, and Francesca's progress… if _that_ amuses you."

She turned and vanished into the shadows, leaving them alone.

The End of Anubis hung his head…

"This is your fault, dog-face…" mumbled the Amazon.

"Oh shut up, bimbo!" he replied.

The Queen chuckled.

This was much better than throwing them in the Graveyard…

_So much for them,_ she thought. _But that last duel was a great one… Maybe after Andy is defeated, I'll use his cards… A Cyber-Twin Dragon would make an excellent steed once I get out of this place…_

**0**

**0**

**0**

**PSYCHO CIRCUS (Magic Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Magic/Continuous  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description:** Image of Crass Clown, Dream Clown, Saggi the Dark Clown, and Peten the Dark Clown performing in front of a sinister-looking circus tent under a stormy sky. When this card is on the field, all face-up Monsters on your side of the field with the word "Clown" in their names, or who are named "Bickuribox", gain a 500-point bonus to their ATK.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**CLOWN-A-ROUND (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Spellcaster/Fusion/Effect  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level: **6  
**ATK: **2,000  
**DEF: **1,700

**Card Description: **_Peten the Dark Clown plus Saggi the Dark Clown_

The most powerful clown Monster in existence, he might rule over the others if he weren't insane. When you attack an opposing Monster with this Monster, you can change the Battle Position of the target.

**0**

**0**

**0**

"**Luster Dragon #1":** Dragon/Wind, Level 4, (1,900/1,700)

Deckmaster SA: Once per round, during your Standby Phase, you can Special Summon one "Luster Dragon #2" from your hand, deck, or Graveyard. The first time you use this ability, there is no cost. The second time, pay 500 Life Points. With each consecutive time, increase the Life Point payment by 500.

**0**

**0**

**0**

"**Peten the Dark Clown":** Spellcaster/Dark, Level 3, (500/1,200)

Deckmaster SA: Every Monster you summon that has the word "Clown" in its name, or who is named "Bickuribox", gains a 500-point bonus to its ATK and DEF.

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**The heroes have passed into the second level of the Palace of Shadow… You know the old saying, "Out of the frying pan, into the fire"?**_

**_But coming up next, another finalist falls deep into the fire! Kyle delves into an infernal pit, where a fiendish force challenges him! It's a diabolic chapter called "Luck of the Roll", coming soon…_**


	46. Luck of the Roll

_**My name is Kyle Stevens…**_

_**All my life, I've been fascinated by past civilizations… The Aztecs, the Incas, the Babylonians… I loved archaeology so much that I've created a Duel Monsters deck with an ancient theme. **_

_**When I heard that the goal of this tournament was to get into a place called the Thousand Year Door, I strived to get there. Certainly, with a name like that, the place past the doors would be full of marvels of the past!**_

_**Now that I'm here, I didn't expect this…**_

_**I'm facing a creature that gives even other Duel Monsters nightmares…**_

_**And it seems that in this duel, skill has little to do with it. My chances for survival depend on whose luck is greater…**_

…_**mine, or hers…**_

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER FORTY- FIVE**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Luck of the Roll**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

In a dark part of the Palace of Shadow, Kyle Stevens looked around.

He was surrounded by eerie sarcophagi, each one bearing the images of frightful demons.

They truly puzzled him. He knew all about cultures and civilizations… But the hieroglyphics on these stone caskets did not match any ancient or modern culture that he knew of…

He knew one thing for certain about this tomb…

…it was scary.

The light was incredibly dim. He was wondering why he had never bothered to bring a flashlight.

He got an idea. He reached into his pocket and took something out.

It was his Crystal Star. The Agate Star, that was what it had been called. It glowed with a red light, illuminating the tomb.

He sighed. This key into the Door had not been easily won. After he had won his seventh card, an Interdimensional Matter Transporter had taken him to the chilly Fahr Outpost. There he was challenged by a man named General White, who Kyle estimated to be between seventy and three-hundred years old. Kyle didn't think the old military man was serious, but White told him he'd never get to the Thousand Year Door unless he defeated him. Kyle shrugged and agreed, never believing that the old codger could be a serious threat…

How wrong he was…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Kyle was in serious trouble, despite the fact that he was ahead 3,400 Life Points to 2,800. He also had two Monsters crouching in Defense Mode: Grave Ohja (1,600/1,500) and Ancient Gear Soldier (1,300/1,300). White had only one Monster out, but the one in question was a big one: the powerful VW Tiger Catapult (2,000/1,500).

Kyle had learned early on that White had a thing for Monsters with a military theme.

White chuckled.

"Ready to give up, Junior?" he asked. "A young Turk like you can't beat an old crow like me… And your antiquated relics are no match for the sheer power of the modern age!"

"Just move, okay?" growled Kyle.

"Fine," chuckled White, making a draw. "Then I'll activate my Monster's special ability! By discarding one card I don't need…"

He discarded a card.

"…I can shift one of your Monsters to Attack Mode! And just in case you get any ideas about putting a Monster in facedown Defense, I'll choose your Grave Ohja!"

Grave Ohja stood up into Attack Mode.

"Catapult, scud missile barrage!"

The Machine blasted forth its missiles, and Grave Ohja was blown to dust. Kyle's Life Points fell to 3,000.

"Well, make your move…" dared White.

Kyle looked at the five cards in hand.

_I have something that could take down that thing, but it would end in a draw,_ he thought.

He drew a card.

_Whoa, that changes everything!_

"I'm moving Ancient Gear Soldier to Attack Mode!" he exclaimed.

White looked puzzled, as the Soldier stood up and aimed its gun.

"Now I'll play… Double Spell!" proclaimed Kyle, playing a card. "I'll discard one other Magic Card…"

He discarded a card.

"…and now I can copy one Magic Card in your Graveyard! And I have my eye on that one you used on your Overdrive!"

White paused.

"Limiter Removal?" he gasped.

"That's right," chuckled Kyle.

Ancient Gear Soldier's Attack shot up to 2,600.

"Ancient Gear Soldier, take out that Catapult!"

The Soldier blasted his Tommy gun, and VW Tiger Catapult exploded!

But White chuckled as his Life Points fell to 2,200…

"Heh, heh," he chuckled. "Don't think you've won. Since you used Limiter Removal, your Soldier will self-destruct when you end your turn! You'll be defenseless!"

"No I won't!" laughed Kyle. "Because now I sacrifice Ancient Gear Soldier, to summon Ancient Gear Beast!"

He switched cards on his Disk, and the Soldier vanished, and was replaced by the large, mechanical wolf. (2,000/2,000)

"Clever…" muttered White, as he drew. "But I still have a few tricks up my sleeve…"

He fit a card into his Disk.

"I play Premature Burial!" he declared, as his Life Points fell to 1,400. "And I'll use it to revive Double Coston!"

Two black blobs with eyes, connected by an energy cord appeared. (1,700/1,650)

"In case you're wondering how _that_ got in my Graveyard," he stated, "I discarded it to use my Catapult's special ability! And when I sacrifice this Monster to summon a Dark Monster, it counts as two sacrifices!

"So I'll sacrifice it to summon… Barrel Dragon!"

Double Coston vanished, and a horrible Machine rose out of the ground. It was a giant energy cannon with three long barrels, and a jaw full of sharp teeth below the center one. (2,600/2,200)

"Here comes the fun part," chuckled White. "Barrel Dragon's cannons are going to charge with energy, and if two of them manage to reach maximum output, it can automatically destroy your Beast…"

Barrel Dragon glowed… The energy in the three cannons started to rise…

One of them filled… The second one filled…

Kyle groaned, as he saw that the third one only reached halfway…

The cannons blasted, blowing Ancient Gear Beast apart!

"And you know what the best part is?" laughed White. "I still have its attack to use on you!"

Kyle gulped as three crosshairs appeared and lined up on his chest…

"FIRE!" shouted White.

Kyle screamed as he was blasted by the three cannons.

He fell on his back, and his Life Points tumbled to 400.

"Had enough yet, Junior?" asked White. "I'll just place a card facedown, and that will be my turn."

A facedown card appeared.

Kyle groaned, and looked at his hand.

_I have three cards that would make a good combo,_ he thought. _But I need a fourth…_

As he sat up, he drew a card…

He slowly got up…

"I'll place two cards facedown on the field…" he stated.

His two cards appeared in front of him.

"And now I'll play… Heavy Storm!"

He placed another card in a slot, and a fierce wind erupted over the field! First, White's Bottomless Trap Hole card lifted and shattered. Then the two strange Traps Kyle had set lifted and shattered as well.

"That was the dumbest move I've ever seen!" laughed White. "Most duelists wait until _after_ they play Heavy Storm to set their own Traps!"

Then a spooky mist started hanging over the field.

"What the…?" asked White.

Then two frightening shapes appeared in front of Kyle! They were golden serpents with insectile faces, wearing bejeweled headdresses! (1,000/1,000 x2)

"Heh, heh," chuckled Kyle. "Getting rid of your Trap was just a bonus! Those two cards I put facedown were Traps called Statue of the Wicked… When one is destroyed, even by me, I get to summon an evil idol called a Wicked Token!

"And now I'll sacrifice my two Wicked Tokens…"

Kyle placed his final card down on his Disk, and the two tokens vanished.

"To summon Ancient Gear Golem!"

The mighty Machine, thirty feet tall with powerful arms and a glaring red eye rose behind Kyle! (3,000/3,000)

"Uh…" gulped White.

"Old he may be," said Kyle, "but in the days when this guy was built, things were built to last! Ancient Gear Golem, attack Barrel Dragon with mechanized melee!"

The Golem's gears spun, and it lashed forth with its mighty fist, blowing the Barrel Dragon to bits!

White stared in disbelief as his Life Points fell to 1,000.

"Uh…" he stammered, drawing a card.

His hand shook as he placed it on his Disk.

"I summon Oni Tank T-34 in Defense Mode…"

An army tank with a demonic face on its front appeared. Its guns lowered. (1,400/1,700)

"That won't work," chuckled Kyle, drawing a card. "Thanks to Ancient Gear Golem's trampling effect, when he attacks, not only won't your tank survive, but neither will your remaining Life Points! Golem, destroy the tank!"

Ancient Gear Golem lashed forward, and punched the tank, blasting it away, and throwing General White on his back. His Life Points were depleted.

Kyle walked up and picked up something he had dropped.

"I'm taking the Agate Star," he said. "I don't think you'll need it anymore…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Kyle grinned as he continued to explore the strange crypt.

He turned.

Was someone watching him? He swore he saw a pair of glowing eyes out of the corner of his sight…

But when he turned to look with a full glance, they were gone.

Then he noticed one of the sarcophagi had writing on it, in Italian.

_That_ was a language he could read.

He read:

_**THROUGH ME THE WAY TO THE SUFFERING CITY;**_

_**THROUGH ME THE WAY TO ETERNAL PAIN;**_

_**THROUGH ME THE WAY TO THE FORGOTTEN PEOPLE.**_

_**JUSTICE INCITED MY SUBLIME CREATOR;**_

_**CREATED ME IN DIVINE OMNIPOTENCE,**_

_**THE HIGHEST WISDOM AND THE PRIMAL LOVE.**_

_**BEFORE ME THERE WERE NO CREATED THINGS,**_

_**ONLY ETERNITY, AND I ETERNAL LAST.**_

_**ABANDON ALL HOPE YE WHO ENTER HERE!**_

Kyle gulped…

He had read Dante's _Divine Comedy_ a few times…

In the "Inferno" section, that was the verse written on the Gates of Hell!

As he was contemplating this, the sarcophagus slowly creaked open, and a dark passageway was revealed behind it. The smell of brimstone came from below…

"Yeah, right!" said Kyle. "If you think I'm coming down there, you are sadly mistak…"

Then two fiery arms shot up and grabbed him! Kyle screamed as he was pulled into the passage!

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Kyle lifted himself off the floor…

And he shivered in fright.

He was in a chamber flanked by demonic statues. The floor was had the pattern of spines, leading down into a large pool of lava that made up the center.

"Wait… I recognize this place…" he muttered.

He remembered a duel once where his opponent used Archfiend Monsters. The guy had a special Field Magic Card called Pandemonium…

This chamber looked just like Pandemonium!

He stared at the lava pool.

"Don't like the look of that lava…" he thought.

"It isn't lava, mortal," said a sinister female voice.

He looked up in fear, and saw that a throne of skulls was in an alcove on the far wall. Sitting on it was a frightening looking female Fiend wearing a golden dress and a violet cloak. She had scaly skin, fangs, and huge wings. She was sipping… something red out of a wine goblet.

Kyle gulped.

"Infernalqueen… Archfiend…" he stammered.

"Yes…" hissed the creature, getting up. "Don't bother trying to run, only I know the way out of here…"

She drifted over, strangely hovering over the ground rather than walking.

"And as for what that pool is, it would take too long to explain completely, but it's a magical device that can separate a mortal's soul from his body – it makes it easier for me to consume them.

"And you're going to be taking a dip shortly…"

As Kyle drew back in fear, Infernalqueen chuckled.

"And this will be a treat," she mused. "I do like them young and healthy…"

"WAIT!" shouted Kyle. "You can't just… do that! I thought… I thought demons had to, you know, bargain for souls… Or win them somehow…"

"True," chuckled Infernalqueen. "And if you want to get out of this chamber with your skin intact, you'll accept my bargain…"

She raised her left arm, and flames enshrouded it…

A fiery Duel Disk appeared on her arm.

"I'm not only a Duel Monster," explained Infernalqueen, "I'm also a duelist. So we're going to duel. Once I defeat you, I'll consume you!"

"Suppose I say no?" asked Kyle.

"Then your soul will escape this chamber, but your body will not!" scowled Infernalqueen, with her eyes glowing red.

Kyle sighed…

"If by some miracle you defeat me, you're free to go," she stated.

Kyle paused.

Then a light came on in his eyes.

"Can I have a minute to change one card in my deck with one in my side deck?" he asked.

"Of course," nodded Infernalqueen. "The rules say you can…"

Kyle took out his side deck, and looked through it.

_I knew this would come in handy someday,_ he thought, looking at a card.

He removed one card from his deck, and shuffled the new card into his deck.

"Now then, as soon as you're ready," added Infernalqueen, "according to the rules of the Palace of Shadow, you must choose a Monster to serve as a Deckmaster…"

Kyle looked through his deck again.

_Hmmm,_ he thought, looking at a card. _This guy is very situational… Maybe he'll work better as a Deckmaster…_

He held the card up.

"My Deckmaster is Avatar of the Pot!" he announced.

The rocky jar-genie appeared behind him with a laugh.

"Hmmm," mused Infernalqueen. "How unique. I'll be my own Deckmaster. Now stand by the edge of the pool, so you'll have no chance to escape your fate once you are defeated…"

Kyle nervously walked to the edge of the lava pit. Infernalqueen drifted to the opposite edge, and the faced each other.

The Disks swung into position, and the Life Point counters set to 8,000 apiece. Kyle drew five cards. Infernalqueen gestured, and five cards flew off of her deck and into her hand.

"It's time to duel, as you mortals are so fond of saying," she said. "And the first move will be yours…"

As Kyle made his first draw, he heard a cackling laugh behind him. He turned and looked at Avatar of the Pot.

"Was that you?" he asked.

"Indeedy so," giggled the Avatar. "And let me tell you about the benefits of greed, Kyle – I know about them, because I'm the embodiment of greed! Greed can be good!

"At any time during the duel, pay 1,000 Life Points, and I'll let you draw five cards from your deck; but too much greed isn't good, so I can only do this once.

"But remember, greed _can_ be good, so use it when you need it.

"And good luck… greedy!"

Kyle looked at his six cards.

_Well, well…_ he thought. _I already have just what I need to pull a big surprise on gruesome there…_

He chose a card.

"I'll place a Monster in Defense Mode, and end my turn," he said.

He set the card, and the facedown card appeared, hovering over the lava.

"Now that's a pathetic move…" snickered Infernalqueen.

She gestured, and a card flew into her hand.

"I'll summon Gemini Elf in Attack Mode," she stated.

She placed a card down, and the two twin elves appeared, with their arms around each other, also hovering over the lava. (1,900/900)

"Uh, Gemini Elf?" questioned Kyle.

"Is that a problem?" asked Infernalqueen.

"Well…" stammered Kyle. "I was kinda expecting a Fiend…"

Infernalqueen chuckled.

"Just because I'm a Fiend myself doesn't mean I use them in my deck, mortal," she laughed. "Maybe my strategy is something you have yet to grasp…

"Gemini Elf, attack his facedown Monster with dual magic!"

The twins shot forth bolts of lightning… a huge rodent appeared on the card, and was blown away.

"Thank you!" chuckled Kyle. "Since you just destroyed my Giant Rat, I now get to pull one Earth Monster with 1,500 Attack Points or less from my deck and Special Summon it!"

He took a card from his deck.

"And the Monster I choose is… Mine Golem!"

He placed the card down, and a statue of stone appeared. It was shaped like a blocky soldier, with strange protrusions on its back. (1,000/1,900)

Infernalqueen didn't respond.

"My move!" exclaimed Kyle, drawing.

He looked at the card.

_It's the card I added from my side deck! _he thought.

He looked at the seedy-looking figure on the card.

_Could come in handy…_

"First I'll shift Mine Golem to Defense Mode," he said, turning his card.

Mine Golem crouched in Defense.

"Then I'll place one card facedown," he said, setting a card.

A facedown card appeared.

"Finally, another Monster in Defense…"

He set another card, and a facedown Monster appeared next to Mine Golem.

Infernalqueen willed another card into her hand.

"I summon Vorse Raider in Attack Mode…" she stated.

She placed the card down, and the wicked Beast-Warrior appeared, holding his axe aloft. (1,900/1,200)

"Vorse Raider, attack his facedown Monster!" she shouted.

Vorse Raider hurled his axe…

A three-eyed, toothy-mouthed Fiend appeared, and was blown into pixels.

"Sangan?" asked Infernalqueen.

"Yup," chuckled Kyle. "Thanks again!"

He took another card from his deck and added it to his hand.

"My move again," he stated. "And I'll summon the Monster I just searched for in Defense Mode… another Mine Golem!"

He placed the card, and a twin of the first Mine Golem appeared, crouching in Defense. (1,000/1,900)

"To think I was scared of you!" laughed Kyle. "This is just another duel, and you're not much of a duelist. You'll never get my soul!"

Infernalqueen erupted in flames!

Kyle gulped…

_Maybe that wasn't the brightest idea…_ he thought.

"I'll teach you to insult the ruler of Pandemonium!" she shouted as she drew a card. "First I'll summon Mad Dog of Darkness in Attack Mode!"

She placed a card down, and the vicious, rabid Beast appeared. (1,900/1,400)

"Now I'm using my Deckmaster ability!" she stated. "By paying only 500 Life Points…"

Her Life Points fell to 7,500.

"…I can search my deck for any Magic or Trap Card whose effect involves one or more dice…"

A flame appeared in her hand, and a card appeared in the flame.

"And I'm going to use it right now…" she said, showing it to him.

It was Graceful Dice.

"You obviously see the situation, mortal," she gloated. "All three of my Monsters have Attack Scores that are equal to your Monsters' Defense Scores. So even if this die rolls as low as a one, two of my creatures will destroy your Golems, and the third will be free to strike at your Life Points!"

Kyle stared her in the face.

"Activate Graceful Dice!" she shouted, fitting the card into a slot.

The card revealed itself, and the teddy bear popped out, holding its die…

"Hold it right there!" shouted Kyle. "I activate… Legendary Gambler!"

His Trap Card lifted, and a tall figure appeared beside him…

It was a man with a snide look and a short goatee, wearing a fedora and an overcoat. He held a die of his own in his hand.

"What?" asked the startled Infernalqueen.

Kyle chuckled.

"I figured a Monster like you intended to use dice in her deck," he answered. "So I put this Continuous Trap Card in there before we started. Here's how it works… Anytime you activate an effect that involves rolling one die, my good friend Legendary Gambler is going to roll one of his own. If his roll is higher than your roll, the effect of your card is negated!"

Infernalqueen's eyes glowed red…

"Graceful Dice, roll!" she shouted.

The teddy bear rolled its die… It skipped and bounced over the lava pool.

It landed on the three.

Legendary Gambler threw his die! It rolled and landed next to the Graceful Dice…

Five!

The Graceful Dice was blasted to pieces.

"Seems my Golems and my Life Points are safe," chuckled Kyle.

Legendary Gambler gestured, and the die reformed in his hand.

"And about that crack about you being the ruler of Pandemonium?" he continued. "Don't make me laugh… You may be the Queen of the Archfiends, but we all know that you'll always be second-best next to Terrorking. _He's_ the greatest Archfiend… You're nothing but a booster."

Infernalqueen's eyes glowed again.

"After I devour you, I'll be sure to pass on that compliment to him," she scowled. "Now make your move."

Kyle made a draw.

"I'll place one card facedown, and then summon my third Mine Golem in Defense Mode," he stated.

He placed two cards. A facedown card appeared, followed by yet another Mine Golem. (1,000/1,900)

Infernalqueen glared at him.

She added another card to her hand.

_I could search for another Graceful Dice,_ she thought, _but with his Gambler, it could be a waste…_

"I choose to end my turn without making any move…" she stated.

"Good," chuckled Kyle. "Then I'll activate my facedown card..."

His facedown card lifted.

"Minefield Eruption! Say goodbye to my Mine Golems, and a _lot_ of your Life Points!"

The Mine Golems started to glow…

Then they burst in a fierce explosion! Infernalqueen's three Monsters and Infernalqueen herself were thrown to the ground!

"Get off of me you idiots!" she shouted to her Monsters.

As they got up and resumed their places, she saw her Life Points fall to 4,500.

"What happened?" she demanded.

"Minefield Eruption is a Trap that destroys all my Mine Golems on the field, and deals 1,000 Points of damage to my opponent for each!" chuckled Kyle.

He took another card from his hand.

"Next I'll play Soul Release," he continued, "which I'll use to remove my three Mine Golems from play."

He played the card, and the three cards came out of his discard slot. He transferred them to his removal slot.

"Finally, I'll summon Lost Guardian in Defense Mode."

He placed a card down, and another stone statue appeared. It was a bulky, blocky creature carved in a way to make it look like it was wearing armor. It carried a stone sword. It crouched in Defense.

"Lost Guardian's Defense Score is 700 times the number of my Rock Monsters that have been removed from play," stated Kyle. "I just removed three so, well, you do the math."

(100/2,100)

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The Shadow Queen frowned as she leaned on her hand and watched the duel.

"Looks like Infernalqueen isn't doing so well," muttered Grodus, who was behind her.

"I don't like the Archfiends much," answered the Queen. "They live for chance, luck, and randomness. The only rule they follow is the one that says whoever is stronger is better. Frankly, they're more chaotic then I am..."

She pulled a set of cards out of her dress. Several of them were Archfiend cards.

"But they do have their uses," she added, putting them back.

"Anyway, I needed to truly test Kyle, and push him to his limit. Out of all my victims, he's one of two that I have the most hopes for.

"Francesca may have beaten him once, but if Kyle wins this duel, she won't stand a chance in a rematch…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Coward," scowled Infernalqueen. "Hiding behind defenses and striking with Traps…"

"Well, maybe next turn I'll draw a Monster that has a decent Attack Score!" said Kyle with a shrug. "Not all of us are packing decks loaded with four-star wonders who have great Attack Scores. Until then, I'll end my turn."

"Fine," scowled the Archfiend, drawing a card. "I will place two cards facedown on the field…"

She set two cards and they appeared.

"Next I will play Emergency Provisions," she stated. "By disposing of these two unnecessary Magic Cards, I'll gain back most of the Life Point damage you inflicted on me…"

A huge mouth swallowed the two cards, and her Life Points went up to 6,500.

"Now make your move, mortal…" she stated.

Kyle drew.

"Sweet!" he exclaimed.

He switched cards on his Disk.

"I sacrifice Lost Guardian for Ancient Gear Beast!"

The statue vanished, and the huge, mechanical hound with gears for joints materialized. (2,000/2,000)

"GO!" shouted Kyle. "Attack Mad Dog of Darkness, my Beast!"

Ancient Gear Beast pounced and tore apart the Mad Dog.

"There's a reason they call this guy man's best friend!" laughed Kyle.

Kyle got no response at all, as his opponent's Life Points dropped to 6,400.

"Oh, come on, where's your sense of humor?" asked Kyle.

There was a pause.

"If you lived in Pandemonium," answered the Archfiend, "you wouldn't have much of one either…"

She drew a card.

"I'll use my Deckmaster ability again…" she pronounced.

Again, a flame appeared in her hand, and a card appeared in it. Her Life Points fell to 5,900.

"Now I'll place two cards facedown on the field," she stated, setting two cards.

The cards appeared.

"Make your move."

"You think that scares me?" asked Kyle. "You can't activate Traps when Ancient Gear Beast attacks!"

He drew a card.

"I knew that, mortal!" exclaimed Infernalqueen. "So I'll activate them _before_ you attack!"

Her first facedown card lifted.

"First, Dust Tornado!"

A tornado ripped across the field. Legendary Gambler groaned, and was blown into pixels.

"And now that he's gone, I activate… Skull Dice!"

Her other Trap lifted, and the nasty imp with his red die appeared. It tossed it… Again, it skipped and bounced over the lava… And came up a three.

"That lowers the Attack of your Beast by 300 for this turn," gloated the evil queen.

"Fine," muttered Kyle. "In that case, I'll pass this turn."

Ancient Gear Beast returned to his normal stats.

Infernalqueen willed a card into her hand.

"Excellent," she stated. "Now I don't have to waste any more Life Points on my ability, because I just drew another Graceful Dice!"

She fit it into her Disk.

The teddy bear appeared again, he threw the die…

It landed on a six!

Gemini Elf's stats went up to (2,500/1,400), while Vorse Raider's went up to (2,500/1,700).

"Gemini Elf, attack the Ancient Gear Beast!" shouted the demon.

Gemini Elf shot forth their lightning bolts; Ancient Gear Beast howled, and exploded.

"Vorse Raider, attack directly with blood axe!"

Kyle gulped… Vorse Raider hurled his axe at him, and he cringed as it hit him.

His Life Points plummeted to 5,000.

Kyle staggered to his feet…

He drew a card.

"I play a card facedown, and also a Monster in Defense Mode," he stated.

He set the cards, and the facedown Monster and set card appeared, hovering over the lava.

"It's your move," he stated.

Infernalqueen chuckled as she drew.

_This Monster will be good for later,_ she thought_. I need two more cards to use him. One is easy to get… The other will take some luck._

"Gemini Elf, attack his facedown Monster!" she shouted.

Gemini Elf shot forth their bolts…

"Activate Negate Attack!" shouted Kyle.

His Trap Card lifted, and the attack was halted.

"Very well," muttered Infernalqueen. "You've bought yourself a round."

Kyle made a draw. He looked at the four cards in his hand.

_Not much,_ he thought. _Hey, wait…_

"I'm activating my Deckmaster ability!" he exclaimed.

Avatar of the Pot chuckled, and then glowed. Kyle's Life Points fell to 4,000. Five cards flew off of Kyle's deck, and he caught them.

_Now this is more like it!_ he thought.

"First I'll play two cards facedown," he stated, setting a Statue of the Wicked and a Non Aggression Area. "Then I'll play… Double Spell!"

He discarded his Exchange.

"Now I can duplicate any Magic Card in your Graveyard, and I choose Emergency Provisions!"

A mouth appeared, and swallowed the two cards. His Life Points went up to 6,000.

"Next, I'll play a Continuous Magic Card called Ancient Gear Castle!"

He played the card and a rumbling shook the whole room…

A huge castle rose behind Kyle! It was a crazy structure, full of gears and mounted with turrets and cannons!

"What does that do?" asked Infernalqueen.

"The _secondary_ effect is to increase the Attack Score of all Ancient Gear Monsters by 300," answered Kyle. "So I'll summon Ancient Gear Soldier in Attack Mode!"

He placed the card down, and the robotic, clockwork soldier with his ancient rifle appeared. (1,300/1,300) –) (1,600/1,300)

"Now I'll flip my facedown Monster into Attack Mode," continued Kyle. "Reveal… Dummy Golem!"

The card flipped, and a small, squat statue made of clay appeared. (800/800)

"That Monster is pathetic!" laughed Infernalqueen.

"That's the idea," chuckled Kyle. "When Dummy Golem is flipped, you have to choose a Monster, and then trade it for the Dummy Golem! It's kind of like a Monster version of Creature Swap!"

Infernalqueen's eyes glowed again.

"Ergh…" she growled. "Gemini Elf…"

Dummy Golem and Gemini Elf vanished and switched places.

"Great," laughed Kyle. "Gemini Elf, attack her Vorse Raider!"

Gemini Elf flew forward and lightning sparked from their palms… Vorse Raider raised his axe…

There was an explosion, as both Monsters were blown apart!

"And since he's done his job, Ancient Gear Soldier, destroy the Dummy Golem!" shouted Kyle.

Ancient Gear Soldier blasted his machine gun, and the Golem shattered.

Infernalqueen's Life Points fell to 5,100.

"Congratulations… Kyle," she said with a grin. "But this duel is far from over…"

"Whoa, using first names now, are we?" asked Kyle.

Infernalqueen didn't answer. A card flew into her hand.

She paused to look at it.

"I will summon Battle Footballer in Defense Mode," she stated.

She placed the card down, and the bulky android in a football jersey and helmet appeared. (1,000/2,100)

Kyle drew a card.

_Just one more Monster,_ he thought.

"I pass this turn," he stated.

Infernalqueen made a draw. She grumbled.

"Disappointed with your draw?" asked Kyle.

"I still drew something that can take out your Soldier," she replied. "I summon Berserk Gorilla!"

She played the card, and the very angry-looking gorilla appeared, with steam shooting out of its nostrils. (2,000/1,000)

"Destroy his Ancient Gear Soldier with blazing berserk breath!" shouted Infernalqueen.

Berserk Gorilla shot forth a stream of flames from its mouth, incinerating Ancient Gear Soldier.

Kyle's Life Points dropped to 5,400.

"Make your move," she ordered.

Kyle drew a card.

"I summon Stone Statue of the Aztecs in Defense Mode…" he stated.

He played the card, and the rocky, unhewn statue arose. (300/2,000)

"End turn," he stated.

Infernalqueen drew.

"I play Rush Recklessly," she stated, "and use it on my Gorilla!"

She played the card, and Berserk Gorilla rose to 2,700 Attack.

"Destroy his Statue!" she commanded.

Berserk Gorilla shot forth his lethal breath, and the Statue shattered.

"You're next…" she warned.

Kyle chuckled as he drew a card.

"What's so funny?" scowled the demoness.

"If you thought Ancient Gear Castle's secondary effect was great," said Kyle, offhand, "wait until you see its _primary_ effect!

"You see, every time I Normal Summoned a Monster, it got a counter, and I can sacrifice those counters instead of Monsters to summon Ancient Gear Monsters…"

He threw a card down.

"So I'll sacrifice the two counters that are on it to summon… ANCIENT GEAR GOLEM!"

An eruption of lava burst out of the pool! The enormous, jury-rigged but well-running Machine rose out of the pit, and glared at Infernalqueen and her two Monsters with its glowing red eye!

"And don't forget, the Castle itself gives it an extra 300 Attack Points!"

(3,300/3,000)

Berserk Gorilla let out a frightened whimper…

"Now, my mechanical monster," shouted Kyle, "attack Berserk Gorilla with mechanized melee!"

The gears and pistons on the ancient beast started to turn and pound, and the Golem punched Berserk Gorilla with its mighty fist, smashing the Beast flat!

Infernalqueen cringed as her Life Points fell to 3,800.

"So what are you gonna do now?" chuckled Kyle.

No answer.

Infernalqueen gestured and willed another card into her hand.

A slight smirk appeared on her face…

"What now Kyle?" she responded. "I'll use my Deckmaster ability one last time…"

Her Life Points fell to 3,300. Flames appeared in her hand, and a card appeared in them.

"Then I'll summon Mystical Elf…"

She placed a card on her Disk, and the pacifist Spellcaster appeared, holding her hands in prayer. (800/2,000)

"But she won't be staying long," continued the Archfiend. "For now I play… Dimension Dice!"

She fit a card in a slot, and it showed an image of an action figure on some sort of game board.

"Dimension Dice?" asked Kyle. "I've never heard of that…"

"This Magic Card lets me sacrifice my two servants to summon a powerful Warrior named… Orgoth the Relentless!" answered Infernalqueen.

She threw a card down, and Battle Footballer and Mystical Elf vanished…

And a hulking form burst out of the lava. It was a barbarian clad in violet armor, wearing a horned helmet that didn't show any of his face, holding a huge, two-handed sword. (2,500/2,450)

"Phew!" said Kyle in relief. "You had me worried for a minute. That guy may be powerful, but he's no match for my Golem!"

"Is he?" asked Infernalqueen. "Orgoth's power is subject to change, Kyle. You see, with him on the field, I can play a special card…"

Her Field Slot flicked open, and she placed a card into it.

As it clicked shut, a transparent grid with a checkerboard pattern appeared over the lava pool.

Infernalqueen chuckled. A golden dice appeared in front of her, and then one appeared in front of Kyle.

"It's called Dice Dungeon, Kyle," she stated, "and from this point on, your fate lies in the hands of chance!"

"Dice Dungeon?" asked Kyle. "What do you mean?"

"I'll explain," chuckled Infernalqueen. "When an attack is declared, the owner of the attacking Monster and the owner of the target both roll their die… Then the Attack Score of their Monster is changed, for bane or benefit, depending on the roll of the die!

"We'll see whose luck is truly better… Orgoth prepare to attack!"

Orgoth lifted his sword…

"Roll die!" she shouted.

The die fell forward… It skipped and bounced…

It landed on a two.

"Two," chuckled Infernalqueen. "That raises my Monster's Attack Score by 1,000 points!"

Orgoth's Attack went up to 3,500.

"Now let's see if your Golem is any luckier…" she dared.

Kyle paused…

"Roll die!" he shouted.

His own die rolled…

It landed on a five.

"HA!" he laughed. "I rolled higher than you!"

"Heh, heh, heh, heh, heh…" chuckled Infernalqueen.

Ancient Gear Golem's Attack fell to 1,650!

"In this game, higher isn't always better!" she cackled. "Orgoth, attack with diamond blade slash!"

The barbarian leapt up and brought his blade down on the huge Machine, cleaving it down the middle! Sparks flew, and it exploded!

Kyle stood aghast as his Life Points plummeted to 3,650.

"Your Golem is destroyed," chuckled Infernalqueen. "It's your move now…"

Orgoth's Attack returned to 2,500.

_She beat my best card!_ thought Kyle. _My next draw had better be something good…_

He made a draw.

_This will work if my next roll is luckier,_ he thought.

"I play Monster Reincarnation!" he exclaimed, playing a card.

He discarded his Maoi Interceptor Cannons.

"I'll use it to bring Ancient Gear Beast back to my hand," he continued.

"And don't forget, since I summoned Ancient Gear Golem, my Castle gained another counter, so I can sacrifice the counter to summon it!"

Ancient Gear Beast arose. (2,000/2,000) –) (2,300/2,000)

Infernalqueen gave him a stare.

"Ancient Gear Beast, prepare to attack…" he started.

His die was hurled forward… It rolled…

It landed on the six.

"Well?" asked Kyle.

"Six doubles your Monster's Attack Score," answered Infernalqueen.

"YES!" shouted Kyle, as the Beast's Attack rose to 4,600.

"You're forgetting," chuckled Infernalqueen, "I get to roll as well…"

Her own die was hurled forward…

Kyle gasped!

It landed on a six too!

Infernalqueen burst out laughing!

"Too bad Kyle!" she cackled, as Orgoth rose to an Attack of 5,000. "We both got the same roll, and my Monster was stronger than yours to begin with! And since it's too late to call off your attack…"

Ancient Gear Beast leapt forward, and Orgoth cleaved it in half!

Kyle looked in sheer horror as his Life Points fell to 3,250.

"Uh…" said Kyle.

He took one of the two cards in his hand.

"I'll place a card facedown, and that will be my turn…"

A facedown card appeared.

_Please let her fall for it,_ he thought. _That facedown is nothing more than a bluff! If she attacks me now, I could lose!_

"Well Kyle," chuckled Infernalqueen, drawing, "this has been fun… So let's roll the die one more time… But I warn you, if it lands on a six or a two, this will be the last direct attack of your life!"

Orgoth raised his sword. Kyle bowed his head as the die rolled.

He didn't see the result, but he knew something was strange when Infernalqueen growled.

He looked up.

A one.

"One," snarled Infernalqueen, angrily, "That means his score decreases by 1,000.

Orgoth fell to 1,500 Attack.

"Oh well… Attack!" shouted the Archfiend.

Orgoth slashed at Kyle with his sword and he screamed!

His Life Points fell to 1,725…

"All right, Kyle," scowled Infernalqueen, "you survived one more turn… But in case you're hoping for a miracle, forget it. Miracles don't come to this place…"

Kyle looked at the card he had put facedown.

Then he looked at the card in his hand. It was Grave Ohja, which likely wouldn't help.

_If I draw a good Monster now, I might have one more chance…_ he thought.

He drew.

_Bingo,_ he thought. _Now it's all up to a little risk of my own…_

He waved his hand, and his facedown card lifted.

"I play Level Conversion Lab," he stated.

Infernalqueen's eyes narrowed.

"Let me explain," stated Kyle, "when I use this card, I have to show you a Monster from my hand…"

He turned a card towards her.

"It's a guy called Ancient Giant," he continued. "Now I get to roll a die of my own. If I roll a one, I have to discard this Monster… Any other number, and that's the star level of Ancient Giant until the end of the round."

A silvery die flew out of the Trap Card.

Again, it skipped and bounced.

It landed… on the two!

Kyle breathed a sigh of relief.

"That means I can summon this normally-five-star Monster with no sacrifice," he stated.

He placed the card on his Disk, and a huge form appeared. It was a giant stone statue, carved to resemble a man in a robe. (2,200/1,100)

"Now, let's see how my luck holds out," he stated. "Ancient Giant, prepare to attack! Roll die!"

Ancient Giant raised his fist… The Dice Dungeon die rolled…

It was a three.

"HA, HA, HA!" laughed Infernalqueen. "That means his score doesn't change at all, Kyle!"

She chuckled.

"Now… dance my die!"

Her own die rolled…

And it came up a five! Infernalqueen gasped as Orgoth's Attack fell to 1,250!

"Go!" shouted Kyle. "Destroy Orgoth the Relentless!"

Ancient Giant slugged the Warrior with his fist, and Orgoth was smashed apart!

Infernalqueen's Life Points fell to 2,350, and Dice Dungeon vanished.

"Thank goodness…" muttered Kyle. "Make your move…"

Infernalqueen growled as she drew.

"Gear Golem the Moving Fortress in Defense Mode," she stated, placing a card down.

The blocky Machine made of sharp gears appeared in front of her. (800/2,200)

Kyle drew a card.

_Well…_ he thought.

"I'll place a Monster facedown in Defense Mode," he stated.

A facedown Monster appeared.

"Ancient Giant, attack her Gear Golem!"

Ancient Giant charged forward and rammed his fist into the Machine… It shook a little, but with its Defense identical to Ancient Giant's Attack, neither Monster was damaged.

Infernalqueen's eyes narrowed.

"Confused?" asked Kyle. "See, Ancient Giant…"

"I didn't ask," interrupted Infernalqueen.

_Well!_ thought Kyle. _You don't have to be rude about it…_

She drew a card.

"Oh, I pass this turn…" she grumbled.

"Fine," chuckled Kyle, drawing. "Then this duel is over! I flip my facedown Monster into Attack Mode… Go… Medusa Worm!"

His card flipped, and the long, rocky worm covered with spines appeared. (500/600)

Medusa Worm shot forth a ray of energy at Gear Golem the Moving Fortress, and it shattered into pixels!

"Now to end this," yelled Kyle. "Medusa Worm, direct attack!"

The Worm darted forward and bit Infernalqueen on the arm! She shrieked!

Her Life Points fell to 1,850.

"Now, Ancient Giant, punch her lights out! Fist of the ages!"

Ancient Giant lumbered forward and smashed the evil queen in the stomach. She barely knew what hit her. She fell backwards and fell sprawled on the ground.

"I win…" gasped Kyle.

Infernalqueen growled a little and got up…

Her eyes burned with flames as she floated forward, hovering over the lava pit...

"Wait!" protested Kyle. "We had a deal! You said I could go if I beat you!"

"Oh, I won't break my promise Kyle," she stated. "But I have a question… Why do you have Ancient Giant in your deck?"

Kyle paused.

"Why not?" he answered.

Infernalqueen chuckled evilly.

"I knew why you had it attack my Moving Fortress even though it couldn't destroy it," she continued. "If that Monster fails to attack during a round, you lose 300 Life Points… And you had very little to spare at the time.

"Seems to me it's a very risky Monster to use, Kyle. What if someone were to lock you down with Gravity Bind? Level Limit Area B? Messenger of Peace? Or maybe paralyze it with Nightmare Wheel? That would already cost you Life Points. There are many ways to keep you from attacking, or at least keep one Monster from attacking…

"Why is it in your deck?"

Kyle didn't answer.

"I know why it is, Kyle," she answered. "You play an Ancient Deck, and you've heard… stories. Stories about how that card can work with seven other cards to form a powerful combo… It's your ultimate dream to own all eight cards in the combo and form the ultimate Ancient Deck, isn't it? But Ancient Giant is the only one you have…"

"What's wrong with having dreams?" asked Kyle.

Infernalqueen chuckled.

"I'm the Queen of the Archfiends, Kyle," she answered. "I can make dreams… come true…"

She gestured, and flames appeared in her hands…

A set of seven cards appeared in them. She spread them out…

Kyle gasped…

He held his hand out, shaking…

Then he remembered who he was talking to.

"Oh, I get it," he said with a smirk. "You couldn't win my soul, so now you want to bargain for it! I suppose that to get those cards I'm going to have to promise it to you in a contract signed with my blood?"

Infernalqueen chuckled.

"No Kyle, I don't even want your soul anymore," she answered. "You may find this hard to believe, but consuming a mortal who had bested me would make me sick. I'm giving these to you as one duelist to another because you deserve them."

Kyle looked at her.

"Yeah right," he stated. "You're the Queen of the Archfiends… Like I'm really going to believe that there are no strings attached."

"Well then," sighed the Archfiend, "guess I'll just dispose of these…"

She prepared to drop them in the lava…

"NOOOO!" screamed Kyle.

Infernalqueen stopped.

She glared at Kyle.

"I give you my word that giving you these cards does not give me any right to any part of you," she said, handing them to him. "Of course, I'd like a rematch someday, but be warned, the stakes will be the same. Return, and you won't be so lucky."

A door opened to the side.

"The way out of Pandemonium is guarded by Archfiend Soldiers who do their best to make sure that no mortal leaves," she stated. "But keep a Monster with more than 1,900 Attack Points on your Disk, and you'll defeat them easily.

"Good luck…"

Kyle turned to leave.

He looked at the seven cards…

Then he took his Ancient Giant out, and added it to the seven cards…

_What harm can it do?_ he asked himself.

He took Ancient Gear Beast and placed it on his Disk – then he made his way for the exit.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**LEGENDARY GAMBLER (Trap Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Trap/Continuous  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description: **Image of a seedy gambler in a trenchcoat and a fedora, tossing a pair of dice (the man in this card's picture resembles Grandpa Mouto when he was young). When your opponent activates a card that involves rolling one die, roll one die of your own. If your die roll is a number greater than the number rolled by your opponent, the effect of your opponent's die roll is negated.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**ANCIENT GIANT (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Rock/Effect  
**Attribute: **Earth  
**Level: **5  
**ATK: **2,200  
**DEF: **1,100

**Card Description: **This giant statue of stone is the lesser guardian of the Ancient City. If this card does not attack during your Battle Phase, inflict 300 points of damage to your Life Points during your End Phase.

_Note: "Legendary Gambler" and "Ancient Giant" were used by Solomon Mouto in his alter ego of "Apdnarg Otuom" in the anime episode "Let the Games Begin!" All creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0**

**0**

**0**

**ORGOTH THE RELENTLESS (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Warrior/Effect  
**Attribute: **Earth  
**Level: **7  
**ATK: **2,500  
**DEF: **2,450

**Card Description: **A warrior clad in armor and bearing a huge sword. He takes great pride in his strength. This Monster cannot be normal summoned. This Monster can only be Special Summoned via the effect of "Dimension Dice".

**0**

**0**

**0**

**DIMENSION DICE (Magic Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Magic  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description: **Image of Orgoth the Relentless on a game board. Offer two Monsters on your side of the field as a Tribute to Special Summon one "Orgoth the Relentless" from your hand or deck.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**DICE DUNGEON (Magic Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Trap  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description: **If there is no "Orgoth the Relentless" on your side of the field, destroy this card. Every time an attack is declared, each player rolls one dice for each Monster he has involved in the battle. On a roll of 1, subtract 1,000 from the Monster's ATK. On a roll of 2, increase the Monster's ATK by 1,000. On a roll of 3, the Monster's ATK remains unchanged. On a roll of 4, reduce the Monster's ATK to zero. On a roll of 5, cut the ATK of the Monster in half. On a roll of 6, double the ATK of the Monster. All changes to ATK last until the end of the turn.

_Note: "Orgoth the Relentless", "Dimension Dice", and "Dice Dungeon" were first used by Duke in "Mechanical Mayhem (Part Two)." All creative credit goes to the writers of that episode. (Orgoth first appeared as a Dungeon Dice Monsters character in an earlier episode.)_

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**Those who have played "Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door" know that Sir Grodus is one bad villain. And all through this fanfic, he hasn't done much except watch from the shadows.**_

**_But next chapter, he confronts the heroes, with a powerful deck with some of the most ferocious Monsters and lethal Traps and Magics! I'm not going to give away the title or any information – you'll just have to see for yourself!_**


	47. World of Darkness

_**When a duelist builds a deck, he always must focus on a theme. Whether it's Dragons like me, or Spellcasters like Stan, a good theme helps the cards in your deck work together. A lot of themes focus on a particular Type of Monster, be it Fiends, Warriors, or even Fairies.**_

_**Some duelists take it one step farther, and concentrate on themes that duelists call "tribes". Tribes are types within types. Francesca's deck is an example. Her Amazons are Warriors, but they are special Warriors who have to work together to survive.**_

_**We've seen a lot of duelists on Monster Island who used tribes. There was Diana who used the Elemental Heroes, Raven, who used the Dark Scorpions, and Chico, who used Gravekeepers. Even Cyrus, who used the Guardians, can be considered having a tribe deck – although the Guardians represent many different Types, they are still bound together.**_

_**But right now, I'm facing a duelist who is using a tribe of Monsters who I have never even heard of…**_

_**All I know is, they may be one of the deadliest tribes I have ever seen…**_

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER FORTY-SIX**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**World of Darkness**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

In her alchemy lab, the Shadow Queen stirred a cauldron of thick, foul-smelling liquid.

She turned to an ancient tome, and read quietly.

Then she walked over to a shelf.

"Let's see," she muttered, taking a few things down. "Adder's tongue, blindworm's sting, petrified spider eyes…"

She looked hard at one jar.

"Eye of newt?" she grunted, throwing it in the trash. "That is SO Seventeenth Century!"

"Mom, can we come in?" asked Melissa's voice from outside.

"Fine," she answered, as she started adding ingredients to the cauldron.

The six Spawn walked in. They held their noses.

"Uh, if that's dinner, I'm eating out," muttered Maria.

"Don't make jokes," scolded Vladimir. "Mom is probably preparing a major spell."

"Indeed," said the Queen. "The key to my release…"

"I thought the key to your release was defeating those kids?" asked Maria.

"Yes," said the Queen. "But what to do after I have?"

She looked at a metal sphere that was being heated with a Bunsen burner.

"Once I have, the item in that brazier will keep them from ever being a threat again.

"In the meantime, Grodus can keep them busy."

"Grodus?" asked Leopold. "You know, I don't think I've ever seen him duel…"

"He's not too bad," answered the Queen. "His deck is powerful if used right…

"Emphasis on 'if used right'."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The Unfriendly Amazon groaned.

She had a black eye and a busted lip.

The one who gave them to her wasn't in very great shape either. She lacked the strength to kill The End of Anubis (not that she wanted to), but her sword had left some pretty serious cuts.

And both of them were exhausted.

Peten the Dark Clown sighed.

He had been lucky. Since he was pretty weak, they didn't dare strike him.

"Ready to call it quits, you two?" he asked. "This was funny for about five minutes, but I'm really getting sick of us arguing over whose fault it is."

The Warrior and the Fiend slumped back in their chairs.

"Good," sighed Peten. "Now the Queen said we could watch those three brats, so we might as well…"

An image came up on the viewing globe.

"I suppose it's better than sitting here watching the paint dry," grumbled End.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Andy, Stan, and Francesca delved into what they assumed was the second layer of the Palace of Shadow, and they seemed to be heading down. The corridor was sloping.

Eventually, a door came into view at the end.

"Eh," muttered Stan. "This likely leads to another of the Queen's surprises."

"The motto of the wise is, be prepared for surprises," answered Andy.

"Where did you hear that?" asked Francesca.

"I dunno," said Andy. "I just get a kick out of saying it."

"Well, we can't go back," sighed Stan.

They opened the door, and the sound of classical music reached their ears…

They were in what looked like a dark ballroom. Dim light came from large crystal chandeliers, lit by candles made of black wax. Red curtains lined the walls, and strange paintings surrounded them. It looked like a place where the Addams Family would throw a dance.

The music floated through the air.

Then the music changed to a more recognizable tune, one that everybody knew…

It was _The Imperial March_…

Also known as "Darth Vader's Theme."

"Someone's coming…" muttered Andy.

He had a feeling that the Queen would only play that song when one of her servants was about to show up.

A chuckle came out of the shadows…

"Greetings children," said a voice, as Sir Grodus came out of the darkness.

"Didn't we see this guy at a _Star Trek_ convention?" asked Stan.

Grodus chuckled.

"Amusing, Stan," he answered. "But no… I am Sir Grodus; most residents know me as a senior member of the Monster Island Council… But those of the Palace know me as the Queen's right-hand-man."

"In other words, you're her professional bootlicker," chuckled Francesca.

Grodus snarled.

He waved his scepter, and lightning struck at Francesca's feet!

She gasped.

"Next time I won't miss…" he warned.

He tossed the scepter aside, and a Duel Disk appeared on his left arm.

"Now then," he said. "On to business. Who wants to perish first?"

"You just made it personal by threatening Francesca, chrome-dome!" threatened Andy. "You want to duel, you're on!"

He turned to face Grodus.

Their Disks activated.

"Then choose your Deckmaster so we may begin…" dared Grodus.

"Whatever…" muttered Andy, taking his deck.

He leafed through it.

His eyes fell on one of his two Companion cards.

_Admiral Bobbery has been a big help ever since I first met him,_ he thought. _I'll bet he'll be great as a Deckmaster!_

He held the card up, and Bobbery appeared behind him in a flash.

"My Deckmaster is Admiral Bobbery the Bomber!" shouted Andy.

"Your little sailor is a fish out of water compared to my Deckmaster," said Grodus, holding up a card of his own.

A dark shadow appeared behind him, and a hulking, intimidating form arose.

"Meet Dark Ruler Ha Des!" he laughed.

"I'm not scared of Fiends," answered Andy, reshuffling. "I've taken on Fiends so many times in this tournament, that they've become little more that a joke."

"Oh, you'll be scared soon enough!" warned Grodus, reshuffling. "In fact, I do hope you've packed clean underwear!"

They reloaded their decks, and the scores set to 8,000 apiece. They each drew five cards.

"LET'S DUEL!" they both said.

"I'll start this off," said Grodus, making his first draw.

He chuckled.

_Already, I have all that I need to make a good combo,_ he thought, _with a little luck, and a little help from Andy…_

"I summon a Fiend from a region where your darkest nightmares come alive," he chuckled. "A demonic warrior whose name is feared and reviled… Zure, Knight of Dark World!"

He placed a card down, and a hideous figure appeared out of the shadows. It was a muscular Fiend with grey, scaly skin, wearing a royal blue cape and holding a sword. (1,800/1,500)

"I don't care what his name is," answered Andy. "He's _ugly_, and that's what I'm calling him…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The Unfriendly Amazon looked on in wonder.

"A friend of yours, End?" she asked.

"No way!" answered End, in fear. "The Fiends of Dark World are insane! They're a warmongering race who think violence is the answer to everything! They wage war on everyone who's paths they cross, even other Fiends!

"They like war so much, that they wage war on themselves when there's no-one else to fight!"

"Well," chuckled Peten. "Seems Andy might be in trouble…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Well," answered Andy reaching for his deck, "if you're done, then I'll just…"

"Did I say my turn was over?" snapped Grodus. "Did I?"

"All right!" answered Andy. "Sorry! You don't need to yell!"

Grodus chose another card.

"As I was saying," he continued, "I'll now play the Magic Card… Terraforming! Which as you know, allows me to search for one Field Magic Card…"

"Fine," sighed Andy, as he went for his deck. "Search for Mystic Plasma Zone…"

"Mystic Plasma Zone?" laughed Grodus. "Who said anything about that outdated card?"

He fit the card he had gotten into his Field Slot.

"I play… War-Torn Plains of Dark World!" he shouted.

An uncanny darkness enveloped the room! Then it seemed like they were transported to another place…

The ground was a rocky wasteland, and skeletal corpses – with fiendish features – littered the ground. The sky was dark and maroon-colored, and three ominous moons looked down upon them. In the distance, a sinister castle of alien architecture loomed.

"This isn't even a nice place to visit," commented Francesca.

"That's your opinion," snickered Grodus.

"Yeah?" answered Andy. "Well your Field Card doesn't seem to have increased your Zure's Attack Score by even one point! Just what does it do?"

"That's for me to know, and you to find out," answered Grodus. "In the meantime, you just worry about my facedown card…"

He set the card, and it appeared behind Zure.

"…and my turn is over."

"Fine," said Andy, making a draw. "About time…"

"Andy!" snapped Admiral Bobbery's voice.

"Bobbery?" whispered Andy.

"Don't be afraid of his ugly Monster, Andy!" assured Bobbery. "I've seen uglier things in my day. And listen…

"My Deckmaster ability is useful, but it's dangerous. If you call me to the field, I can destroy ALL the cards he has on the field!"

"Really?" answered Andy, surprised.

"But be careful," warned Bobbery, "because I can't attack on the round I do that. Use it only in an emergency!"

"Okay, thanks for the tip," replied Andy.

He placed a card down on his Disk.

"I summon Luster Dragon #1!" he shouted.

With a roar, the huge sapphire dragon appeared! (1,900/1,700)

"Attack his Knight!" shouted Andy. "Destroy him!"

Luster Dragon shot forth his energy blast! Zure screamed and was blown into pixels!

"Yes!" cheered Francesca. "That guy wasn't so tough…"

Grodus's Life Points fell to 7,950.

"Huh?" said Andy with a quizzical look. "You only lost fifty Life Points? You should have lost a hundred!"

Grodus chuckled.

"Now you see one of the benefits of my Field Card!" he laughed. "When a Dark World Monster is destroyed in battle, I only take half damage!"

"Dark World Monsters?" gasped Andy. "There are more of these things?"

"Indeed…" chuckled Grodus. "And you just triggered the other effect of my Field Card too… When a Dark World Monster is destroyed in battle, I get to draw one card!"

A card flew off his deck, and he caught it.

"Fine," snarled Andy. "It's your move…"

Grodus made another draw.

"I'll summon this guy in Defense Mode," he stated. "Scarr, Scout of Dark World!"

Another hideous creature appeared. It looked like a cross between a huge lizard and an ape, with crimson scales. It clutched a jagged dagger in its claw. It crouched in Defense. (500/500)

"Next I'll use my Deckmaster ability," he continued. "Demon Summoning!"

Dark Ruler Ha Des glowed with an unholy aura.

"By paying only Life Points," explained Grodus, "I can search my deck for any Fiend with four stars or less and add it to my hand."

His Life Points fell to 7,450. A card slipped out of his deck, and he added it to his hand.

_Well, that's useful,_ thought Andy.

"And now it's your turn," said Grodus.

Andy drew.

Graceful Charity.

_That Scarr might look scary,_ he thought, _but it's weak… which probably means it's an Effect Monster. I've got nothing good in my hand, so…_

"I play Graceful Charity!" he exclaimed.

He played the card, and the beautiful angel flew out.

She handed him three cards.

"Now," said Andy, as he discarded the Graceful Charity, "I'll just…"

"Hold on, Andy!" shouted Grodus. "I activate my Trap! Zombie's Jewel!"

His Trap lifted, showing the visage of a fetid zombie with a glowing jewel between its claws.

"What's that?" asked Andy.

"Zombie's Jewel can be activated when my opponent discards a card for any reason," answered Grodus. "Then I get to take that card!"

Andy laughed!

"You should have waited until I discarded my two cards, Grodus!" he laughed. "Now all you'll get is my Graceful Charity!"

The Magic Card flew out of Andy's discard slot and into Grodus's hand.

"Truthfully Andy," he said, "your Graceful Charity was exactly what I wanted. Anyway, Zombie's Jewel is so powerful, that you now get to draw one more card. So hope it's a good one."

Andy was puzzled. He made another draw.

He skimmed over his cards, and then handed two to the angel. She flew into his discard slot.

"Why did Grodus go through all that trouble just to get Andy's Graceful Charity?" asked Stan.

"Beats me…" said Francesca with a shrug.

"It's still my turn, Grodus!" shouted Andy. "And I'll sacrifice Luster Dragon to summon Des Volstgalph!"

Luster Dragon vanished, and the larger Dragon of Earth appeared. (2,200/1,700)

"Des Volstgalph, attack Scarr!" shouted Andy.

Des Volstgalph shot forth his scorching breath, and Scarr was eradicated!

"And now you lose 500 Life Points!" gloated Andy.

Grodus's Life Points fell to 6,950 Life Points…

…but he was smiling.

"Remember the effect of my Field Card?" he said with a grin. "I now get to draw one card!"

He made a draw.

"And also," he continued, "when Scarr is destroyed in battle, I get to search my deck for one Dark World Monster with four stars or less, and add it to my hand!"

A card slipped out of his deck.

"This one will do," he stated.

"Fine," sighed Andy. "It's your move."

"Whoa," said Stan. "Grodus has like… eight cards in his hand!"

"And here comes a ninth!" chuckled Grodus, making a draw.

"Next I'll bring that number down to eight again, by summoning Beiige, Vanguard of Dark World, in Attack Mode!"

He played the card, and a new Fiend appeared. This one was sunken and gaunt, and wore clothing that seemed to be made of bone. He carried a long pike. (1,600/1,300)

"Eesh…" muttered Francesca. "That one's even uglier…"

"Now I'll play the Graceful Charity I took from you," continued Grodus, playing the card, "which brings my hand down to seven, but quickly brings it up to ten!"

He played the card, and the graceful angel flew out, handing him three cards.

"Now the Magic Card goes back to your Graveyard…" added Grodus.

Andy looked down, and saw his Magic Card slip into his discard slot…

"And then…" chuckled Grodus, choosing two cards, "I'll bring my hand size down to eight once more, by discarding two cards…"

He discarded two…

"And now you'll see the true power of Dark World!"

Two shadows appeared to either side of Beiige… They took shape…

And they formed into two more Beiiges!

"WHAT?" shouted Andy. "Where did they come from?"

Grodus chuckled.

"Many of the Dark World Monsters gain special powers when you discard them from your hand," he answered. "In Beiige's case, when he is discarded, he is Special Summoned to the field right away! In case it hasn't sunk in, I discarded two Beiige cards by playing Graceful Charity!"

"Yeah, well," sneered Andy. "All three of them only have 1,600 Attack Points. They're no match for Des Volstgalph, and they can't attack together…"

"They don't need to!" laughed Grodus. "I'm Equipping one of them with this…"

He played a card.

"It's called Chthonian Alliance!" he laughed. "When a Monster is Equipped with this card, it gains 800 Attack Points for every Monster with the same name on the field…"

The Beiige in the center started to glow with a dark aura…

"Do the math…" chuckled Grodus, in a sinister voice.

"Hang on!" started Stan. "Beiige's original Attack was 1,600, he gains 800 Attack Points for each additional Beiige, there are two additional Beiiges… that makes…"

"Thirty-two hundred…" interrupted Francesca. "And that's trouble…"

"GO!" shouted Grodus. "Destroy Des Volstgalph!"

The Equipped Beiige charged and stabbed the Dragon with his pike! Des Volstgalph groaned and shattered!

"You two!" ordered Grodus to the other Beiiges. "Attack directly!"

The two Fiends leapt up and speared at Andy with their weapons! He howled and fell to his knees.

His Life Points dropped all the way to 3,800.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Wow, this is great!" laughed the Amazon. "All I need is a hot dog and a bag of popcorn!"

"Humph…" muttered Peten. "That Grodus thinks he's such a big shot…"

"You're only upset because Andy humiliated you twice, and now someone else is taking him down," noted End.

"Well," sighed Peten, crossing his arms, "so long as somebody does it, I guess I can live with it…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Heh, heh," chuckled Grodus. "I'll play two cards facedown, and that will end my turn…"

Andy slowly got up.

"You may have me outnumbered, Grodus," he said as he drew, "but I'm not outgunned yet…"

He looked at the card.

_Well, well…_ he thought.

"I summon Koops the Bashful in Attack Mode!" he shouted.

He put the card down, and the meek Koopa appeared. (1,800/500)

Koops looked around at his surroundings and shivered in fright.

"Stay calm Koops!" urged Andy. "You're gonna take down those ugly excuses for Monsters!"

He turned to Grodus.

"My friend Koops here can attack as many Monsters as I want him to…" he explained. "In exchange for that, he can't attack on my next turn.

"Koops, attack the two unequipped Beiiges!"

Koops retracted into his shell, and shot forward! He plowed into one Beiige, blasting him to pieces! Then he shot into another one, blowing him away!

"And now that there are no other Beiiges on the field," continued Andy, "your Equip Card is worthless. Koops, destroy the last one!"

Koops zoomed into the last Beiige, and he shattered into pixels!

Koops sprang back up on Andy's side, and gave a thumb's up.

Grodus chuckled.

"Have you forgotten the effect of my Field Card again?" he asked. "That attack only cost me 300 Life Points, and now I get to draw three cards!"

His Life Points fell to 6,650, and three cards flew off his deck.

"Whatever," muttered Andy. "I'll place three cards of my own facedown, and end my turn…"

He fit three cards into slots, and they appeared behind Koops.

"Well, well," chuckled Grodus, drawing another card. "Three facedown cards… what to do… Oh, I know… I'll activate one of my facedown cards! It's a Magic Card called Dark World Lightning!"

One of his cards lifted, and a bolt of lightning shot down from the sky! It struck one of Andy's facedown cards, shattering it!

"My Dragon's Bead!" he gasped.

"Dark World Lightning not only destroys one of your facedown cards," chuckled Grodus, "but it lets me discard one card. So now I'll discard a powerful Fiend named Sillva, Warlord of Dark World!"

He discarded a card.

"And when Sillva is discarded, just like Beiige, he's Special Summoned to the field!"

A silvery glow appeared on Grodus's side, and a huge Fiend appeared. He was beautiful in a demonic way, dressed in silver ceremonial armor and a flowing cape. He carried a long sword. (2,300/1,400)

"And since that was a Special Summon," laughed Grodus, "I'll also summon another Zure!"

He placed a card down, and another Knight of Dark World arose. (1,800/1,500)

"Now, my Fiends…" started Grodus.

"Activate… Threatening Roar!" shouted Andy.

One of his two remaining Trap Cards lifted, and the great beast roared, causing a shockwave that sent the two Fiends cringing.

"Very well," chuckled Grodus. "I'll set two more cards facedown, and end my turn…"

He played two more cards, and they materialized next to his other one.

"Ready to give up yet?" he asked.

"Never!" shouted Andy, drawing.

He looked at the card.

"Go, Pot of Greed!"

The grinning jar appeared, and handed him two more cards.

_Good…_ he thought.

"Next I'll play Snatch Steal!" he shouted, throwing a card into a slot. "And I'll use it to steal Sillva!"

The bandit appeared, and he dove into Sillva! Sillva gasped, and then flew over to Andy's side.

"Next," continued Andy, "I'll sacrifice Sillva to summon Cyber Dragon!"

Sillva vanished into mist, and the huge mechanical Dragon burst out of the ground! (2,100/1,700)

"And I'm not done!" he stated. "I'll activate my facedown card, Call of the Haunted!"

His Trap Card lifted.

"I'll use it to bring back my old friend Des Volstgalph!"

Des Volstgalph appeared in a flash of light.

"And since I'm getting sick of your War-Torn Plains, I'm going to wipe them out, by playing Stamping Destruction!"

He threw a card into a slot, and Des Volstgalph stamped his foot. A shockwave shot forth, and Grodus cringed. The whole scenery melted away, and his Life Points fell to 6,150.

"Des Volstgalph, attack Zure!" shouted Andy.

The Dragon blasted forth his breath weapon, and the Knight of Dark World was blown away!

Grodus cringed as his Life Points fell to 5,750, and then to 5,250.

"And now," yelled Andy, "Cyber Dragon, attack directly with strident blast!"

Flames appeared in Cyber Dragon's jaws.

"Not so fast, Andy!" shouted Grodus. "I activate Dark Wall of Wind!"

A Quickplay Magic Card lifted on his side, and a cyclone of dark wind surrounded Grodus. Cyber Dragon shot forth his flames, but the cyclone deflected them.

"Fine…" muttered Andy. "It's your move…"

Grodus drew.

His eyes lit up.

"I place a Monster facedown in Defense," he chuckled, "and also a Trap Card facedown…"

He played the cards. A third facedown card appeared, followed by a facedown Monster.

"He's actually telling Andy that it's a Trap?" gasped Francesca.

"Something's up…" muttered Stan. "I have a feeling he _wants_ Andy to know it's a Trap…"

"By the way, Andy," noted Grodus, taking another card, "are you a big fan of Joseph Conrad?"

"Joseph Conrad?" replied Andy. "Yeah, I read his works in English class. He wrote… Uhm…"

"I play Heart of Darkness!" exclaimed Grodus, playing a Magic Card.

"Right, that was the name of it…" muttered Andy, starting to sweat.

"Heart of Darkness lets me remove one Dark World Monster with five stars or more from play, and gain 2,000 Life Points in return!" laughed Grodus.

Sillva slipped out of his discard slot, and his Life Points went up to 7,250.

"I'm ending my turn…" he said in a sinister tone.

Andy drew.

He waited for Grodus to spring his Trap, but strangely, he didn't.

_Heavy Storm!_ he thought. _Now I can get rid of all three of those facedown cards…_

He sighed, and looked at his Call of the Haunted.

_It will cost me Des Volstgalph, but if that Trap is sprung, it might cost me more…_

He fit the card into a slot.

"I play Heavy Storm!" he shouted.

Grodus chuckled.

"That's exactly what I wanted you to do Andy!" he laughed. "I activate Dark Deal!"

The Trap Card he had just set lifted.

"Dark Deal?" gasped Andy. "What does that do?"

"Simple," laughed Grodus. "I may have to give up 1,000 of my Life Points to activate this Trap…"

His Life Points fell to 6,250.

"…but now it takes the Magic Card you just played, and changes what it does!"

"Changes what it does?" gulped Andy.

"Yes!" stated Grodus. "Now, instead of destroying all Magic and Trap Cards on the field, your Heavy Storm requires you to choose one card in my hand and make me discard it…"

He held up his hand.

"So choose…" he chuckled. "And remember, with my deck, being made to discard a card isn't always a bad thing…"

Andy hesitated for a minute.

"Far left…" he said.

"Well," said Grodus, looking at the card. "It would be my pleasure!"

He discarded the card.

"You just made me discard one of my deadliest creatures! Goldd, Wu-Lord of Dark World!"

He cackled.

"When Goldd is discarded, he, just like Sillva and Beiige, is Special Summoned to the field…"

A flash of golden light appeared on Grodus's side, and the nastiest Fiend yet appeared. He was a hulking figure dressed in magnificent golden armor, with huge, metallic wings! (2,300/1,400)

"Not again…" sighed Andy.

"Even better," laughed Grodus, "since it was technically _your_ card that made me discard him, he now can destroy two of your cards! So say goodbye to Cyber Dragon and Des Volstgalph!"

Two beams of piercing light shot from Goldd's eyes, striking the Dragon and the Machine! They shattered into pixels!

"No…" gasped Francesca. "Andy…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Ha, ha!" laughed Peten. "Good old Sir Grodus! This makes me sorry about the eleven times I sent him bomb letters!"

"Uhm, Peten…" added the Amazon. "You did that twelve times."

Peten crossed his arms.

"I know," he sulked. "But I'm NOT sorry for last time! He really did something that made me mad…"

"What did…" started End.

He paused.

"Oh, forget it," he finished, "I'm not even going to ask…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"It's still my turn, Grodus!" cursed Andy.

He turned a card on his Disk.

"I'll shift Koops into Defense Mode and end my turn…"

Koops knelt in Defense.

"My draw…" chuckled Grodus.

He drew a card.

"Heh, heh," he chuckled. "This Monster scares even me!"

"Who is he?" asked Andy, now starting to feel scared.

"I'll show you in a minute," answered Grodus, "but first I'll activate another Trap…"

Another of his cards lifted.

"The Forces of Darkness! This lets me add two Dark World Monsters from the Graveyard to my hand!"

Two cards slid out of his discard slot.

"So welcome back, my Vanguards!" he laughed, showing them to Andy.

He placed a card down on his Disk.

"Now I'll summon a Fiend so insane that even the other residents of Dark World call him mad," announced Grodus. "I summon Bron, Mad King of Dark World!"

A cackling, maniacal laugh echoed over the field, and a new Fiend appeared. He certainly looked insane, with wild hair and a tattered cape. He had wrinkled gray skin, and his very long arms ended in long claws. (1,800/400)

"Here it comes…" gulped Andy.

"Goldd!" commanded Grodus. "Wipe out his turtle with dark gold rush!"

The Wu-Lord of Dark World roared… He blasted forth a wave of golden energy, and Koops was vaporized.

"What?" said Andy in surprise. "You attacked with Goldd first? Fool. Koops had only 500 Defense Points! You could have attacked him with Bron and then attacked me with Goldd, doing me more damage!"

"Actually," corrected Grodus, "I can do you more damage by attacking you with Bron. Bron, attack him directly with lunatic lunge!"

Bron cackled like a madman and leapt forth! Andy cringed as the Fiend raked at him with his claw.

His Life Points fell to 2,000.

"You see Andy," chuckled Grodus, "when Bron damages your Life Points, I get to discard one card!"

He discarded a card, and a dark shadow appeared on his side of the field.

"You remember your old friend Beiige, right?" he asked.

Beiige appeared, holding his pike. (1,600/1,300)

"And since my Battle Phase isn't over…" he continued, "Beiige, attack!"

Beiige charged, and stabbed at Andy with his spear! Andy screamed and fell to his knees.

His Life Points fell to a mere 400.

"HA, HA, HA, HA, HA!" laughed Grodus. "Your Life Points are nearly drained! But until then, please, scream all you like! I do love hearing it!"

"You sadistic…" gasped Francesca. "You're even darker than these Dark World creatures!"

"Just for that, Francesca," laughed Grodus, pointing to her, "you're next!"

He chuckled to himself.

"Once I dispose of these fools," he muttered, "the Shadow Queen will be so pleased, she'll…"

And then a thought hit him.

"Wait a second…" he grunted. "Who needs the Shadow Queen? I'm even better at this than she is!

"Once I defeat these brats, I'll take down her brats, and then I'll take down her! All of the power she has will be mine…"

He failed to see that Andy had gotten to his feet.

"Is your turn going to end sometime in this century?" he growled.

"Huh?" asked Grodus. "Oh, right. I'll end by placing one more card facedown."

He fit a card into a slot.

"Now make your last move…"

"Stan! Andy can still turn this around, right?" asked Francesca.

"I dunno…" muttered Stan. "Grodus still has 6,250 Life Points and three powerful Monsters on the field; Andy's is in triple digits, and he has a clear side. Frankly, it's gonna take a miracle…"

Andy had heard them.

_Not to mention the fact that I only have one card in my hand,_ he thought. _The chances of a miracle now are pretty slim…_

"Oh, that's poppycock!" said a voice behind him.

"Bobbery?" said Andy, turning around.

"Andy, when I was your age, so-called 'miracles' happened all the time," said Bobbery. "You ever see the movie _A Perfect Storm_?"

"Who hasn't?" asked Andy.

"Wasn't it about two violent storms that came together at sea to form what they called a 'perfect storm' which was incredibly deadly?" asked Bobbery. "Well let me tell you, when I was a young sailor, I saw a storm that was even _more_ perfect than that! When I went out to sea once, _three_ violent storms came together, and my ship was caught in it! Our craft was blown to splinters, and we clung to lifeboats for the rest of the time, expecting every minute to drown or be blown away! But the sea spared us… me and my whole crew survived to see the storm quell.

"When we were finally rescued, they said the fact that we survived was _more_ than a miracle!

"But do you know why I believe I didn't drown that day? Because I wanted to live. I wanted to get home to see Scarlette again. My faith and my determination made the miracle happen.

"Miracles don't just come to people for no reason, Andy. You have to make them come to you. Now draw your next card, and remember that!"

Andy looked at his deck.

He drew.

"I play… Monster Reborn!" he shouted.

He played the card, and Des Volstgalph materialized in front of him, in Attack Mode.

"And also," he stated, fitting his last card into a slot, "one card facedown…"

A facedown card appeared next to his other one.

_Andy NO!_ screamed Francesca in her head. _That's the most obvious trick in the book! It will never work!_

Andy waved his hand to signal the end of his turn.

"HA, HA, HA!" laughed Grodus. "Do you expect me to fall for that?"

He drew a card.

"I activate… Royal Decree!"

One of his Trap Cards lifted.

"Now your Trap is worthless…" cackled Grodus. "Of course, this card forbids me from playing any as well, but that doesn't really matter, because after this attack hits, you lose!

"Goldd, attack Des Volstgalph with dark gold rush!"

Goldd powered up his golden assault…

"Who ever said this was a Trap Card, Grodus?" asked Andy.

He waved his hand, and a familiar Quickplay Magic Card lifted.

"Huh?" gasped Grodus. "Your Scorching Ruin?"

"Now Des Volstgalph's Attack is increased by 1,000, plus 200 since I just played a Magic Card!" laughed Andy.

Des Volstgalph rose to 3,400 Attack!

"So attack me, Goldd!" gloated Andy.

"No…" gasped Grodus. "Stop!"

It was too late… Goldd shot forth his lethal gold rush, but Des Volstgalph blasted through the attack with his own energy blast! The Fiend howled in pain, and was blasted into atoms!

"Grodus…" snarled Andy. "Wu-lord of Dark World… is vanquished."

Grodus's Life Points fell to 5,150, and then fell to 4,650.

"A minor setback…" growled Grodus. "I'll move Bron and Beiige into Defense Mode, and then summon another Beiige in Defense Mode…"

He turned the cards on his Disk, and the two Fiends crouched in Defense. Then he put another card down, and another Beiige appeared, also kneeling in Defense.

"Make your move…" he dared.

Andy drew.

"Well, what have we here?" he asked.

He fit a card into a slot.

"I play Sweet Feast!"

Grodus gasped as the overflowing cornucopia appeared over Andy.

"Since the most powerful Monster on the field is my six-star Des Volstgalph," explained Andy, "I gain 6,000 Life Points, and I get to draw six cards!"

His Life Points went up to 6,400, and six cards flew off of his Disk.

"Since I can't do anything else because I played it, it's your move…"

Grodus grunted as he drew.

"I pass, I can't do anything!" he cursed.

"In that case," stated Andy. "I'll blow away your Royal Decree with Mystical Space Typhoon!"

He played the card, and the Trap shattered.

"Now I'm going to take care of your facedown mystery Monster," he continued, fitting another card into a slot. "Nobleman of Crossout!"

The knight in shining armor appeared, and stabbed into the card. A second Scarr appeared, and shattered into pixels.

"Next, two cards facedown…"

He fit two cards into slots, and they appeared behind Des Volstgalph.

"And finally, Des Volstgalph, destroy Bron!"

Des Volstgalph shot forth his lethal breath, and the Mad King of Dark World was incinerated.

Grodus's Life Points fell to 4,150.

Grodus was now clearly angry. He drew a card…

"I'll play a second Dark World Lightning!" he exclaimed, playing a card. "Say goodbye to THAT facedown card!"

Lightning stuck one of Andy's facedowns, destroying his Dragon's Rage.

"And as you know, this Magic Card also lets me discard one card, so I'm discarding a guy called Broww, Huntsman of Dark World."

He discarded it.

"When this Monster is discarded, I get to draw one card."

He made a draw.

He looked at it and growled…

"Disappointed, Grodus?" asked Andy.

"Just move!" shouted Grodus.

"Fine!" said Andy, drawing.

_Sweet!_

"I activate my other facedown card…" he exclaimed. "Burst Breath!"

Des Volstgalph roared, and exhaled a furious gout of flame!

After the smoke cleared, both he and the two Vanguards were eliminated.

"Now that my side is clear," continued Andy, "I'll summon another Cyber Dragon!"

The ground rumbled, and the huge metal serpent emerged from the ground! (2,100/1,700)

"But wait!" laughed Andy. "Since summoning Cyber Dragon was a Special Summon, I can sacrifice him…"

He switched cards on his Disk, and Cyber Dragon vanished…

"…to summon Luster Dragon #2!"

The huge emerald Dragon appeared with a roar! (2,400/1,400)

"Luster Dragon, attack him directly!"

"Oh no you don't!" shouted Grodus. "I activate my own Quickplay, Gateway to Dark World!"

His last facedown lifted up.

"This Magic Card lets me Special Summon one Dark World Monster from my Graveyard!" shouted Grodus, "so I'll Special Summon Broww and place him in Defense Mode!"

A new Fiend appeared. This one looked similar to the others, but he wore a combination of armor and furs. He carried a bow and a quiver of arrows.

He crouched in Defense. (1,400/800)

"Now your Dragon will have to attack him instead of me!" cursed Grodus.

Luster Dragon shot forth his emerald flash, and Broww was blasted into particles.

"Your move…" sneered Andy.

"Yes!" cheered Francesca. "Andy's got this duel cold! Grodus will never catch up!"

"Don't jinx it…" warned Stan.

Grodus drew a card.

He looked at it.

"I'll place two cards facedown, and end my turn," he stated.

He fit two cards into slots, and they appeared in front of him.

"What?" said Andy, startled. "No Monsters at all?"

Grodus just stared at him.

Andy drew a card.

_This could be dangerous,_ he thought. _His whole deck relies on weird Traps and Quickplays…_

He sighed.

_I've used up Stamping Destruction, Heavy Storm, AND Mystical Space Typhoon. By the time I draw Dust Tornado, there's no telling what he may do!_

_I have to chance it…_

"Luster Dragon… ATTACK!" he shouted.

Luster Dragon roared…

"Hold it, Andy!" shouted Grodus. "I activate… Magical Trick Mirror!"

One of his Traps lifted, and a toy wizard covered with mirrors appeared, and spun around in a dizzy dance!

"What the?" said Andy.

"This Trap Card activates when you declare an attack, and lets me duplicate one Magic Card in your Graveyard!" shouted Grodus. "So I'm choosing to activate… Graceful Charity!"

Andy's Disk shook, and the angel flew out of his discard slot, and then flew over to Grodus…

She whipped three cards off of his deck, and handed them to him.

"And if you liked Sillva, Warlord of Dark World the first time," chuckled Grodus, "prepare yourself for double the trouble, because I'm discarding another Sillva!"

The handed the angel two cards, and she flew into his discard slot…

And then, another Sillva materialized in front of Grodus. (2,300/1,400)

"Big deal!" shouted Andy. "Luster Dragon is still stronger!"

Luster Dragon shot forth his blast, and the Fiend was blown to pieces!

Grodus shielded himself as his Life Points fell to 4,050.

"I activate my other Trap!" he shouted. "Chthonian Blast!"

His other Trap lifted.

"This Trap can be activated when one of my Monsters is destroyed," he explained. "It then destroys the Monster on the field with the lowest Attack Score, and since your Dragon is the _only _Monster on the field…"

Luster Dragon howled and exploded!

"And now we both lose Life Points equal to half of that Dragon's Attack Score…" growled Grodus.

His Life Points fell to 2,850, and Andy's fell to 5,200.

"That was a desperate move…" muttered Andy.

"Say what you will," said Grodus. "It's my draw…"

He looked at the card.

"Heh, heh…" he chuckled. "This time I'll play my _own_ Graceful Charity!"

He played the card, and for the fourth time, the angel appeared, handing him three cards.

"And now I'll discard my third Sillva!" he laughed.

He handed her two cards, and she flew into his discard slot…

…and once again, Sillva appeared. (2,300/1,400)

"Sillva, attack directly with dark silver stream!" he laughed.

Sillva threw up its arms and fired a wave of silvery dust! Andy cringed against it and staggered backwards…

He gasped for breath as his Life Points fell to 2,900.

"All right…" he moaned. "My draw now…"

He slowly drew.

"I summon… Mirage Dragon, in… Defense Mode…" he groaned, placing the card on his Disk.

The shining Dragon of Light appeared in front of him, curled up in Defense. (1,600/600)

"Your move…" he muttered, clutching his head.

Grodus drew.

"I play another Gateway to Dark World!" he stated. "And this time, I'll use it bring back Goldd!"

He played the card, and Goldd, Wu-Lord of Dark World appeared again. (2,300/1,400)

"Of course," muttered Grodus, "a Monster revived by that Magic Card can't attack on the round it's Special Summoned in that way, and I can't summon anything else because of it…

"But Sillva can sure attack!

"Sillva, wipe out his Mirage Dragon!"

Sillva shot forth his dark silver stream, and Mirage Dragon was disintegrated.

"Now, I'll place two more cards facedown," chuckled Grodus.

He fit two cards into slots, and they appeared.

"Your move…" he dared.

Andy's hand shook as he drew.

He looked at his cards.

_No Monsters…_ he thought. _And nothing that can block an attack… If those two Fiends attack me directly, I've had it!_

"Andy," said Bobbery, "there is a way, but it involves a great deal of risk…"

Andy paused.

"Well," sighed Andy, "what have I got to lose?"

He took a card from his hand.

"I place this card facedown…" he said.

A facedown card appeared.

"And now I call my Deckmaster to the field! Admiral Bobbery, go!"

Bobbery trotted out to the center of the field. (2,200/1,000)

"Has Andy lost his mind?" gasped Stan.

"I think he has…" groaned Francesca.

"HA, HA, HA, HA!" laughed Grodus. "Are you nuts? Sillva and Goldd are both stronger!"

"You don't get it, do you?" asked Andy. "By calling Bobbery to the field, his Deckmaster ability activates! Bobbery, Bomb Barrage!"

Bobbery glowed golden, and a flurry of lit bombs flew towards Grodus's side!

"Huh?" quipped Grodus.

There was a fierce explosion, and the two Fiends howled! They were blown to bits!

Grodus looked down in disbelief. His two facedown cards were gone too.

"I've destroyed everything on your side, Grodus," said Andy. "I can't order Bobbery to attack this round, but I can next round… So it's your move…"

Grodus shakily drew…

He looked at the three cards in his hand…

His second Field Card, his second Terraforming, and his second Chthonian Alliance.

_Worthless,_ he thought. _And if that creature attacks me directly, I'll lose… there's got to be something I can do…_

He looked over his shoulder.

_Hey, wait a minute…_ he thought. _The answer is staring me right in the face!_

"You haven't won yet, Andy!" shouted Grodus. "You aren't the only one who can summon his Deckmaster!"

Francesca gasped…

"Dark Ruler Ha Des, I summon you to the field!" ordered Grodus.

The hulking Fiend lumbered onto the field, towering over Bobbery. (2,450/1,600)

"Heh, heh, heh," chuckled Grodus. "In case you didn't notice Andy, my Deckmaster's Attack Score trumps yours by two hundred and fifty points! And once I attack, you lose! Didn't count on that, did you?"

Andy started to sweat.

"Dark Ruler Ha Des!" commanded Grodus, "attack his Bomb-omb with Stygian blast!"

The Dark Ruler cackled… black flames formed in his hands…

"That's exactly what I wanted you to do, Grodus," said Andy, softy. "This time, you walked into _my_ trap…"

His facedown card lifted.

"Activate Power Lift!"

"Huh?" gasped Grodus.

As Ha Des shot forth his blast, the whole arena was caught in a fierce explosion!

When the smoke cleared, only Admiral Bobbery was there…

"Wha… Guh… Buh…" stammered Grodus.

"I was hoping you'd summon your own Deckmaster, thinking he would defeat mine," answered Andy. "That's why I set Power Lift. It let me add Bobbery's Defense Score to his Attack Score, for a grand total of 3,200!"

Grodus stared in disbelief…

"Normally, this would mean that Bobbery would be destroyed when you ended your turn," continued Andy. "But you'll never get a chance to end your turn… Your Deckmaster was just blown up, meaning you lose!"

"YAAAY!" cheered Francesca.

Bobbery turned to Andy and winked.

"Thanks again, Bobbery," said Andy, giving a thumb's up.

"Don't mention it," said the Companion, before vanishing.

And then, a rope made of dark energy flew down from the ceiling and ensnared Grodus!

The three teens looked up in fear, and saw the Shadow Queen reel him in!

"We need to chat, Grodus!" shouted the Queen.

And then they both vanished into darkness.

Another door, this one made of wood, appeared in the far wall.

"Where do you think this leads?" asked Andy.

"Probably to another of the Queen's traps," sighed Francesca. "But then, what choice do we have?"

They opened it.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Well, seems the big cheese was a big loser," sighed Peten.

"Hey, he made the same dumb mistake _you_ did," commented the Amazon.

Peten sighed.

"Touché," he mused.

"I wouldn't have been dumb enough to summon myself to the field…" she continued.

"I know," chuckled End. "Probably because you'd have needed to sacrifice one of your own Monsters every round to keep yourself from going to pieces. Literally.That's why no-one uses your card, you know…"

"Hey, watch it!" snapped the Amazon.

"I mean Peten and I are still pretty useful," added End.

"Yeah, Kaiba has three of my cards in his deck," added Peten with a laugh.

"Big deal…" growled the Amazon.

"But you…" said End, "frankly there are much better four-stars with your strength to use…"

"Quit it…" snarled the Amazon.

"Panther Warrior, Goblin Elite Attack Force…" listed End.

"Quit it!" shouted the Amazon.

"Indomitable Fighter Lei Lei, Berserk Gorilla… Heh, heh… You aren't even better than a big ape!"

"Oh, that does it…" snarled the Amazon, drawing her sword again.

As the fight started again, Peten sighed.

_Maybe when the Queen lets us out of here I'll go into classical theater,_ he thought. _I'm sure there's a Shakespearian troupe who's planning to put on _Twelfth Night…_ I'd make a pretty good Feste…_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

In the Queen's alchemy lab…

"Don't feel bad, Grodus," sighed the Queen. "Things didn't work out too bad…

"For me…

"After all, had you won… I'm sure you'd have tried to seize power for yourself!"

Grodus gulped.

"I _really_ hate it when my henchmen get thoughts of treason…" scowled the Queen.

"What are you going to do to me?" asked Grodus with a shudder.

The Queen grinned.

"Nothing!" she answered.

Grodus paused.

"Uh… nothing?" he asked.

"Uh huh," she answered.

The six Shadow Spawn walked up.

"I'm going to let my kids punish you for me," she replied. "Children…"

They flicked their Disks into position and drew the top cards…

"No… please… don't…" pleaded Grodus.

"Kaiser Sea Horse, go!" shouted Melissa.

"Harpie's Brother, go!" shouted Kurtis.

"Blazing Inpachi, go!" shouted Tyson.

"Panther Warrior, go!" shouted Leopold.

"Sea Serpent Warrior of Darkness, go!" shouted Maria.

"Drillago, go," sighed Vladimir.

The six Monsters appeared, and closed in on Grodus.

Turning her back to a great amount of screaming, the Shadow Queen turned to her cauldron.

_While they're doing that,_ she thought, _I can finish the next incantation…_

She started to chant…

**0**

**0**

**0**

**WAR-TORN PLAINS OF DARK WORLD (Magic Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Magic/Field  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description: **Image of a broken battlefield awash with fiendish skeletons, and a dark palace in the background. Whenever a Monster with the words "Dark World" in its name is destroyed in battle, battle damage to the controller of the Monster is halved. Also, when a Monster with the words "Dark World" in its name is destroyed in battle, the owner draws one card.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**ZOMBIE'S JEWEL (Trap Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Trap  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description: **Image of a fetid zombie holding a gem between its hands. You can activate this card when your opponent discards a card to his Graveyard for any reason. Add that card to your hand. Your opponent then draws one card.

_Note: "Zombie's Jewel" was used by Marik in the anime episode "The Final Face-Off". All creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0**

**0**

**0**

**DARK WALL OF WIND (Magic Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Magic/Quickplay  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description: **Image of a man being buffeted in a dark tornado. This card can be activated when you have no Monsters on your side of the field. During the round this card is activated, you cannot take battle damage or effect damage.

_Note: "Dark Wall of Wind" was used by Marik in the multi-part anime episode "The Darkness Returns". All creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0**

**0**

**0**

**HEART OF DARKNESS (Magic Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Magic  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description: **Image of a sinister figure in a dark robe with a blood-red gem floating between his hands. Remove one Monster that has the words "Dark World" in its name and five level stars or more in your Graveyard from play. Increase your Life Points by 2,000.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**MAGICAL TRICK MIRROR (Trap Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Trap  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description: **Image of a toy wizard covered with mirrors. You can activate this Trap when your opponent declares an attack. Activate one Magic Card in your opponent's Graveyard for your own use.

_Note: "Magical Trick Mirror" was first used by Kaiba in the anime episode "Clash in the Coliseum". All creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0**

**0**

**0**

"**Admiral Bobbery the Bomber":** Machine/Water, Level 6 (2,200/1,000)

Deckmaster SA: "Bomb Barrage": When you summon the Deckmaster to the field, you can destroy all cards on your opponent's side of the field. The Deckmaster cannot attack on the round this effect is activated. This effect can only be used once per duel.

**0**

**0**

**0**

"**Dark Ruler Ha Des":** Fiend/Dark, Level 6 (2,450/1,600)

Deckmaster SA: "Demon Summoning": Pay 500 Life Points. Add one FIEND-Type Monster with four stars or less from your deck to your hand. You can activate this effect once per turn, during your main phase.

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**Coming up next:**_

_**If the Queen is going to conquer the world, she likely needs an army… Well she has one, and next chapter, the last finalist is going to stumble into them!**_

**_Drake encounters the Queen's army, and is confronted with one of the most legendary Warriors of the dueling world. Can the powers of Chaos defeat one of the greatest military minds of all time? Don't miss "Chain of Command", coming soon._**


	48. Chain of Command

_**Call me Drake.**_

_**My skill in Duel Monsters using a Chaos Deck may have made me the champion of Benelux, but even so, I never considered myself a celebrity. There are lots of people more famous than me, even among Duel Monsters.**_

_**The guy I'm facing – he's a celebrity, at least among Monsters. More than a celebrity, he's a legend. There may be others of his Type that are stronger, but few that are more respected. Every duelist who knows of him, whether you're standing behind him or on his receiving end, knows that he's worthy of respect…**_

_**And now I have to duel him…**_

_**Do I even stand a chance?**_

_**After all, my deck is Chaos, but this guy is big on order… And most people will tell you that order is superior to chaos…**_

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Chain of Command**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

Shortly after the duel with Peten, the last finalist to reach the Palace was at a crossroads…

…literally.

Drake didn't know what to make of this place. With every turn he made, it seemed there was another intersection to choose. Whoever built the Palace must have been mad.

As he walked towards the latest one, he had a thought.

_Haven't I been here before?_ he thought.

He looked around.

_That's the ticket,_ he thought. _This is a labyrinth…_

He reached into his pocket and took out a felt-tip pen…

Then he marked an X on the side of one of the passages.

_This should help,_ he thought. _I'll mark each way I take, and if I come to a marked one, I'll take the other one!_

Smarts were going to be what he needed to win the finals, along with a bit of luck…

Although it was mostly luck that got him the jewel in his pocket, the precious Opal Star.

After winning his seventh card, an Interdimensional Matter Transporter took him to the most unlikely place – The Wonky Circus. There he was challenged by the most unlikely of creatures – a weird character in a red robe wearing a white mask. He looked like a typical performer, but this was one clown with a lot of pent-up aggression.

He called himself the Shy Guy General. Drake almost laughed when he gave that title – but the Shy Guy insisted he WAS a general, or at least had been one a millennia ago, and that he had been the commander of the Shadow Queen's armies. Due to the Queen's current condition, he was forced to work at a demeaning position – and he was determined that no-one, not Drake nor anyone else, would win the Opal Star from him.

A good crowd of spectators turned out to watch, and pretty soon, Drake was facing a twisted masquerade…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Drake wasn't in the best position at the moment. In fact, he was in a pretty bad position.

First off, he was losing 2,000 Life Points to 3,500.

He had Bazoo the Soul Eater on the field in Attack Mode (1,600/900), but it had been rendered a liability thanks to a Mask of the Accursed. He also had his Soul Absorption card active, but it was just as much a liability, thanks to a Mask of Dispel.

His opponent had two Monsters in Attack Mode, Grand Tiki Elder (1,500/800) and Melchid the Four-Face Beast (1,500/1,200). He also had a Mask of Restrict active – that last part didn't bother Drake much, seeing as there weren't many Monsters in his deck that needed a sacrifice to be summoned.

Still, he knew that he had only one more turn to find a way out of this…

The Shy Guy chuckled as he drew.

"I've overthrown churches that put up more of a fight than this," he mocked. "Maybe getting seven Cards was all just dumb luck…"

"You haven't won yet," growled Drake.

"Maybe so, but your Life Points will be drained in a matter of rounds," answered the Shy Guy. "And if you think the torture I'm putting you through is painful, just wait until the Queen's plans are complete…

"After a thousand years, I'll finally get my old job back, and leave this accursed circus life behind!"

He placed a card down on his Disk.

"I'll place Three-Headed Geedo in Defense Mode, and that will be all for my turn."

A Fiend with three heads and three masks appeared, crouching in Defense. (1,200/1,400)

"Then I'll draw…" said Drake, drawing.

"…and you'll lose 1,000 Life Points," chuckled the Shy Guy.

Drake's Life Points fell to 1,000.

"But that's ALL I'm gonna lose!" shouted Drake. "I just drew Heavy Storm!"

He threw the card into a slot, and a fierce wind erupted around the arena! His Soul Absorption card shattered, along with the Mask of Dispel, then the Mask of the Accursed on Bazoo shattered, and finally, the Mask of Restrict shattered.

"Now then," chuckled Drake. "I'll remove Banisher of the Light, D.D. Trainer, and D.D. Survivor from play…"

Three cards fell out of his discard slot, and he moved them to his removal slot.

"…to increase Bazoo's Attack Score to 2,500!"

Bazoo's Attack Score shot up!

"Bazoo, incinerate his Grand Tiki Elder with breath of souls!"

Bazoo the Soul Eater blasted forth a ray of energy from his mouth, and the creepy Fiend was obliterated!

The Shy Guy's Life Points fell to 2,500.

"And that's my turn," said Drake with a grin.

The Shy Guy chuckled.

"I should thank you, Drake!" he remarked. "You saved me the trouble of destroying my Mask of Restrict myself!"

"What do you mean?" asked Drake.

The General drew a card.

"Because now that it's gone," replied the creature, "I can sacrifice my two Monsters…"

Melchid and the Geedo vanished…

"To summon the mighty **_Masked Beast Des Gardius_**!"

A huge, hulking form arose. It was both hairy and scaly, with horns and spurs. Its head wore three hideous masks. (3,300/2,500)

"Des Gardius, attack his Bazoo!" shouted the Shy Guy.

The huge Fiend leapt forward and tore Bazoo in half with one mighty swipe!

Drake's Life Points fell to 200.

"Your move," chuckled the creature. "Do you really think you can win now?"

Drake drew.

"I do," he said. "I know how your Fiend works – if I destroy it, you'll be able to use a nasty Magic Card called Mask of Remnants, which will brainwash one of my Monsters… but that's not going to happen…"

He fit a Magic Card into a slot.

"First I'll use Soul Release, to remove five cards from my Graveyard…"

Five cards fell out of his discard slot and he transferred them to the removal pile.

"Now a grand total of fifteen of my cards have been removed from play," he said. "Making it just the right time to summon…"

He put a card down.

"…wait for it…"

An enormous bonfire erupted on his side of the field…

"…_**Gren Maju Da Eiza!"**_

With a roar, the Chaos Fiend appeared!

"And his Attack and Defense are 400 for each of those cards that have been removed from play! Do the math…"

(6,000/6,000)

"_Six-thousand Attack Points?"_ screamed the Shy Guy.

"Gren Maju Da Eiza," commanded Drake, "wipe out Des Gardius with chaos flames!"

Maju shot forth a stream of blazing fire, and Des Gardius was burnt to a crisp!

"Try using that Mask of Remnants now," gloated Drake, as his opponent's Life Points hit zero.

"No…" groaned the Shy Guy, falling to his knees.

"I'll be taking the Opal Star now," said Drake. "And I wouldn't count on coming out of retirement any time soon…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Drake marked off another corridor and went down the other.

_Have a feeling I'm getting somewhere…_ he thought.

He stopped.

A large door was in front of him.

He shrugged.

He pulled the hinge.

The door opened onto a grassy hill covered with shrubbery. He looked up, and saw the sky overhead which was grey and cloudy.

_How could I have gotten back outside?_ he asked himself.

He turned and saw the door, which was standing on end…

And then it vanished!

He looked down the hill, and saw tents of some sort. Campfires were burning, and he saw figures walking around.

_Well, maybe someone can clue me in,_ he thought.

He walked down the hill.

He didn't notice that his Life Point meter on his Disk set to 8,000…

As he walked down the hill, he heard a cry behind him:

"Halt!" shouted a female voice.

He turned and saw two figures.

One of them was a soldier of some sort, dressed in fancy armor with a cape. He held two swords. The other was a woman dressed in beautiful leather armor stained red and orange. She held a sword as well.

"Marauding Captain?" asked Drake. "Command Knight?"

The two Warriors looked at each other.

"All right pal, how did you get in here?" asked Command Knight, pointing her sword.

"I… walked in?" answered Drake.

Command Knight's eyes narrowed.

"Look," gulped Drake, "I'll gladly leave if you just point me in the direction out of here…"

"It isn't that easy," answered the Captain. "This is a restricted area since yesterday, and we're on alert. You'd best come with us…"

"Uh… suppose I say no?" asked Drake.

He slowly reached for his deck…

But apparently, Command Knight had been expecting that. She made a slash across Drake's chest with her blade!

He howled and fell over. He noticed now that his Life Point counter was on, and that it had just dropped to 6,400.

"You'd best keep your hands where we can see them and away from those cards!" threatened Command Knight.

"Even if you defeat us," added Marauding Captain, "we're far from the only ones here, and you do _not_ want to know what will happen to you if that counter hits zero."

"All right, fine…" sighed Drake, raising his arms. "Here's me giving up… I'm sure this is all just a misunderstanding…"

"Perhaps," answered Command Knight. "But that's for our CO to decide…"

The two Duel Monsters led him down the hill, and Drake looked around in wonder. It looked like a military camp of some sort, and there were Warriors all around. Warrior Dai Grepher was tending a fire with Gearfried the Iron Knight; nearby, a Goblin Attack Force was playing cards; a figure in very fancy, golden armor stood in the shadows… Drake couldn't identify him, but from the looks of him, he looked like a Monster that anyone would think twice about messing with.

All these Warriors looked at Drake strangely.

In the center of the camp was a large table where two Monsters were sitting. One was a Little-Winguard who seemed to be explaining something on a map while the other one listened…

The other one…

_No…_ thought Drake. _It couldn't be…_

The other Warrior seemed to be the authority figure among this group. He was middle-aged, but handsome, with long, blonde hair, and a moustache. He wore splendid, spotlessly clean armor, and a long sword was strapped to his back.

"General Freed!" announced Command Knight. "We've apprehended an intruder!"

The apparent leader turned and looked at Drake.

"General Freed?" he said in surprise. "As in Freed the Matchless General?"

Freed stood up. He was very intimidating, standing nearly six-foot-seven.

"Yes, and I must say this is a surprise," he said in a commanding voice. "The Shadow Queen didn't say that any humans would be coming here…"

"Where is 'here' exactly?" asked Drake. "Uh, sir? See, I wandered in here by accident…"

"It's a pocket dimension inside the Palace of Shadow," answered the General. "The Queen is building an army; just why, I'm not sure yet, but my orders are to train and be prepared to lead it – she doesn't have much faith in her former general."

"Sir, he sounds ignorant, but it might be an act," warned Marauding Captain. "You heard the Queen's warning…"

"Yes…" muttered Freed, rubbing his chin. "You wouldn't know anything about a Merlee, would you boy?"

"Uh, no!" gasped Drake. "My name is Drake… I've never heard of any Merlee, and…"

"Well I know him," interrupted Freed. "I had a run in with him once… Nasty business. I don't know why the Queen put him on her most-wanted list, but ever since he snuck into the Palace, restricted areas like this one are on high alert. There's no telling what secrets he might learn."

"Well, I'm certainly not Merlee," chuckled Drake. "And if you'll just let me go, if I see him, you'll be the first to…"

"Sir, he might be lying!" interrupted Command Knight. "For all we know, he may be Merlee's apprentice!"

Freed rubbed his chin…

He stared at Drake.

"I'm afraid I can't just let you go with security this tight," he said. "You aren't supposed to be here, so you could be a spy…

"But then again, you _could_ have just stumbled into here by accident like you claim, and I won't risk executing someone who may be an innocent…"

He rubbed his chin again… Drake gulped.

"But there is one way you can prove you have no connection to Merlee," he added.

He motioned to Little-Winguard, and the small Warrior took something out of a gunny sack.

It was a Duel Disk, covered with fancy runes.

Freed strapped it on his left arm.

"I'm busy, but I suppose we have time for a match…" he said.

"Me? Against you?" gasped Drake. "What will that prove?"

"Drake, let me tell you something about warfare," answered Freed. "Every fighter has his unique style. Your style is like a fingerprint… it cannot be copied. And from one's dueling style you can determine all influences. If you were even given advice in dueling by Merlee, your dueling style will give you away."

_Well,_ thought Drake. _I've never even heard of this Merlee… I've got nothing to lose…_

He shuffled his deck.

"Troops!" ordered the General. _"Attention!"_

All the Warriors stood at attention.

"Take your positions!" ordered Freed.

All the Warriors vanished…

"Where'd they go?" asked Drake.

A deck of cards appeared in Freed's hand.

"My regiment are not only soldiers," he answered, "they're also the Monsters in my deck!" he answered. "This gives the Queen's army one great advantage – it's portable!"

_Amazing,_ thought Drake.

Freed loaded his deck into his Disk.

Drake's Life Point counter went back up to 8,000.

"Anyway," continued Freed, "according to the Queen's rules, all duels within the Palace walls must be conducted using a Deckmaster."

"Uh…" muttered Drake.

He looked through his deck.

_Well, this one's always reliable…_ he thought.

He held a card up.

"I choose D.D. Warrior Lady!" he shouted.

In a flash of light, the gorgeous female Warrior in armor appeared behind him.

"Not a bad choice," commented Freed. "Anyway, I'll be serving as my own Deckmaster."

The Disks flipped into position.

"Now let's duel!"

As Drake drew his first hand, he heard a soft voice behind him.

"Drake, beware," warned D.D. Warrior Lady. "Freed the Matchless General is a powerful opponent, whose skill in the arts of warfare is legendary, even in the Different Dimension."

"Lovely…" muttered Drake.

"I can help as much as I can," she added. "If you manage to remove one of his Monsters from play, pay 500 Life Points, and I'll Special Summon that Monster from the void to fight on your side."

"Okay, gotcha…" answered Drake.

"All right!" shouted Drake, drawing his first card.

_Not bad,_ he thought, looking at his hand.

"I'm summoning a Monster in Defense Mode…" he exclaimed. "Peten the Dark Clown!"

He placed a card down, and Peten leapt into the air, did a flip, and then crouched in Defense. (500/1,200)

"Clever," said Freed with a nod.

He drew a card.

"But I've always felt that the best defense is a good offense!"

He took two cards from his hand.

"I'm summoning a pair you might remember…"

He put a card down.

"First, Marauding Captain…"

Marauding Captain appeared, looking just how he did when he surprised Jake on the hilltop. (1,200/400)

"And due to his effect, I can summon another Monster, so I also summon Command Knight!"

He put another card down, and Command Knight leapt out. (1,200/1,900)

The two Warriors grinned at Drake.

"Ho boy…" he sighed.

"And Command Knight's effect raises both their Attack Scores by 400!" continued Freed.

Both Warriors rose to 1,600 Attack.

"Marauding Captain, attack his Clown!" ordered Freed. "Blade of battle!"

The Captain leapt up, and cleaved Peten in half!

"Good try," said Drake, reaching for his deck, "but when Peten is destroyed in battle, I can remove him from play to summon another Peten the Dark Clown!"

He placed a card down, and Peten the Second appeared.

"Interesting…" muttered Freed. "Command Knight, attack with blazing blade!"

Command Knight's sword burned with fire, and she struck, burning the second Peten up.

Drake pulled another card from his Disk.

"Nice, but Peten isn't worth using unless you have three in your deck," he said.

He placed a card down, and Peten the Third arose.

"Very well," said Freed. "I'll end by placing a card facedown…"

He set a card, and it appeared behind his Warriors.

"It's your move…"

_Okay, let's look at the situation,_ thought Drake. _I've got my last Peten in Defense Mode, and two cards in my Removed From Play pile. It's a start, but I've got to take the offensive if I want to get anywhere…_

He drew.

_All right!_ he thought_. Let's see them deal with this guy!_

"I summon D.D. Survivor in Attack Mode!" he shouted.

He placed the card down, and a tall figure clad in tattered rags appeared. (1,800/200)

"All right!" exclaimed Drake. "Attack his Marauding Captain with breath from beyond!"

D.D. Survivor let out a ghostly howl…

"I activate a Trap Card!" shouted Freed. "Reinforcements!"

His facedown card lifted.

"This Trap increases the Attack of my Captain by 500 for the rest of the round, making him stronger than your Monster!"

Marauding Captain leapt over the blast, and swung one of his swords, cutting D.D. Survivor in half!

"Heh," chuckled Freed. "Looks like your D.D. Survivor wasn't a very good survivor after all…"

Drake's Life Points fell to 7,700.

"All right…" sighed Drake. "I have to end my turn…"

Freed drew.

"I play a Magic Card," he stated. "The A. Forces! This Continuous effect increases the Attack of all my Warriors by 200 for each Warrior I have on the field!"

He played the card, and both Marauding Captain and Command Knight rose to 2,000 Attack.

"Marauding Captain, destroy the last Peten!" ordered Freed.

The Captain leapt forward and cut down the last clown.

"Command Knight, direct attack!"

Command Knight charged and slashed at Drake with her burning sword! Drake screamed and fell to his knees.

His Life Points fell to 5,700.

"Humph," muttered Freed. "It's too early for me to tell whether or not Merlee had any influence on you… But one thing I can deduce… You're a pretty poor duelist…"

"We'll soon see…" growled Drake, drawing.

"I'll place a card facedown and end my turn," stated Freed.

He set a card, and it appeared.

_Not bad…_ he thought.

"All right!" he said. "I'll place down a facedown card of my own," he continued.

He placed down a card.

"And then, I'll summon Chaosrider Gustaph in Defense Mode."

He placed a card on his Disk, and a sound like a noisy motorcycle roared. A portal opened, and the silver clad road-Warrior appeared, riding his bike. (1,400/1,500)

"And that will end my turn," he stated.

Freed grinned inwardly.

_If that's a Trap, my Trap Jammer will take care of it,_ he thought.

He drew a card.

"Marauding Captain, attack Gustaph!" he ordered.

Marauding Captain charged…

"I activate… The Reliable Guardian!" shouted Drake.

His facedown card activated.

_Huh?_ thought Freed. _That's a Quickplay!_

"This increases Gustaph's Defense by 700 for the rest of the turn!" exclaimed Drake.

As the Captain swung his sword, Gustaph caught it, and shoved him backwards.

Freed's Life Points fell to 7,900.

"Clever," sighed Freed. "Maybe I spoke too soon when I called you a poor duelist… It's your move."

Drake drew.

"First I'll play Soul Absorption," he said, playing a Magic Card. "Now, whenever one of our cards is removed from play, I gain 500 Life Points!"

He chose another card.

"Next, I play Mystical Space Typhoon, to destroy your A. Forces card!" he said, playing the card.

The cyclone destroyed the Magic Card. The two Warriors returned to 1,600 Attack.

"Next I'll move Gustaph to Attack Mode…"

He turned his card, and Gustaph turned to face the two Warriors.

"And I'll also summon this guy in Attack Mode… Bazoo the Soul Eater!"

He placed another card down, and the large mandrill ape with purple fur appeared. (1,600/900)

"Now, I'll remove my other Peten and D.D. Survivor from play, to increase Bazoo's Attack Score by 300 for each until the end of your next turn!" he continued.

The two cards fell out of his discard slot. His Life Points went up to 6,700, and Bazoo's Attack went up to 2,200.

"Next," he continued again, "I'll remove The Reliable Guardian and Mystical Space Typhoon from play! And for every Magic Card I remove, Gustaph gains 300 Attack Points until the end of your next turn!"

Two more cards fell out of his discard slot, and his Life Points went up to 7,700. Gustaph's Attack went up to 2,000.

"Bazoo, attack Marauding Captain with breath of souls!" he shouted.

Bazoo shot forth a blaze of energy from his jaws, and Marauding Captain cringed. He burst.

"Gustaph, attack Command Knight with your blazing chain!"

Chaosrider Gustaph produced a long chain that glowed with energy, and he hurled it… Command Knight shrieked as it wrapped around her, pinning her arms to her sides. Gustaph gave a yank, and she shattered.

Freed stroked his beard in wonder, as his Life Points fell to 7,000.

"Finally," said Drake, playing a Magic Card, "I'll play Chaos Greed…"

He played the card, and a sinister figure in a dark robe appeared behind him. The images of two cards appeared in front of the figure.

"Since at least four of my cards have been removed from play, and my Graveyard is empty," explained Drake, "this lets me draw two cards."

He made two draws.

"Your move," he said adding the cards to his hand.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

As usual, the Shadow Queen was watching. Grodus (who at this point had not yet dueled Andy) spoke up.

"You know, my liege," he said. "Drake has no connection to Merlee."

"I know that, and you know that," answered the Queen, "but the General doesn't have to know that yet."

She crossed her arms.

"I need to test Drake carefully. Like Kyle, I have high hopes for him. We need to see if he has what it takes. Should he lose, I'll personally give the General the order to have him executed…

"But should he win, I have something good in mind…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Freed made a draw.

"I'm using my Deckmaster ability," he commented.

"Huh?" asked Drake.

"As you know," explained the General, "in a regular duel, I can enable a duelist to search his deck for a Warrior of four stars or less if he forfeits his Draw Phase. As a Deckmaster, I can pay 500 Life Points to do so _without_ skipping my Draw Phase."

A card slipped out of his deck, and his Life Points fell to 6,400.

"Now, I'll play a card facedown, and also a Monster facedown in Defense Mode," he said.

He set two cards, and two facedown cards appeared.

"And that will be my turn."

Drake drew.

"I'll play… Graceful Charity…" he stated, playing the card.

The angel appeared, and handed him two cards.

He considered. He handed her a Banisher of the Light and a D.D. Warrior, and she flew into his discard slot.

"Now I'll remove from play the two Monsters I just discarded to power up Bazoo again," he continued.

He transferred the cards, and Bazoo again went up to 2,200. His Life Points went up to 8,700.

"Now I'll remove Graceful Charity and Chaos Greed to power up Gustaph!"

He transferred the cards, and Gustaph went up to 2,000 again. His Life Points went up to 9,700.

"Gustaph," ordered Drake, "take out his facedown Monster!"

Gustaph swung his chain…

And a hulking barbarian crouched behind a huge shield appeared on the card. (100/2,600)

Gustaph was thrown off of his motorcycle and landed on his back. Drake's Life Points fell to 9,100.

Freed chuckled.

"Big Shield Gardna's defensive stance was too much for your biker," he stated.

Gardna stood up and held his shield to his side.

"Yeah?" said Drake with a grin. "Well, because I attacked him, Gardna had to switch to Attack Mode, so now you're gonna lose 2,100 Life Points when Bazoo attacks!

"Bazoo, attack Big Shield Gardna!"

Bazoo blasted forth his breath weapon.

"Uh, uh, Drake," said Freed with a smile. "I activate my Trap… Ready For Intercepting!"

His facedown card lifted, showing an image of a dozen soldiers couched behind shields.

"This Trap flips one Warrior into facedown Defense Mode as he's about to be attacked!" explained Freed.

Gardna vanished, and was replaced by a facedown card…

And then, Bazoo's breath slammed against his shield again! Bazoo howled and was thrown backwards.

Drake's Life Points fell to 8,700.

"I told you that the best defense is a good offense," said Freed, "but sometimes the reverse is true."

Drake sighed.

"It's your move," he said.

Freed made a draw.

"I'll place another card facedown, and summon Axe Raider in Attack Mode," he stated.

He set a card, and another facedown card materialized.

Then he played a card, and a fierce-looking fighter carrying a battle axe appeared. (1,700/1,150)

"And I'll end my turn by moving Gardna back into Defense Mode," he stated, turning the card.

Big Shield Gardna crouched back behind his shield.

Drake drew and looked at his cards.

_I've got nothing to remove from play, and nothing that can defeat Axe Raider,_ he thought. _Best defend for now…_

"I'll move Bazoo and Gustaph to Defense Mode…" he sighed, turning his cards.

Bazoo shielded himself with his arms, and Gustaph turned his motorcycle sideways.

Freed made a draw.

"Axe Raider," he commanded, "attack Bazoo the Soul Eater with battle axe crush!"

Axe Raider charged forward and smote the Beast, splitting it down the middle! The remains shattered.

"Your move…" said the General.

_Boy, that was a smart move,_ thought Drake, drawing. _He realized that if had destroyed Gustaph first, I could have powered up Bazoo!_

_I have to stall until I draw one of my secret weapons…_

"I'll pass this turn…" he said.

Freed drew a card.

"Axe Raider," he commanded, "attack Chaosrider Gustaph!"

Axe Raider smote the biker with his weapon; Gustaph shattered, and then his bike followed.

"Make your move," chuckled Freed. "And try to put some effort into it!"

Drake drew…

He smirked…

He put the card down.

"I summon…"

A huge flame erupted on his side…

"**GREN MAJU DA EIZA!** he shouted.

The huge chaos Fiend appeared, and roared! Flames danced around its armored exoskeleton!

"Well, _that's_ a surprise…" sighed Freed, sarcastically.

He held his forehead.

"Not again…"

"Not again?" asked Drake. "What do you mean?"

"My troops and I have a… history with that Monster," answered Freed. "I'll tell you later…"

"Yeah?" grinned Drake. "Well you probably know that his Attack and Defense are 400 for every card of mine that has been removed from play, and so far, there have been ten!"

(4,000/4,000)

"Maju," he commanded, "attack Axe Raider with chaos flames!"

Gren Maju Da Eiza roared, and breathed forth a blast of fire at Axe Raider…

But when the smoke cleared, the Warrior was still there!

"WHAT?" gasped Drake.

Freed chuckled…

And Drake noticed that he had activated a Trap. It showed the image of a man in a noble's outfit emerging from the gates of a palace.

"Class System?" asked Drake. "What's that?"

"Since Gren Maju Da Eiza doesn't have more level stars than Axe Raider, this Trap negated its Attack!" answered Freed.

Drake sighed again.

"Then it's your move…" he said.

Freed drew.

"I'll place another card facedown," he said, "and move Axe Raider into Defense Mode."

He played a new card, and it materialized. Then Axe Raider knelt in Defense.

Drake drew.

_All right!_ he thought. _Another D.D. Survivor! Now I can take out both his Monsters!_

"I summon…" he started.

"Hold on!" ordered Freed. "I activate my Trap!"

His Trap Card lifted.

"Rivalry of Warlords!"

"Rivalry of Warlords?" asked Drake. "What does that do?"

"I'll explain," chuckled the General. "So long as this Continuous Trap is in play, each duelist is forbidden from summoning a Monster of a type other than the Type he already has on the field.

"It doesn't truly hinder me, because there isn't a single Monster in my deck that isn't a Warrior. But for you, thanks to Gren Maju, you can't summon any Monsters right now that aren't Fiends!"

Drake looked at his hand.

He chose another card.

"They say when life throws you a lemon, make lemonade," he said. "I say that when life throws you a lemon, throw back a few lemons of your own!"

He played a Magic Card.

"I play Double Attack! Now my chaos fiend can attack twice, so long as I discard a Monster with more stars than it has! And since it has three stars, I'll just discard my four-star D.D. Survivor!"

He discarded the card.

"Maju, attack his Axe Raider AND his Big Shield Gardna!"

Gren Maju Da Eiza blasted forth two bursts of flame, and the two Warriors were incinerated.

"No Monsters left, General," said Drake.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Are you sure you want this guy leading your army?" asked Grodus.

"Don't sell General Freed short," answered the Queen. "He's been keeping his best Monsters in reserve. He has several ways to take down Gren Maju…

"After all, he has before…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"My draw…" stated Freed.

He drew.

"And I couldn't have asked for better," he said. "I'm using my Deckmaster ability again…"

His Life Points fell to 5,900, and a card slipped out of his deck.

"…and now I'll summon… Gearfried the Iron Knight!"

He placed a card down, and the powerful Warrior clad in black, iron armor appeared. (1,800/1,600)

"You think he scares me?" asked Drake. "One blow from Maju and it will be Knightfall!"

He chuckled.

"Knightfall, that was a good one… I should write that down…"

Freed didn't change his serious expression.

"Every Monster has a story behind him," he said. "Have you ever heard the legend of Gearfried the Iron Knight?"

Drake looked at him.

"Uhm, no…" he answered.

"It's quite a tale," started Freed. "You see, long ago, Gearfried was a barbarian king whose strength had no equal. Whenever he picked up a weapon, the earth would shake and mountains would crumble. He could take on entire armies single-handedly and win.

"Eventually, Gearfried realized that he was simply too strong, and that innocents would suffer because of his power. So, he forged himself a suit of irremovable iron armor that would greatly limit his strength. And from that point on, people called him Gearfried the Iron Knight.

"But Gearfried knew that someday, his true power might be needed again. So he left behind a spell that would free him from his limitations…

"And I'm going to use that spell now…"

He played a Magic Card.

"Gearfried, I set you free!" shouted General Freed. "I play… Release Restraint!"

Gearfried leapt into the air… The armor on him started to crack…

And then it shattered in burst of light!

A new Warrior had taken his place. It was a handsome, muscular barbarian, bare-chested with wild black hair and glowing eyes. (2,600/2,200)

"Gearfried the Iron Knight has become Gearfried the Swordmaster," explained Freed.

"So?" asked Drake. "He still can't beat Maju…"

"Yes he can," chuckled Freed, playing another card, "because I'm Equipping him with Fusion Sword Murasame Blade."

A huge sword appeared in Gearfried's hand, and his Attack Score went up to 3,400.

"When Gearfried the Swordmaster is Equipped with a weapon, he can destroy one Monster on the field," said Freed.

Gearfried shot a beam of energy from his blade, striking Gren Maju Da Eiza! The Fiend howled, and was disintegrated!

"Now, Gearfried, attack directly!" shouted Freed.

Drake gulped as the powerful Warrior leapt forward and slashed at him with his blade! He screamed and fell backwards.

His Life Points fell to 5,300.

Drake slowly crawled to his feet.

_That hurt…_ he thought. _Guess there was some truth in that legend…_

He drew a card…

"Uhm…" he muttered.

"I summon… D.D. Trainer… In Defense Mode…" he said, placing a card down.

A tiny goblin riding a weird creature appeared, bracing itself. (100/2,000)

_Not much of a Monster…_ he thought, _but it was the best I could do…_

The General drew a card.

"I summon Blindly Loyal Goblin in Attack Mode," he announced, placing a card down.

A short, squat goblin with a bald head dressed in ragged trousers and holding a short sword appeared. (1,800/1,500)

"Gearfried, destroy the Trainer!" ordered the General.

With one swipe of his sword, Gearfried the Swordmaster cleaved D.D. Trainer in half.

"Blindly Loyal Goblin, attack directly with goblin blade!"

The goblin leapt forward and stabbed Drake in the stomach with his sword. He moaned and fell to his knees.

His Life Points fell to 3,500.

He started to sweat…

He got up and drew a card.

_Yes!_ he thought.

"I summon my _second_ Gren Maju Da Eiza!" he exclaimed.

He put a card down, and the huge Fiend reappeared in an inferno again! (4,000/4,000)

"Maju…" yelled Drake, "attack Gearfried the Swordmaster!"

Gren Maju Da Eiza erupted in flames, and shot forth a fiery stream, incinerating the barbarian!

Freed the Matchless General cringed as his Life Points fell to 5,300.

He stared at Drake.

"I'll admit I was wrong…" he said. "You are a pretty good duelist… In fact, you're soldier material…

"But I will try my best to win…

"My draw…"

He drew a card.

He fit a Magic Card into a slot.

"I play… Bronze Knights…"

The Magic Card appeared, showing the image of a medieval knight.

"And now I'll discard two cards from my hand, to summon two Bronze Knight tokens…"

He made the two discards, and two knights in shining armor carrying swords appeared. (500/500 x2)

"And now," continued Freed, "I'll sacrifice them, and Blindly Loyal Goblin…"

The three Warriors vanished… The sky darkened and lightning flashed…

Freed placed a card on his Disk.

"To summon the most powerful Warrior in my deck, the mighty **_Gilford the Lightning!_**"

A tall, powerful looking warrior clad in fancy, golden-orange armor with a powerful looking sword on his back appeared. (2,800/1,400)

Drake couldn't believe it. This guy was that strange Warrior he saw standing in the shadows that he couldn't identify…

He remembered hearing about Gilford the Lightning somewhere… But from where?

"Gilford…" ordered Freed, "show Drake your incredible power…"

Gilford slowly drew his sword…

Lightning stuck, and Gren Maju Da Eiza was obliterated!

"So long as I sacrifice three Monsters to summon him," explained Freed, "he can destroy all opposing Monsters.

"Gilford, attack directly!"

Drake screamed again, as Gilford slashed at him with his sword, knocking him over.

His Life Points fell to 700.

"Now, I'll play a card facedown, and end my turn…" stated Freed.

Drake slowly drew.

"I'm activating my Trap!" exclaimed Freed, as the card he just set lifted. "Minor Goblin Official!"

"Huh?" asked Drake.

"This Trap can only be activated when my opponent's Life Points are at 3,000 or less. Starting on your next turn, you'll lose 500 Life Points during each of your Standby Phases."

Drake gulped.

He looked at his card.

"I play… Dark Core!" he shouted, playing a card.

He discarded one card.

A black hole opened onto the field, and Gilford the Lightning was sucked through it.

"That removes Gilford from play," chuckled Drake, "and since my Soul Absorption card is still in effect, I gain 500 Life Points…"

His Life Points went up to 1,200.

"But I'm going to take a risk, and spend them again, to use my Deckmaster ability, to summon Gilford to my side of the field!"

His Life Points fell to 700 again, and D.D. Warrior Lady glowed. A portal opened, and Gilford the Lightning emerged on Drake's side.

"Uh oh…" muttered Freed.

"Now let's see how you like it," said Drake. "Gilford, attack directly!"

Gilford charged and swung his sword, slashing across the General's armor! Freed staggered back, and his Life Points fell to 2,500.

"And that's my turn…" muttered Drake.

Freed glared at him.

He drew a card.

He frowned…

"I place a Monster in Defense Mode, and that will be all…" he stated.

He placed a card down, and a facedown Monster appeared.

Drake paused.

_I'd better make a good draw,_ he thought. _Because one way or another, it's gonna be my last!_

He drew.

His Life Points fell to 200.

He looked at the card.

"I summon…" he started.

"Remember my Rivalry of Warlords card?" interrupted Freed. "With Gilford on your side, you can't summon anything except Warriors."

"I know that…" answered Kyle, placing a card down. "Fortunately, this gal is as much a Warrior as he is!"

D.D. Assailant appeared next to Gilford, holding aloft her huge cleaver. (1,700/1,600)

"And now…" he continued, "I'll summon my Deckmaster to the field!"

D.D. Warrior Lady stepped out and stood beside the other two Warriors. (1,500/1,600)

"Gilford, take out his facedown Monster!" he shouted.

Gilford charged forward…

Warrior Dai Grepher appeared on the card… He was blasted into pixels!

"D.D. Assailant, attack directly with dimensional slice!"

The Assailant swung with her cleaver and Freed staggered backwards.

"D.D. Warrior Lady, finish this!"

His Deckmaster slashed at the General with her sword, and he toppled over.

His Life Points were depleted.

"Looks like you've met your match!" said Drake with a grin.

"Indeed…" muttered the General.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

A few minutes later, Freed and Drake were at the main table again, while all the Warrior Monsters had taken on corporeal forms again.

Drake couldn't help but feel a little guilty… The ones that he had sent to the Graveyard all looked pretty exhausted, and none was more so than Gilford, who seemed to be nursing a bad migraine. Command Knight poured something that looked like brandy into a cup and gave it to him.

"Suck it up, big guy," she said in a comforting voice. "You're far from the first Monster to be brainwashed."

"Yeah?" he grumbled, angrily. "Well try being pulled into a black hole and then pulled back out and then brainwashed all within the space of one round. My head is pounding like a jackhammer…"

"Well Drake…" muttered Freed, "I'm convinced… Merlee isn't the type to use Chaos, and he certainly isn't the type to use a foe's own Monsters against him."

"I am curious," asked Drake. "What was that thing you were saying about having a history with Gren Maju Da Eiza?"

The General rubbed his chin.

"Funny you should ask," he stated. "I've led forays into many different locals, even the Different Dimension. And on one trip there, we ran afoul of that creature… Through a great amount of luck, we were able to defeat it, but that only drew the attention of its master…"

"Master?" asked Drake. "I didn't know he served anyone…"

"He does," replied Freed, "but he only appears when the beast is vanquished. He was fortunately not angry – he was even impressed. He told us we could use these if we ever needed them…"

He showed Drake a Magic Card and a Monster Card.

"…but we have no way of using them, because we lack the right components. I guess the guy was a little eccentric."

He placed them on the table.

"Still," he continued, "_you_ have the right components, so why don't you take them… they'll just gather dust if I keep them."

Drake looked at the cards…

"Not bad…" he stated.

"Well, you'd best be on your way," said Freed.

He waved his arm, and a door appeared.

"That door will take you back to the Palace proper," he stated.

"Well, see you," said Drake, waving.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The Queen walked to her fireplace.

Images of Wanda, Raven, Chico, Kyle, and Drake appeared around her, all of them wandering through the Palace.

"Ah, my unwitting servants," she stated. "Oblivious to what bleak destiny awaits on the road ahead…

"Stan, Francesca, and Andy will fall, and you'll be my weapons…

"So we'd best start the training…"

She took cards from a deck, and threw ten Monster Cards into the flames! They burned fiercely!

Ten ghostly wisps shot out, screaming!

"Go, my duelist warriors!" she shouted. "Do what you must to keep them occupied for now…

"For if my true victims make it to the core of the Palace, we wouldn't want them to be slacking…"

**0**

**0**

**0**

**CLASS SYSTEM (Trap Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Trap  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description:** Image of a nobleman coming out of a splendid palace. You can activate this card when your opponent's Monster attacks one of your face-up Monsters. If the attacking Monster does not have more level stars than the target, negate the attack.

_Note: "Class System" was used by Marik in the multi-part anime episode "The Final Face-Off". All creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0**

**0**

**0**

**BRONZE KNIGHTS (Magic Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Magic/Quickplay  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description:** Image of a knight in shining armor. Discard any number of cards from your hand. Special Summon one "Bronze Knight Token" for each card you discarded in Attack Mode. (Warrior/Earth/1 star/500/500).

_Note: "Bronze Knights" was first used by Gurimo (yes, that was the guy's name) in the anime episode "A New Evil (Part Two)". All creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0**

**0**

**0**

**"Freed the Matchless General"**: Warrior/Earth, Level 5, (2,300/1,700)

Deckmaster SA: "Gathering of Troops": Pay 500 Life Points. Search your deck for one WARRIOR-Type Monster of four stars or less. This effect can be used once per turn, during your main phase.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**"D.D. Warrior Lady": **Warrior/Light, Level 4, (1,500/1,600)

Deckmaster SA: "Return Trip": Pay 500 Life Points. Special Summon one of your opponent's Monsters that has been removed from play to your side of the field in face-up Attack Position.

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**Everyone remember that strange servant of the Queen who even the Shadow Spawn are afraid of?**_

_**This evil creature lurks in the darkest depths of the Palace of Shadow, ready to strike…**_

_**And next episode, he/she/it will strike indeed!**_

_**I won't say much about what's coming up next… but I will tell you one thing…**_

_**Next chapter, the first Shadow Game of the fic occurs…**_

_**Be here!**_


	49. Shadows of the Past

_**I've dueled several skilled duelists…**_

_**I've dueled The Unfriendly Amazon (twice)…**_

_**I've dueled two members of the Shadow Spawn…**_

_**I've dueled some nut who looked like a kid in a ghost costume…**_

_**And now…**_

_**I'm facing the biggest, scariest, most horrible opponent I have ever seen.**_

_**I didn't think it was possible, but this guy is actually scarier than the Monsters he has in his deck…**_

_**And I had a feeling when I drew my first card…**_

…_**that the rules have changed in a very big way…**_

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER FORTY-NINE**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Shadows of the Past**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

Down, down, down…

Down…

Stan, Andy, and Francesca walked down the sloping cavern, down a long tunnel. The light was dim, and fear started to creep into their bones…

"Does this tunnel ever end?" asked Andy.

"I don't…" started Stan.

Then they almost ran into a large door.

They looked at it… It had the image of a frightening dragon's face on it.

"Haven't we seen a door like this somewhere before?" asked Francesca.

The door slowly opened…

They slowly ventured in…

They wished they hadn't. There was no light at all in the room. It was pitch black.

Fear turned to panic when the door slammed shut, trapping them in utter darkness!

"Nobody… move…" cautioned Stan. "There may be dangerous things in here that we can't see…"

"Yes…" said a sinister voice. "You cannot see me… But I can certainly… See you!"

At that, a set of huge, sinister, glowing eyes opened in front of them!

The three of them screamed!

Bonfires erupted around the room, and they saw the whole creature…

Again, they wished they still couldn't…

It was a hundred and fifty feet long, covered with green scales, with a hideous reptilian head, sharp claws, and huge wings on its back! The only article of clothing it wore was an amulet with a blood-red stone.

The huge dragon glared at them and chuckled.

"Welcome humans," he stated, "to the end of your life!"

He grinned a toothy grin…

"This will be a treat…" he chuckled. "My first snack of flesh in years…"

They backed up against the wall.

"Who… are you?" gulped Francesca.

The dragon got closer.

"I am Gloomtail," he announced, "and you…"

He paused.

He closed in on Francesca and started to sniff. Francesca tried hard not to scream…

"YOU!" hollered Gloomtail.

"What?" squeaked Francesca in terror.

"I know that scent!" snarled Gloomtail in anger. "You were the one who slew my sister Hooktail!"

"Huh?" muttered Francesca. "Wait… that wasn't…"

"Don't lie to me, Warrior Queen!" shouted Gloomtail in rage. "Changing out of your raiment doesn't fool me!"

"This guy's totally loco!" gasped Andy. "He doesn't even know how much time has passed since then…"

Gloomtail snarled. Steam poured from his nostrils…

"I would devour you right now, Warrior Queen," he warned, "but after my sister's death, that would be too good for you! You and I… we are going to duel…"

"Me? Duel you?" stuttered Francesca.

She paused.

"Uhm, if I win, will you let us go unharmed?" she asked.

"Very well," answered Gloomtail, "but your chances of winning are nearly nonexistent!"

"How's Fran supposed to duel an opponent who's the size of a house?" gasped Stan.

"Very, _very_ carefully," muttered Andy.

Gloomtail pulled himself up to a sitting position.

He waved his claw, and a large card appeared in front of him.

"Now, meet my Deckmaster," he stated. "A powerful sorcerer called… Lord of Dragons!"

The card spun around, and the draconic Spellcaster appeared. He flew up and perched on Gloomtail's shoulder.

_Lord of Dragons,_ thought Andy.

He leafed through his own deck, and found his own Lord or Dragons card.

_I hope Fran beats this creature,_ he thought, _but I have to admit, I'm curious as to what his Deckmaster ability is…_

"Yeah?" answered Fran. "Well meet my friend Amazoness Paladin!"

She held up the card, and Amazoness Paladin appeared behind her.

Gloomtail chuckled.

"She won't help you now," he gloated. "After all, Warrior Queen, why do you think they call me GLOOMtail?"

The gem on his amulet glowed with a spooky light…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

In Boggly Woods, Merlee was wandering through the underbrush…

And then, a sensation came to him…

"NO!" he shouted. "That wicked worm Gloomtail has started a Shadow Game, and Francesca is caught in it!

"It's too soon… I haven't had a chance to warn them yet! I have to stop this!"

He started to run…

But then he stopped.

"Who am I kidding?" he gasped. "Once a Shadow Game starts, it doesn't end until a winner is decided…"

He got on his knees and started to pray…

He looked at the sun – most folks' eyes would hurt if they did that, but Merlee did it all the time…

"Oh, great and powerful Re-Horakhty," he prayed. "God of Kings and Lord of the Sun, I beg you, please protect this young girl from the horrors that await her…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Say, Andy?" said Stan, getting scared. "I know this place was dark to begin with… But did it just get darker?"

The score on Fran's Disk set to 8,000… and the number 8,000 appeared above Gloomtail in fiery digits.

He gestured, and six flames appeared in front of him, which formed into the images of six cards.

_My sister will soon be avenged,_ he thought. _Once you are defeated, your soul will wander the darkness of the Shadow Realm forever!_

He glared at Francesca, and his eyes glowed.

"I'll start things off slowly…" he stated.

A Monster Card revealed itself.

"I will summon The Dragon Dwelling in the Cave in Defense Mode…"

The card vanished, and the defensive Monster that Andy so often used appeared. (1,300/2,000)

"Now make your move, Warrior Queen," he dared.

"Between the two of us," said Francesca, drawing, "you can call me Francesca."

"Really?" answered Gloomtail. "How odd. You never told anyone your true name before…"

Francesca sighed as she made a draw. Convincing him of the truth would likely be futile. She looked at her cards.

"Francesca," said a comforting voice behind her.

She turned to see that it was Amazoness Paladin.

"Francesca, don't be scared," she said, trying to comfort. "I can help you in ways your other Monsters can't in this duel, because I lie closer to your soul than any of them."

"What do you mean?" asked Francesca.

"There's little time to explain," answered Paladin. "But if you discard one card, I can keep an Amazon from being destroyed in battle.

"But I can only do so once a turn, and not two turns in a row. And it won't keep you from taking battle damage. Use it wisely…"

Fran took a card from her hand.

"I summon Amazoness Chain Master in Attack Mode!" she shouted.

She put the card down, and Chain Master appeared. (1,500/1,300)

"And that will do it for me…"

Gloomtail chuckled an evil chuckle.

He gestured, and a new card appeared in a flame.

A Magic Card revealed itself.

"I activate Tribute to the Doomed!" he laughed. "Now I'll discard this…"

Another card was burned up.

"…and I'll send your Chain Master straight to the Graveyard!"

A swarm of linens burst out of the ground! Chain Master screamed as they grabbed her…

They quickly wrapped her up, and then a huge hand grabbed her, dragging her into the afterlife.

Gloomtail chuckled. Another card was revealed.

"Next I will summon a creature called The Wicked Worm Beast…" he continued.

A truly disgusting creature appeared. It was a mass of snaky worms walking on clawed legs. (1,400/700)

"And now," laughed Gloomtail, "I'll use my Deckmaster ability!"

Lord of Dragons started to glow…

"I only need to spend 500 Life Points…" chuckled Gloomtail.

His Life Points fell to 7,500.

"…and in exchange, I'm allowed an extra summon this turn, so long as I'm summoning a Dragon!

"So I'll sacrifice both my servants…"

The Dragon Dwelling in the Cave and The Wicked Worm Beast vanished…

Francesca watched in fear…

"And I'll summon Serpent Night Dragon!" shouted Gloomtail.

A hideous, snake-like Dragon, with scales as black as midnight, appeared in front of him. (2,350/2,400)

"And now…" laughed Gloomtail, "since you have nothing to protect you… Serpent Night Dragon, attack directly with sonic nightmare blast!"

Serpent Night Dragon let loose a wave of earsplitting sound…

Francesca screamed…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Merlee felt a pain in his chest as the direct attack hit.

_Curse you, Merlee, you idiot,_ he scolded himself. _You should have warned them about this sooner!_

_Francesca has no idea of the stakes she's dueling for right now! She might think that Gloomtail is a hideous monster, but what he has in store for her is more hideous than she could ever imagine!_

_All I can do, is pray that her own skill as a duelist is enough without my help…_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Francesca fell to her knees…

Her Life Points fell down to 5,650…

"Fran! Are you all right!" shouted Andy.

Francesca shook in pain, with tears flowing down her cheeks…

She thought back to what had been the worst direct attack she had ever received until now. It had been last year, from a Perfect Machine King Equipped with a Megamorph. She had endued a 5,600-point hit in the form of a barrage of exploding missiles straight to her torso…

In a duel, there was no way to avoid a direct attack. No way to dodge or run and hide. You had no choice but to take it. So she had.

This Dragon wasn't half as strong as that Machine had been…

So why did it hurt three times as much as she had remembered that attack from the Perfect Machine King?

As she started to slowly pull herself to her feet, she looked at the Serpent Night Dragon…

And she started to wonder…

Was this truly a hologram in front of her?

She drew a card.

_Well, maybe it is, and maybe it isn't_, she thought. _But this is still a duel, and I can take it down!_

"All right Gloomtail," she shouted, "I'll summon Amazoness Swords Woman in Attack Mode!"

She threw a card down, and the sword-wielding Amazon appeared. (1,500/1,600)

"And also, two cards facedown," she stated.

She fit two cards into slots, and they appeared behind Swords Woman.

"And that's my turn."

"So be it…" answered Gloomtail.

Another of his cards appeared.

"Serpent Night Dragon, attack her Swords Woman!"

Serpent Night Dragon roared…

"Not so fast, pal!" shouted Francesca. "I had a Trap waiting!"

One of her facedown cards lifted.

"The Regulation of Tribe! Now, one Monster Type that I choose can't attack! And I choose Dragons!"

A mass of chains sprouted from the ground, and bound Serpent Night Dragon! It roared!

"I also activate… Scapegoat!" she shouted.

Her other facedown activated, and the four sheep tokens leapt out.

"What do you think?" she said with a grin.

Gloomtail chuckled.

"Amusing…" he mused. "Don't you know that dragons eat sheep when humans aren't available?"

"Well, it's my draw!" shouted Francesca.

She looked at the card.

"I'll sacrifice one Scapegoat to keep my Trap for now…"

One token vanished.

"And I play Card of Sanctity! Now we must both draw until we hold six cards!"

She made three draws. Three flames appeared in front of Gloomtail, and they formed into cards.

Gloomtail seemed to give a slight grin…

"Uh oh…" muttered Andy. "I think he may have gotten a good draw…"

"Next," said Francesca, "I'll play Premature Burial!"

Her Life Points fell to 4,850, and Chain Master burst out of the ground. (1,500/1,300)

"Next," stated Francesca, playing another card, "I'll play Gift of the Martyr! I'll sacrifice Chain Master to increase Swords Woman's Attack by hers for one round!"

Chain Master faded away, and Swords Woman's Attack rose to 3,000.

"Swords Woman," shouted Francesca, _"Slay his Dragon!"_

Swords Woman leapt up, and cleaved Serpent Knight Dragon in two! The pieces shattered!

Gloomtail's Life Points fell to 6,750.

"Not bad," chuckled Gloomtail, "but this duel is far from over…"

He gestured, and another card appeared.

"I'll destroy your Trap with Mystical Space Typhoon!" he shouted.

A card revealed itself, and the cyclone blew across the field, shattering The Regulation of Tribe.

"Next," he stated, "I summon Horus the Black Flame Dragon LV 4…"

The card revealed itself, and a new Dragon appeared. It was the size of Amazoness Swords Woman, and was birdlike, seemingly made of golden metal. (1,600/1,000)

"I could attack with that," stated Gloomtail, "but instead, I play a Magic Card called Level Up!"

Another card revealed itself.

"What does that do?" asked Fran.

"When Level Up! is used on any leveled Monster, it immediately evolves into its next stage," answered Gloomtail. "Thus, it will transform my beast into Horus the Black Flame Dragon LV 6!"

Horus started to grow, and within second, became twice the size of the Amazon, and much fiercer. (2,300/1,600)

"Now, Horus…" commanded Gloomtail, "attack one of her Scapegoats with black flame blast!"

Horus shot forth a volley of dark fire from its beak, incinerating one of the tokens.

"And now I'm ending my turn," chuckled Gloomtail, "and when I end my turn on a round when this creature destroys a Monster, it evolves further, transforming into Horus the Black Flame Dragon LV 8!"

Horus started to grow at an alarming rate, becoming almost as big as Gloomtail! It let out a furious screech! (3,000/1,800)

"Stan, do you know about this creature?" asked Andy.

"I've heard of leveled Monsters before," muttered Stan. "Horus is supposedly one of the strongest… And just look at it! It's as strong as Kaiba's Blue Eyes White Dragon!"

"My move…" growled Fran.

She made a draw.

"Eh, I'll pass this turn…" she stated.

Gloomtail gestured, and another card appeared.

"I will summon Lizard Soldier in Attack Mode…" he hissed.

A card revealed itself, and a humanoid Dragon wearing armor and carrying a stone axe and a large shield appeared. (1,100/800)

"And now I'll activate my Deckmaster ability," he chuckled, "to summon another one!"

His Life Points fell to 6,250, and another Lizard Soldier appeared.

"Lizard Soldiers, destroy her tokens with slash swipe!"

The two dragon-men leapt forward and made short work out of the two Scapegoats.

"Horus!" he commanded, "attack her Amazoness Swords Woman! Destroy her! Dark fire giga!"

Dark flames appeared in Horus's jaws…

"Not so fast, big guy!" shouted Fran.

She discarded a card.

"I'm activating my own Deckmaster ability!"

Horus's flames shot forward… Amazoness Swords Woman screamed and then fell to her knees… But she survived.

"Paladin can save one of my Amazons from dying in battle," chuckled Francesca, as Swords Woman slowly got up. "Now normally, I would still take battle damage, but due to Swords Woman's effect, I don't take it – _you_ do!"

Gloomtail's Life Points fell to 4,750.

"It seems you are as tenacious as ever," growled Gloomtail. "Very well, I end my turn…"

Francesca drew.

_All right!_ she thought.

"Time to say bye-bye to Horus!" she laughed.

Gloomtail growled.

Francesca showed him a card.

"I just drew Amazoness Spellcaster!" she laughed. "This Magic Card lets me swap the Attack Score of my Amazon with that of one of your Monsters!"

She played the card.

"And so…" she started, as the card appeared.

"Horus…" growled Gloomtail.

Horus pointed his claw…

And the Amazoness Spellcaster card burst into flames!

"WHAT?" shouted Francesca. "You destroyed it?"

Gloomtail laughed out loud! His laughter shook the chamber!

"Your Magic Cards can't help you now!" he laughed. "With Horus on the field, a Magic Card only works if I want it to! If I don't, I can negate and destroy it!

"You'll never defeat him…"

"I stand corrected…" muttered Stan. "It's even _stronger_ than Kaiba's Blue Eyes…"

"And Fran can't play any Magic Cards?" gasped Andy. "Talk about not playing with a full deck!"

Sweat fell down Fran's face.

"Swords Woman, attack one of his Lizard Soldiers!" she shouted.

Swords Woman charged, and with one swipe of her blade, the Lizard Soldier was cut down.

Gloomtail's Life Points fell to 4,350, but he grinned.

"I'll end my turn by summoning Amazoness Fighter in Defense Mode," she stated, placing a card down.

Fighter appeared, and she knelt. (1,500/1,300)

"My draw…" growled Gloomtail.

Another card appeared.

"Horus," he commanded, "dark fire giga!"

Horus blasted forth his dark flame! Amazoness Swords Woman screamed and was burned to ashes!

"Forget?" sneered Francesca. "That damage goes back to you!"

"Heh, heh, heh, heh…" chuckled Gloomtail.

A Quickplay Magic Card with a frightening picture on it spun around.

"I play Spell of Pain!" he laughed. "This card can be activated when I would lose Life Points for _any_ reason, and transfers that loss to my opponent!"

Francesca screamed as dark fire erupted around her!

She fell to her knees, and her Life Points fell to 3,350.

"I'll place a card facedown, and that will end my turn," growled Gloomtail.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

At the moment, Merlee, was rushing towards the Palace of Shadow.

He paused.

_Francesca just took another hit, _he thought,_ and that beast is ahead…_

_And Gloomtail has the advantage… his best Monster is on the field._

He reached down into his shirt and took out a small pendant.

It looked just like the ones that Stan, Andy and Francesca wore, but the stars were silver, and a fourth star, colored gold, was situated in the center of them.

_There is a card in Francesca's deck that she can use to defeat Horus,_ he thought. _She simply has to draw it…_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"What are you waiting for?" growled Gloomtail.

"To be honest," gulped Francesca, "a miracle…"

She drew.

_Pot of Greed? _she thought in disgust. _That's no good…_

"I activate Solemn Wishes!" laughed Gloomtail, as his facedown card lifted. "That means…"

"I know what it means!" interrupted Fran.

She added Pot of Greed to her hand and took another one.

"I'll summon Warrior Dai Grepher in Defense Mode and end my turn…"

She placed a card down, and the armored Warrior appeared, kneeling on his sword. (1,700/1,600)

Gloomtail drew, and a golden shower rained down upon him, raising his Life Points to 4,850.

"Your efforts are pathetic," he chuckled. "Almost as pathetic as I find your Monsters! Horus, destroy her Fighter! Dark fire giga!"

Horus exhaled his black flame, and Amazoness Fighter was burned up.

Francesca closed her eyes and drew…

She looked at the card.

_Gloomtail is pretty nasty,_ she thought. _But maybe he can be tricked…_

She fit two cards into a slot.

"I'll place two cards facedown," she stated, "and that will end my turn…"

A facedown card appeared.

Gloomtail chuckled and drew a card. His Life point went up to 5,350.

"Horus, destroy Warrior Dai Grepher!" he cackled.

Horus shot forth his flame, and Grepher was blown away.

Fran cringed.

"And now that you have nothing left," chuckled Gloomtail, "Lizard Soldier, attack directly!"

"Not so fast!" she shouted. "I activate Waboku!"

One of her Traps lifted, and the Lizard Soldier was stopped in his tracks.

"You're getting sloppy, Warrior Queen," mocked Francesca. "You could have saved your Warrior with that card…"

"Maybe I have a strategy that's too complex for you to comprehend," sneered Francesca.

She drew a card.

_Hope this works…_ she thought.

She chose another card from her hand.

"I play… Pot of Greed…" she stated, placing it in a slot.

The grinning pot appeared.

"Heh, heh," chuckled Gloomtail. "Have you learned nothing? Horus…"

Horus waved his hand… The Pot of Greed's jovial expression turned to one of fear…

"I don't think so, Gloomtail!" shouted Fran. "I activate… Divine Wrath!"

Her Trap Card flipped up, and she discarded a card…

Horus froze, and thunder rolled overhead.

"What?" said Gloomtail, puzzled.

Horus screamed as it was stuck by lightning! It shattered into pixels!

"MY DRAGON!" screamed Gloomtail. "It's… destroyed…"

"Your Dragon's effect was its downfall, Gloomtail," grinned Francesca. "Divine Wrath activates when a Monster tries to use its effect. Since you ordered Horus to negate my Pot of Greed, my Trap Card negated his effect, and destroyed Horus!"

For the first time all duel, a trace of fear appeared in Gloomtail's eyes.

"Since Horus's effect was never enacted," continued Francesca, "Pot of Greed's effect still goes through, letting me draw two cards."

The Pot of Greed now grinned even wider. The spectral arm reached out, and pulled two cards off of Fran's deck. It handed them to her and then vanished.

"And now that Horus is in the Graveyard, I can play all the Magic Cards I want!" chuckled Francesca. "So I'll play… Art Attack!"

She played the card, and it appeared.

"Next, I'll summon Getsu Fuhma in Attack Mode!"

She placed a card down, and Getsu appeared. (1,700/1,200)

"Attack the last Lizard Soldier!" she shouted.

Getsu Fuhma made a swipe with her sword, and the Lizard Soldier was blown to pixels!

Gloomtail's Life Points fell to 4,750.

"All right!" shouted Andy. "Horus is history!"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Merlee walked up to the Thousand Year Door.

He paused.

_Francesca has just gained an advantage,_ he thought.

He paused again.

_I only hope it will be enough…_

He concentrated…

He mentally scanned the area, trying to detect the Shadow Queen's evil magic.

When he was sure the coast was clear, he walked forward…

…through the door…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Gloomtail drew a card, and his Life Points went up to 5,250.

"Lesser Dragon in Defense Mode," he hissed.

A small, scaly dragon with no wings appeared. (1,200/1,000)

"Who's using pathetic Monsters now?" chuckled Francesca.

She made a draw.

_A Trap Card,_ she thought.

"I'll place a card facedown," she said, setting the card.

A facedown card appeared.

"And then I'll attack with Getsu Fuhma!" she yelled.

Getsu made a swipe with sword, and cleaved Lesser Dragon down the middle!

"Your Dragon just split!" she chuckled.

"Parting is such sweet sorrow…" hissed Gloomtail. "My draw…"

Another card appeared. His Life Points went up to 5,750.

"I activate a Trap!" yelled Francesca.

Her card lifted, showing a hand dropping a sword.

"Drop Off!" she laughed. "It sends the card you just drew straight to the Graveyard!"

Gloomtail's card shattered.

He growled in anger…

"I summon Armored Lizard in Defense Mode…" he hissed.

A card revealed itself, and a blue, humanoid lizard with sharp teeth appeared, crouching in Defense. (1,500/1,200)

"Gloomtail seems to be stalling for some reason," said Andy, nervously.

"Don't sweat it," assured Stan. "Only one more round, and Fran's Art Attack will kick in…"

Francesca drew.

"Getsu Fuhma, destroy his Armored Lizard!" she shouted. "Whirlwind slash!"

With one swipe of her sword, the Lizard shattered.

"That will end my turn, lizard lips," laughed Francesca, and next turn, you're history!"

"We'll see…" growled Gloomtail.

Another card appeared. His Life Points went up to 6,250.

"Heh, heh, heh, heh…" he chuckled.

"I couldn't have asked for better…" he chuckled. "Do you remember that card you sent to the Graveyard with Drop Off? It was a very powerful Monster that ordinarily needs two sacrifices to summon…

"But now I don't need a sacrifice to call it forth at all!"

The card he had just drawn spun around…

Monster Reborn.

A huge, shadowy shape began to appear…

"Now arise…" commanded Gloomtail. "Arise my mighty Tri-Horned Dragon!"

The great beast stood horribly revealed! It was a fierce Dragon, with wicked claws, spines, and three horns on its forehead! (2,850/2,350)

Getsu Fuhma took a step back in fear…

"I see…" muttered Francesca. "Well, I'm sorry Getsu Fuhma, but I can't stop him…"

"You misunderstand…" hissed Gloomtail. "I'm not going to have it attack her… I also have a Magic Card…"

Another of his cards revealed itself, showing the terrible image of a huge dragon blasting a castle to rubble.

"Wrath of the Great Wyrm," he chuckled. "To pay the cost of this card, I have to discard the top three cards from my deck and reveal them to you…"

Three cards – A Wingbeat of Giant Dragon, Burst Breath, and Luster Dragon #1 – appeared in front of him and then shattered.

"…but it is worth the price," continued Gloomtail, "for this card lets a Dragon of seven stars or higher bypass your Monsters and attack you directly!"

Francesca stopped short… Now she was the one who was scared.

_Time to bring this to a close…_ thought Gloomtail. _Once this hits, she'll be pleading for death!_

"Tri-Horned Dragon," shouted Gloomtail, "attack directly with death breath!"

Tri-Horned Dragon roared…

And then it breathed forth a blast of pure darkness from its maw! Getsu Fuhma was thrown out of the way, and It struck Francesca in the chest!

Maybe it hit too suddenly, but she didn't scream… She merely fell on her stomach as her Life Points tumbled to 500.

"And so ends the life of the Warrior Queen…" gloated Gloomtail.

"Francesca… No…" gasped Stan.

"Get up!" begged Andy. "This duel isn't over yet!"

"I beg to differ, human!" laughed Gloomtail. "She's finished."

"She still has Life Points left, pal!" growled Stan.

"It hardly matters," laughed Gloomtail. "As strong as she was, there was no way her body or her soul could have weathered a blow like… Huh?"

Francesca's hand moved…

She reached for her cards…

Slowly, she pushed herself up to her knees with her other hand…

_Impossible…_ thought Gloomtail.

Francesca slowly dragged herself to her feet…

"That all you've got… you… you…" she started.

She stared at Gloomtail.

"Sorry…" she said, catching herself. "I almost called you a monster, but I don't want to insult the more honest ones in the more respectable duelists' decks."

_She's insulting me?_ thought Gloomtail in horror_. She should be begging for mercy by now!_

"Is that your move, you abomination?" asked Fran.

"Move…" growled Gloomtail.

"Good, Francesca," said Amazoness Paladin. "Now let's teach this beast a lesson he won't soon forget!"

"My draw!" shouted Francesca, drawing. "And since three turns have expired since I played Art Attack, this duel is far from over!"

Four forms appeared on her side of the field…

First came another Amazoness Fighter (1,500/1,300). Then another Amazoness Swords Woman (1,500/1,600). Next, Amazoness Blowpiper (800/1,500). Finally, Amazoness Tiger (1,100/1,500) – (2,700/1,500).

"Heh, heh, heh," chuckled Gloomtail. "Nice try! But your Tiger falls 150 Attack Points too short!"

"I'm not done!" stated Francesca. "I still haven't made a Normal Summon for this turn…

"So, I'll sacrifice Fighter and Swords Woman…"

She switched cards on her Disk, and the two Amazons vanished…

"And I'll summon Guardian Angel Joan!"

The Tiger's Attack fell to 1,900, as a light struck down, piecing the darkness of the cavern. The gorgeous Fairy descended, radiating an aura of Light! (2,800/2,000)

"Very pretty!" scowled Gloomtail. "But Tri-Horned Dragon is still fifty points too strong for her!"

"I'm not half-done!" answered Francesca. "I play Recruitment Drive!"

She played the Magic Card, and it appeared.

"Since I have at least one true Amazon on the field," explained Francesca, "all female Monsters on my side of the field are now considered Amazons… that means both Joan AND Getsu Fuhma!"

Tiger's Attack went back up to 2,700.

"I don't see how that helps…" growled Gloomtail.

"Oh, it helps!" laughed Francesca. "Because since Joan is now an Amazon, I can Equip her with this…"

She played a card…

"The Girdle of Hippolyta!"

The golden belt appeared around Joan's waist, and her Attack rose to 3,600!

"And now she's strong enough…" stated Fran, "Guardian Angel Joan, attack Tri-Horned Dragon with searing light of Heaven!"

A light appeared in Joan's hands, and she cast forth her beams! Tri-Horned Dragon howled, and was eradicated!

"YES!" shouted Andy. "That ugly Dragon is demolished!"

"And Gloomtail doesn't seem to like it!" laughed Stan.

Gloomtail cringed as his Life Points fell to 5,500.

_Such power!_ he thought. _Holy power! It… it burns!_

"I've done more than just destroy your Monster and cost you 750 Life Points, pal," snarled Francesca. "Now, due to Joan's effect, that Dragon's Attack Points gets added to my Life Points!"

Her Life Points rose to 3,350.

"And I'm not done with you yet!" she shouted. "Amazoness Tiger, attack him directly with claws of the great cat!"

Tiger pounced, and raked her claws across Gloomtail's massive chest. He cringed and his Life Points fell to 2,800.

"Getsu Fuhma, attack!" she shouted.

Getsu Fuhma leapt up and made a slash with her sword. Gloomtail cringed as his Life Points fell to 1,100.

"And finally…" ordered Francesca, "Amazoness Blowpiper, GO!"

Blowpiper leapt up, and delivered a fierce kick to Gloomtail's jaw!

The great Dragon's Life Points fell to 300…

"That's my turn…" stated Francesca. "And by the way, so long as Tiger is on the field, you aren't allowed to Attack any Amazon except her!"

Gloomtail grunted, and drew…

"I'll take a boost from my Trap…" he hissed, as his Life Points rose to 800.

"And now I'll play my own Pot of Greed…"

The wicked jar appeared, and two flames flew out of it. The flames formed into cards.

"And since I'm drawing again, Solemn Wishes activates again."

His Life Points rose to 1,300.

"Ironic," chuckled Gloomtail. "Your Pot of Greed destroyed Horus, and mine will pave the way for its return…"

"What do you mean?" asked Francesca.

"First I'll place a card facedown…" stated Gloomtail.

A facedown card appeared.

"Then I'll play this," he stated. "Level Modulation!"

The card revealed itself, and a mass of dice spilled out.

"This card is so powerful, that to play it, I have to allow you to draw two cards, so pray that they're good ones…"

Two cards flew off of Francesca's deck.

"And now," laughed Gloomtail, "I'm allowed to revive any leveled Monster from my Graveyard, so you can guess who's coming back!"

Horus the Black Flame Dragon LV 8 arose! (3,000/1,800)

"I can't attack with it this turn, so you'd best make the most of your turn…" he warned.

Francesca drew.

"Don't worry Francesca!" shouted Andy. "Joan is still stronger."

"Not for long," chuckled Gloomtail. "Activate Dust Tornado!"

His Trap lifted, and the Tornado swept across the field, shattering the Recruitment Drive card!

"Now that your Angel is no longer an Amazon, she's no longer permitted to wear that Girdle!" laughed Gloomtail.

The Girdle shattered, and Joan's Attack went back down to 2,800.

"And your Tiger is weakened also!" chuckled Gloomtail.

Amazoness Tiger's Attack went down to 1,900.

"So now what, Warrior Queen?" asked Gloomtail. "Horus's power to negate Magic Cards is once again in effect, and I doubt you have a Trap that can destroy it this time…"

"I don't need Magic Cards to destroy it, Gloomtail," said Francesca, quietly. "All I need to win this duel is already on the field…

"Amazoness Blowpiper, your target is Horus!"

Blowpiper loaded a dart into her blowpipe and put it to her lips…

"What?" asked Gloomtail.

"Blowpiper's poison darts can reduce an opposing Monster's Attack Score by 500 for one round…" stated Francesca.

Blowpiper shot her dart, striking Horus in the neck! It howled, and its Attack fell to 2,500.

"Joan, attack!" shouted Francesca. "Destroy that thing!"

Joan blasted forth her searing light, and Horus the Black Flame Dragon was blown into gibbets!

"No!" gasped Gloomtail. "I can't lose… I never lose!"

"There's always a first time for everything!" snarled Francesca. "Getsu Fuhma, you do the honors!"

Getsu Fuhma leapt up, and slashed her sword across Gloomtail's chest!

As Gloomtail's Life Points hit zero, he howled a scream that could best be described as something out of Hell itself…

And his immense form crashed to the floor of his chamber…

Francesca stared for a few seconds…

And then she fainted.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The Shadow Queen was watching, with her six children behind her.

She laughed.

"Poor Francesca," she laughed. "It seems that duel left little her a bit… flushed."

She sighed.

"Too bad for Gloomtail, but he was cramping my style anyway… It was time to get rid of the old and concentrate on the new…"

She turned to the Shadow Spawn.

"They'll be entering the third level soon," she stated. "Be prepared to meet them…"

"We won't fail this time, mother," said Kurtis. "They'll never even reach Leopold!"

"You'd better not…" said the Queen sweetly.

Her eyes glowed with fire.

"Because if you fail me again, I won't be the one who punishes you! Defeat them, or you will suffer the same fate as Gloomtail!"

They drew back.

"Is that clear?" she asked with a smile.

"Clear!" answered Maria. "Crystal clear!"

As they started to walk away, Melissa spoke up.

"Ah, what is she worried about?" she asked. "We're better at this than that big lizard…"

"Apparently," said Vladimir, "so was Francesca."

"You worry to much Vlad," chuckled Tyson. "We'll take care of them just like we took care of the others this way…"

The five of them, minus Vladimir, transformed into orbs of light and sped off.

Vladimir sighed, and he followed suit.

He wouldn't disobey his mother. If dueling any of them this way was necessary, he'd do so…

But every time she made him do it, he felt dirty for days on end.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Francesca's mind saw vicious, shadowy specters, ready to pounce down and eat her up…

Until Andy's kind voice urged her back to awareness.

"Fran?" he said, nudging her. "Fran, wake up!"

Fran slowly opened her eyes…

"Did I win?" she asked.

"Yeah, you won," muttered Andy, "but for a minute, we were worried you'd end up just like Gloomtail…"

Francesca sat up…

Gloomtail's immense body was lying prone on the ground. His eyes were still open, and drool spilled from his jaws.

Stan was there, and he put his ear to the beast's chest.

"His heart is beating," stated Stan. "He's alive, but…"

He waved his hand in front of the dragon's eyes.

"…there's just no-one home…"

"What happened to him?" gasped Francesca.

"Gloomtail suffered the same fate he meant to inflict upon you, Francesca…" said a voice from the shadows.

Merlee walked out into the room.

"His soul has been imprisoned in an endless void of darkness…" stated Merlee, going up to the behemoth.

They noticed he wasn't stuttering now.

He reached over and closed Gloomtail's eyes.

"…one of countless variations on the punishment," he continued, "for losing a Shadow Game…"

"Shadow Game?" said Francesca, startled. "Wait, you mentioned that sort of thing before… This was a Shadow Game?"

"Certainly, Francesca," said Merlee, "you noticed that this duel was different than any other you ever partook in. How the pain seemed so real, and how Gloomtail's beasts seemed to radiate pure evil… And how Guardian Angel Joan seemed more angelic than ever…

"All the Monsters and spells the two of you called forth… No holograms were involved this time. It was all very real."

Francesca tried to answer…

But all she could manage was a little whimper…

"Shadow Games are dangerous things," muttered Merlee. "In another time, their outcomes could gain thrones and topple kingdoms. They are rare in this day and age…

"Shadow Games often have rules, that are always put in place by the one who is using the Shadows, but one thing remains the same…

"In a duelist's career, he is usually only allowed to lose a Shadow Game _once_, because unless his opponent is merciful – and most duelists with this sort of power _aren't_ – that is the duel after which no-one ever sees him again."

The three kids all stared at them.

"Well, at least she won, and we're safe now," said Andy, with a nervous grin. "It's over…"

"No…" cautioned Merlee. "It's just started…"

He paused.

"Soon, the Shadow Queen will open a portal that will let you into the third level of the Palace of Shadow. No sooner than you set foot there, will Melissa greet you… She is angry at being defeated before, and will not let you pass until one of you duels her again… In another Shadow Game…

"And behind her waits Kurtis… And behind him the rest of the Spawn… All of them eager to pay back their first defeat the same way."

Stan chuckled.

"Hey, we beat them before, we can do it again!" he laughed.

"The term _Shadow_ Spawn is more than a title, Stan!" warned Merlee. "These kids have been luring victims into Shadow Games since they were each eight years old! When they summon the Shadows forth, their power grows…

"In their early years, their victims couldn't believe that second graders were capable of what they were threatening… They didn't know the incredible danger they were in… until the Shadows had locked around their necks…

"They've done it many times, and they've never lost… Don't forget, you aren't allowed to lose more than one Shadow Game…

"And as for the Queen herself… She's done it hundreds of times."

The three kids looked at him for a minute.

"Is there… any way to beat them?" asked Stan.

"Yes," answered Merlee.

He sat down on Gloomtail's enormous tail.

"Listen closely," he stated. "Old Merlee has defeated many ne'er-do-wells in Shadow Games, and I've learned the secret to winning them… But it isn't easy…

"It lies in identifying and defeating your opponent's Soul Card…"

There was a pause.

"Soul Card?" asked Francesca.

Merlee nodded.

"Every duelist has in his or her deck," stated Merlee, "a certain card… Usually it's his favorite, and usually it's a Monster. This card is the card that represents the duelist himself. It forms a silver cord to the seat of the duelist's soul, a bond that symbolizes his skill…"

Stan paused.

He took his deck out of his Disk and looked through it.

He took his Dark Magician and looked at it.

Andy saw what he was doing. He leafed though his own deck.

He looked at Lord of Dragons.

"Hold up," started Francesca. "My favorite card is Amazoness Paladin… But I have two! Both of them can't…"

"Yes, both of them can't be your Soul Card, Francesca," interrupted Merlee. "Take them both out and look at them, I assure you, you'll see a difference…"

This sounded strange to Francesca. She did so…

_This is silly,_ she thought, looking at them. _They're identical… One isn't…_

She paused.

They _weren't_ identical…

No one else would have seen a difference. But holding them side-by-side in the old sage's presence, the one on the left seemed to have an aura around her, one that glowed with magical energy.

Merlee was right…

The Paladin on the right was a cheap card…

The Paladin on left was more precious than gold…

"You see?" sighed Merlee. "Seto Kaiba's Soul Card is clearly one of his priceless Blue-Eyes White Dragons. There are only three in the world, and each are flawless. If he ever let anyone else touch them – and he wouldn't – that person could never tell a difference between them. But if Kaiba himself took the three of them and looked at them, he'd feel a special connection to one of the three… The one that represented him.

"In any case, in a duel as intense as a Shadow Game, if your soul is destroyed, it's unnerving at best, and traumatic at worst. Winning the Game if that happens would take incredible willpower and luck, even from one as skilled as the Shadow Spawn.

"If you need proof, take some famous Shadow Games that have occurred over the years…

"Maximillion Pegasus is a strange duelist, in that his Soul Card isn't a Monster, but a Magic Card… The powerful Toon World. When he faced Yugi Mouto in Duelist Kingdom, he was foolish even to turn the duel into a Shadow Game. Toon World had already been destroyed. Without that card, his chances were incredibly slim. And when Yugi used a Ritual to transform his Dark Magician – his own Soul Card – into Magician of Black Chaos, Pegasus didn't stand a chance.

"Moving further, there was Battle City, where the first Shadow Game to take place was Marik's duel against Mai Valentine… Poor Mai… She knew very little about how a Shadow Game worked. She had a chance to possibly win, but she made a crucial error… She sacrificed her own Soul Card to summon Marik's! And when the Monster in question was an Egyptian God Card, well, that was not only bad strategy, it was stupid. Mai couldn't begin to comprehend the power she was trying to harness! She lost… And she was saved only when Marik was eventually defeated for good.

"Marik didn't fare nearly as well against Joey Wheeler – he only won that Shadow Game by default. See, if Joey had possessed the energy to order one last attack, he would have won. Sadly, the painful duel had left him drained, and he lacked the energy he needed…

"But I sincerely believe that he _would_ have had that last bit of energy, if he had even been carrying his Soul Card in his deck at the time. See, he had given his Red Eyes to Yugi for safekeeping. Because he wasn't even using it, he couldn't muster the energy.

"In fact, it was the Red Eyes that enabled him to recover in time to support Yugi when the King of Games finally confronted Marik. See, during Yugi's duel with Kaiba, Yugi managed to summon it… And then used the Red Eyes to destroy one of Kaiba's Blue Eyes. Joey felt a surge of energy when his soul struck out at Kaiba, and he managed to fight away the Shadows…"

There was another long pause.

"So," asked Francesca. "What are the Spawn's Soul Cards?"

"I… don't know…" sighed Merlee. "I don't even know if they used them in their first duels with you…

"But I do know a way to identify what the cards are…"

He grinned.

"All sinners are defined by one of the Seven Deadly Sins," explained Merlee. "Sloth, Greed, Wrath, Gluttony, Pride, Envy, and Lust. In every sinner, his guilt lies more in one of them than any others.

"There are seven members of the Shadow Queen's family, and each of them represents one sin more than the others!"

"Melissa is heavy with Sloth. She's been a slacker all her life who has hated hard work and manual labor, and has always gotten others to wait on her hand and foot…

"Kurtis is guilty of Lust. Mai Valentine is not the only woman he fantasizes about. Any woman he sees who has beauty is on his list of those he wishes to make surrender, through one way or another…

"Tyson, like the fire he was born from, is guilty of Greed. The Shadow Queen doesn't know it, but he steals power from everything and everyone in sight to make himself stronger – his victims, the Queen's servants, even his siblings. He plans to even steal from her someday.

"As you can probably guess, Leopold is thick with Pride. Despite what proof there is to the contrary, he will not accept any statement that says that he is not the best of his siblings. He honestly believes he's the most skilled and smartest duelist who ever lived, and that he will eventually discover a strategy that will defeat Yugi himself. He's a fool.

"Maria is a practical embodiment of Wrath. The Queen's servants quiver in fear when she gets angry, which is very often. She's the one whom her mother punishes most for injuring others, and if her mother could not control her, she likely would have murdered an opponent outright by now.

"Finally, we get to Vladimir. You may think he was the most approachable of the Spawn, and in a lot of ways, he is. But in his heart lies Envy. When someone appears who is stronger than he, which isn't often, jealousy rises to his heart, and reaches a boiling point. Everyone stronger than him is a rival to overcome, and he will in his mind… His mother is no exception – of all the Spawn, he is the one with the most serious thoughts of rebellion…

"Sadly for him, if I know that, then the Queen likely does too."

"So what does this have to do with Soul Cards?" asked Andy.

"Well, like I said, a Soul Card represents the duelist," answered Merlee. "Their Soul Cards will reflect their sins. For instance, if a duelist were to be defined not by a Sin but by one of the Seven Godly Virtues, the Virtue of Bravery, and he played a Light Attribute deck…"

He took a card off his own deck.

"…perhaps this would be his Soul Card…"

He showed it to them:

It was Freed the Brave Wanderer.

"Hang on," added Stan. "If all this is true, then the Queen herself… Her own Sin is Gluttony…"

"True," agreed Merlee.

"Well if she overeats she must have a great metabolism!" exclaimed Stan.

"Gluttony is a tricky concept," corrected Merlee. "It doesn't necessarily mean want for food. It means desire for trivialities – needless things, luxuries. The Queen has been a spoiled brat ever since she was a child, and has collected worthless toys and playthings for centuries to keep herself amused… And yes, she is overly fond of fine food and drink. A woman with her magic can keep a gorgeous figure no matter what she eats."

"I just started hating her even more," answered Francesca.

Merlee sighed.

"I've tried hard to identify her Soul Card more than anyone else's," he said. "But in the few duels of hers I've watched, I've never even seen her real dueling deck. She has many trial decks, and saves her true one for special occasions. I've never seen a card that suggests Gluttony in the slightest…"

Then, a door appeared, hovering in mid-air.

Merlee sighed.

"That door leads to level three," he said. "No doubt Melissa waits on the other side. I can't stay any longer… Before long, the Queen will realize I'm here…

"Good luck, my friends… I'll watch, if that's all I can do…"

And then he vanished.

Stan, Andy, and Francesca turned to the door.

They took some deep breaths…

Stan took hold of the knob, and opened it…

**0**

**0**

**0**

**SPELL OF PAIN (Magic Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Magic/Quickplay  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description: **You can activate this card when you take Battle Damage or Effect Damage. Transfer the damage to your opponent.

_Note: "Spell of Pain" was used by Marik in "Return to Battle City". All creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0**

**0**

**0**

**WRATH OF THE GREAT WYRM (Magic Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Magic  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description: **To activate this card, discard the top three cards from your deck and show them to your opponent. A DRAGON-type Monster on your side of the field with seven stars or more can attack your opponent directly on the turn this card is activated.

**0**

**0**

**0**

"**Lord of D.":** Spellcaster/Dark, Level 4, (1,200/1,100)

Deckmaster SA: "Dragon Master": Pay 500 Life Points. You can make one extra summoning during a round, so long as the extra summoning is a DRAGON-Type. This ability can be used once per turn.

_Note: Kaiba used Lord of D. as his Deckmaster in the multi-part anime episode "Settling the Score". All creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0**

**0**

**0**

"**Amazoness Paladin:"** Warrior/Earth, Level 4, (1,700/300)

Deckmaster SA: Discard one card. One Monster of your choice that has the word "Amazoness" in its name or that is named "Amazon Archer" cannot be destroyed in battle for the remainder of the round (battle damage still applies). If you use this ability, you cannot use it on your next round.

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**Merlee gave them (and you) the rules, but the Spawn have twisted rules of their own.**_

_**Coming up next, Melissa challenges Andy to another Shadow Game, and her strategy has changed greatly since last time. The rules have changed for the worse, and it gets harder from here on in.**_

**_Don't miss "Inner Demon", coming up next._**

_**Also, starting Friday, a surprise! I'll be running this fic simultaneously with a new fic that I started on another website. It's called "Yu-Gi-Oh! Dark Messiah" and it's gonna be a blast!**_


	50. Inner Demon

**_We defeated the Shadow Spawn once..._**

…_**but we would have been foolish to think that their threat was gone forever.**_

_**Like Merlee warned us, Melissa was waiting for us, and now she's challenged me to duel with incredible stakes...**_

…_**a Shadow Game.**_

_**I'd like to think that beating her will be as easy as Francesca did last time, but Melissa seems to have changed. She isn't quite the airheaded bimbo I remember. And this creepy arena looks like some funhouse, but I'm not having any fun...**_

_**If this is anything like Gloomtail...**_

_**...it may be my toughest duel to date...**_

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER FIFTY**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Inner Demon**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

The door opened...

And the three of them found themselves in what looked like a hall of mirrors!

The only difference was, these mirrors did not cast their reflections.

"Weird..." muttered Andy.

They started to work their way though the mirror maze, and after wandering for a while, came to a large chamber. It was circular, and the walls and ceilings were covered with the strange mirrors.

A girlish laughter echoed through it.

"Show yourself!" shouted Stan.

An orb of light appeared out of nowhere...

The orb formed into Melissa, once again wearing her bright white halter and tight shorts.

"Hi, y'all!" she giggled.

Her eyes narrowed.

"You ever get mad at a person and tell him to go to Hell?" she giggled. "Well I'm not going to tell to go there… I'm actually going to send you there!"

"Beans!" replied Francesca. "I've beaten you once, and I'll do it again!"

"That's very flattering, Fran," chuckled Melissa, "but this time, I want to duel Andy!"

"Huh?" muttered Andy.

He paused.

"Fine, sure!" he responded. "I'll take you on, Shadow Game or no Shadow Game!"

Melissa chuckled.

"You have no idea what you're in for, Andy!" she laughed. "You should have seen all the others..."

She gave a grin, with a flash of bright, white teeth.

"They never expected that cute, little Melissa would doom them to eternal darkness forever, but they learned otherwise!"

"I'm not scared of you," muttered Andy.

"You will be," warned Melissa, activating her Disk, "but in this duel, you might be more afraid of yourself than me!"

"Huh?" asked Andy.

"I'll get to that in a minute," sighed Melissa. "But first…"

She took a card from her deck.

"…meet my Deckmaster!" she laughed. "Say hello to my little friend... Kaiser Sea Horse!"

She held up a card, and the aquatic creature of Light appeared behind her, holding up its trident.

As Andy took out his deck, Francesca came up behind him.

"Andy," she whispered, "remember what Merlee said… Keep your eye out for a Monster that suggests Sloth… laziness. Destroy it, and you'll win…"

"Thanks…" muttered Andy. "I'll keep that in mind…"

Then his eyes fell on his Lord of Dragons…

_If her Soul Card is destroyed,_ he thought, _her chances of winning go down… Will the same thing happen to me if MINE is destroyed?_

He thought…

_Maybe, maybe not,_ he thought, _but either way, I've got one heck of an idea…_

He held the card up.

"I choose Lord of Dragons!" he shouted.

In a flash, the draconic Spellcaster appeared behind him, and crossed his arms.

_This way, if he's destroyed, I'll lose anyway,_ thought Andy, _and as weak as he is, it's not like I'm going to summon THIS Deckmaster to the field…_

"All right Melissa," snarled Andy. "Time to throw down!"

"Aren't you the least bit curious about the special rules I've put in place for this duel?" chuckled Melissa.

"Rules?" asked Andy.

"Old Gloomtail had the subtlety and creativity of a demolition ball," said Melissa with a sweet smile. "In a Shadow Game, you have to think creative! Prolong a victim's agony with a little… theater!"

Her eyes glowed, and the lights started to dim…

"What did you have in mind?" asked Andy, nervously.

"A little something to unnerve you, Andy," she answered, "and to let you know what fate awaits you. If you'll just… uh… well… turn around…"

Andy slowly turned around, and saw in the mirror behind him… Himself!

The image looked at him with a slight smirk…

"Who's that?" asked Andy.

Melissa chuckled.

"Every person has a dark side, Andy," she said. "A part of him that represents all his negative emotions and frustrations. That creature in the mirror is the embodiment of your dark side… your inner demon!

"He's powerless to harm you now, but that will change. As you lose Life Points in this duel, he will grow stronger… Until finally, when you are defeated, his power will be enough to enter the real world and grab you… At which point you'll be dragged to his realm, and be at his mercy forever…"

She chuckled.

"Not really something to look forward to, huh?"

Andy looked over, and saw that an image of Melissa had appeared in the mirror behind her.

"I see you have a demon of your own to worry about," he added.

"Shadow Games can't be one-sided," said Melissa with a shrug. "But I've done this so often, I'm not afraid of her in the least… I can keep her at bay…"

She turned to her demon.

"Isn't that right?" she said with an evil grin.

The demon in the mirror bowed her head sadly…

"Now let's duel!" laughed Melissa.

The Life Points set to 8,000, and they drew their first hands.

"All right," chuckled Melissa, drawing her first hand. "I'll place a Monster in Defense, and that will be all."

She placed a card on her Disk, and a facedown Monster appeared.

"Fine," stated Andy drawing, "now watch out!"

_Not bad,_ he said, looking at the card.

"I summon Spear Dragon in Attack Mode!" he shouted.

He placed the card down, and the long-beaked Dragon appeared.

"Spear Dragon, attack her facedown Monster! Cyclone blast!"

Spear Dragon blasted forth a gust of wind… A man in a toga with feathered wings appeared on the card… He cringed and shattered.

Melissa's Life Points fell down to 6,900. The demon behind her started to glow… She grew horns on her forehead, and her eyes started to glow red.

"Seems I've taken the lead," said Andy, triumphantly, as Spear Dragon moved to Defense Mode.

"No," chuckled Melissa. "You've taken the bait! That may have cost me some Life Points, but since you destroyed Shining Angel, I'm now allowed to Special Summon a Light Monster from my deck with 1,500 Attack Points or less, and I choose Mystical Elf!"

The peaceful, blue-skinned elf appeared on the field. (800/2,000)

"Fine," said Andy. "It's your move…"

Melissa grinned as she drew a card.

"And I'll gladly make it," she said. "I'll move Mystical Elf into Defense…"

Mystical Elf knelt.

"And now I'll summon… Airknight Parshath in Attack Mode!"

She threw a card down, and a bright light appeared on the field. A tall man dressed in armor covered with feathers with a haloed helmet appeared. (1,900/1,400)

"Hey, hold on!" shouted Francesca. "Time out! No fair! You can't just summon Airknight Parshath to the field! You have to sacrifice something first!"

"Heh, heh, heh," chuckled Melissa. "Wrongo! My Deckmaster downgrades the star level of all my Light Monsters by two, so for all intents and purposes, my Airknight is considered a three-star Monster when I'm using it!"

"Oh no…" gasped Stan. "That guy has a trampling effect, Andy's Spear Dragon is in Defense Mode…"

"And its Defense is zero!" screamed Francesca.

"Bingo!" laughed Melissa. "See, I was kind of hoping you'd use Spear Dragon when you saw me put a Monster in Defense Mode… And like a big idiot, you did!

"You can't always rely on what usually works in a Shadow Game, Andy, especially when you're facing someone who's a pro at them! The consequences could be dire…"

She let out a laugh.

"Welcome to my world Andy… The Shadows may frighten most folk, but my siblings and I feed on them!

"Airknight Parshath, attack his Spear Dragon with feather wind!"

Airknight raised his arms, and a swarm of feathers shot forward, blasting Spear Dragon into gibbets!

Andy's Life Points fell to 6,100.

Andy nervously turned around, and saw that his own demon was starting to change. First his eyes started to glow green, then his hands turned to wicked claws…

"And due to Airknight's other effect, I get to draw one card," chuckled Melissa, drawing. "Now make your move…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

For three creatures who were watching, seeing Shadow Magic at work wasn't much to be excited about. After all, the Shadow Realm was where they were from…

(And frankly, they were starting to get homesick by now…)

…but to two of them, this was something very new.

"Inner Demons?" asked the Unfriendly Amazon. "What is that?"

She and Peten looked at the End of Anubis.

"Why are you asking me?" he asked, somewhat annoyed.

"Because, of the three of us, _you're_ the demon!" accused Peten.

End sighed.

"Melissa explained it pretty well, and there's not much to add on," he stated. "Let's just say that the thing in Andy's mirror is what is responsible for everything he's ever done that has been even the slightest bit evil. And it's also what tries to tempt him into doing more evil.

"Andy is pretty moral, so I doubt that he's listened to it much over the course of his life…

"And that puts Andy in a very bad situation. An inner demon hates being ignored. Those that belong to more honest folk are full of rage at their owners out of frustration…

"If Andy loses, what that thing plans to do to him won't be pleasant…"

"Well," chuckled Peten, "Melissa's demon must be much happier! If she loses…"

"Don't count on it," interrupted End. "If she loses, her demon will _not_ let her go. Melissa has a good side, believe it or not… But that thing is the embodiment of her dark side. It may be pleased with all the evil it's convinced her to do, but it would be more pleased to finally get its claws on her.

"See, the goal of these creatures is to claim their host entirely. Usually it doesn't happen until the person dies and is condemned for sins…

"But this type of Shadow Game is a way for them to do it early..."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Melissa chuckled.

"Seems I'm already ahead of you Andy," she gloated. "You made a sloppy move, and that's never smart when you're playing with the Shadows!"

"Yeah, yeah…" muttered Andy.

He drew.

_I don't have anything that can beat Airknight,_ he thought, _but this guy can block his attack…_

"I summon The Dragon Dwelling in the Cave in Defense Mode!" he exclaimed.

He placed a card down, and the sleepy, rocky Dragon appeared. (1,300/2,000)

Melissa giggled.

"Scared already, Andy?" she asked. "Cowering behind a wall?"

She drew.

"Well, I can't bust though your Dragon yet, but I will augment my forces…"

She placed a card down.

"Thunder Nyan Nyan, in Attack Mode!"

A burst of electricity erupted onto the field, and a strange creature appeared. She was a cat-like female, dressed in a leopard-skin, sitting behind a set of drums. (1,900/800)

She twirled her drumsticks and grinned at Andy.

"Your move," chuckled Melissa.

Andy made a draw.

"I play… Graceful Charity!" he exclaimed.

The angel flew out and handed him three cards.

_Good…_ he thought.

He handed her A Wingbeat of Giant Dragon and Dragon's Rage.

"You aren't the only one who's Deckmaster lets her summon powerful Monsters, Melissa," he warned. "First I'll summon Masked Dragon!"

He put a card down, and the Fire Dragon wearing a metal mask appeared. (1,400/1,100)

"Then I'll use my own Deckmaster ability, paying 500 Life Points to sacrifice it for Luster Dragon #2!"

Lord of Dragons glowed, and Andy's Life Points fell to 5,600. He switched cards on his Disk, and the mighty emerald Dragon appeared! (2,400/1,400)

"Go!" shouted Andy. "Attack Airknight Parshath with emerald flash blast!"

Luster Dragon blasted his breath weapon, and the Fairy knight was blown into pixels!

Melissa cringed as her Life Points fell 6,400.

"And it's still my turn," stated Andy. "I play Snatch Steal…"

He played the card…

"And since I know that Thunder Nyan Nyan will die as soon as she appears next to a non-Light Monster, I'm using it to snatch Mystical Elf…"

Two tendrils flew out of the card, and grabbed Mystical Elf, pulling her over to Andy's side.

"I don't see the point…" said Melissa.

"You will in a minute…" said Andy, playing a card. "I play Draconic Offering."

"What does that do?" asked Melissa.

Andy chuckled.

"Mystical Elf is a beautiful young girl, Melissa," he answered. "To a dragon, that makes her delicious!

"Luster Dragon, chowtime…"

Mystical Elf's eyes opened and she gasped!

Luster Dragon closed in…

Melissa rubbed her chin as she watched Mystical Elf get eaten.

"Gee Andy, I'm impressed," she mused. "If my mom didn't order you done away with, I'd be on you faster than…"

"Enough Melissa!" shouted Francesca.

"Yes, enough," sneered Andy. "And now I can take her Defense Score and add it to my Life Points."

His Life Points rose to 7,600.

Andy turned and looked at the inner demon behind him. He moaned, as his claws shrank and the lights in his eyes went out.

"Finally, I play a card facedown," said Andy. "It's your move…"

Melissa drew.

"So, you like Dragons, huh?" she chuckled. "Why don't I summon one of my own… Kaiser Glider, in Attack Mode!"

A large, shining Dragon that seemed to be made of golden metal appeared. (2,400/2,200)

"Yikes!" shouted Stan. "Now she summoned a _six_-star Monster with no sacrifice!"

"Humph," said Andy. "I'll admit that that's a new one to me, but if you attacked Luster Dragon with it, it would be a draw…"

"Wrongo!" said Melissa again. "Kaiser Glider has not one, but _two_ great effects! First, it can attack and destroy a Monster with equal Attack Points without being destroyed itself!"

"But before I do that, I'm going to play Rush Recklessly, and hotwire it to Thunder Nyan Nyan!"

She played a card, and Thunder Nyan Nyan's Attack went up to 2,500.

"Kaiser Glider, attack Luster Dragon with golden blast!" she shouted.

Kaiser Glider's eyes glowed, and it blasted forth a stream of golden energy, vaporizing Luster Dragon!

"Thunder Nyan Nyan, destroy The Dragon Dwelling in the Cave with drum solo of death!"

Thunder Nyan Nyan twirled her drumsticks and started beating on her drums…

She hit the cymbals, and a blast of lightning shot forth, blowing the Dragon away!

"Take a bow!" laughed Melissa.

Thunder Nyan Nyan got up and bowed.

"Maybe I'll have her do an encore next round," chuckled Melissa.

_That is,_ she thought, _unless I draw my secret weapon… A great beast that linger in the front of Andy's mind for the whole length of the time he spends in his dark prison!_

"I'll end by placing one card facedown," she stated.

She played a card, and a facedown card appeared.

"My draw…" said Andy.

He waved his hand...

"I activate Call of the Haunted!"

His Trap Card lifted.

"Do you believe in ghosts, Melissa?" he asked. "Well I sure do, because I'm bringing Luster Dragon back from the grave!"

Luster Dragon returned in a flash of light. (2,400/1,400)

"Luster Dragon," he commanded, "destroy Thunder Nyan Nyan!"

Luster Dragon shot forth his breath weapon! Thunder Nyan Nyan screamed and exploded!

A cymbal fell to the ground and wobbled before vanishing.

Melissa's Life Points fell to 5,900.

"So much for an encore…" said Andy with a shrug. "I'll place a card facedown and end my turn…"

He played a card, and it appeared.

"Hee, hee," chuckled Melissa, drawing a card. "Weren't you listening just a minute ago? Kaiser Glider, attack!"

Kaiser Glider's eyes glowed again…

"Activate… Scorching Ruin!" shouted Andy.

His Quickplay flipped up, and Luster Dragon's Attack shot up to 3,400! It blasted Kaiser Glider into shards!

Melissa's Life Points fell to 4,900.

"Look!" said Stan, nervously.

The demon behind Melissa stretched out her arms…

And two extra arms sprouted from below them.

Melissa looked at her in disgust.

"Don't get your hopes up!" she warned.

She turned to Andy.

"Nice job, but Kaiser Glider has another effect. When it's destroyed, I can send one card back to your hand, so your Luster Dragon goes bye-bye!"

Luster Dragon vanished.

"Smarter than I thought…" muttered Stan.

"Huh?" asked Francesca.

"Since Melissa sent Luster Dragon back to Andy's hand, his Call of the Haunted remains…" answered Stan. "But now it's doing nothing except taking up space…"

Melissa fit a card into a slot and it appeared in front of her.

"That will end my turn," she said.

Andy drew a card.

"I activate… Solemn Wishes!" shouted Melissa.

Her Trap Card lifted.

"Will you now?" sighed Andy.

He put a card down.

"I summon Luster Dragon #1!"

The smaller, sapphire Dragon appeared. (1,900/1,600)

"Attack directly!" shouted Andy.

Luster Dragon breathed his lethal breath at Melissa and she cringed!

Her Life Points tumbled to 3,000.

Stan and Francesca looked at the image behind Melissa. The demon was looking even more demonic. Her top had torn away, and her skin was now scaly and green. Her eyes looked like that of some reptile…

Melissa saw it too, and she started to get nervous. Perhaps this was the first Shadow Game she had played where her inner demon had gotten this powerful…

"My draw…" she muttered.

She drew, and a shower of gold rained on her, bringing her Life Points up to 3,500.

"And now I'll play Pot of Greed," she added.

She played the card, and the Pot handed her two more cards. Her Life Points went up to 4,000.

The demon's scales started to fade.

"Heh, heh, heh, heh, heh…" she chuckled.

"What?" asked Andy.

"I summon… Maju of the Ten Thousand Hands!" laughed Melissa.

She played the card, and the weird creature with a multitude of hands appeared. (1,400/1,000)

"That lets you pull a Ritual Magic or Monster Card from your deck…" muttered Andy.

He paused.

"I know what you're up to!" he gasped. "You're going to summon Shinato, King of a Higher Plane!"

"Him?" chuckled Melissa. "Uh, no…"

She giggled.

"The guy I'm going to summon is better than _that_!"

She held up a card in front of her.

"Let me tell you a story," she said in a spooky voice.

The lights got even dimmer.

"Long ago, there was a race of people who are now known as simply the Ancients. They worshipped a god of light, a benevolent deity who represented life and warmth.

"But the Ancients were foolish in some regards. They sought forbidden magic, and researched a spell that would bring their god to the mortal realm where he could personally rule them as their king.

"But when they actually tried it, something went horribly wrong. Rather than summon their god, they summoned another creature of light, a horrible abomination who was born from the union of a god of the sun who was seduced by an arch-demon at the beginning of time. This abomination enslaved the Ancients, feeding on their souls slowly, until eventually, few were left.

"How it was eventually defeated, no one knows. But the last surviving Ancient buried the blasphemous spell that had summoned it, hoping that no-one would find it…

"He failed… I'm going to use it now!

"But first, I'm going to play Luminous Spark!"

She opened her Field Slot, and fit a card in. The field became awash with an overpowering light!

"And now…" chuckled Melissa, "I play the spell that doomed that foolish race… the powerful Ritual called Final Ritual of the Ancients!"

She played the card… spooky music started to play, and an altar with a weird symbol on it arose.

"This is creepy…" said Francesca.

"To complete this ceremony, I need to sacrifice eight stars worth of Monsters," explained Melissa. "Since my Deckmaster downgrades them, I'll sacrifice Manju, and my old friend The Creator…

"Ironic, isn't it… I'm using The Creator to summon… a destroyer!"

The immense form of The Creator appeared on one side of the altar, and Maju appeared on the other…

A bright light emanated from the altar, and the two Monsters were slowly consumed in flames…

"And now," chuckled Melissa, "lets have a warm welcome, for **_Reshef the Dark Being_**!"

Slowly, a huge shape started to take form in the flames…

If such a thing were possible, it was beautiful and terrible at the same time. The creature was an enormous, hulking, fiendish thing made of gold. It suggested perhaps a piece of artwork in an evil palace… One that was ten feet tall and twice that wide. It had horns, claws, and several other unpleasant things on its body, and it glowed with a bright aura. (2,500/1,500) –) (3,000/1,100)

Andy gulped.

"Oh… my… God…" gasped Francesca.

"Okay, I'll admit that's… impressive," said Andy. "But how is it stronger than Shinato?"

Melissa chuckled. She discarded a card.

"Can Shinato do THIS?" she asked.

Reshef's eyes glowed red…

Luster Dragon gasped, and then moved over to Melissa's side of the field!

"MY DRAGON!" shouted Andy.

"Let me explain how Reshef works," explained Melissa. "Reshef can entrance and enslave opposing Monsters. If I discard one Magic Card, one of your Monsters becomes mine for one turn!"

"Luster Dragon, show him how it feels!" laughed Melissa.

Luster Dragon shot forth his bright blue energy, striking Andy in the chest!

Andy clutched his chest… He'd never felt that much pain from a direct attack before…

He barely heard Melissa's next command…

"Reshef… attack with unholy light!"

Andy screamed as a searing light shot forth from the creature and engulfed him!

Andy's Life Points fell to 2,700, and he fell flat on his face…

Francesca nervously looked at the figure in the mirror behind Andy. It wasn't pretty. Huge batlike wings sprouted from his back, his hand turned to claws again, and his feet turned to talons.

He looked at Andy eagerly.

"I'm ending my turn," said Melissa.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Melissa certainly doesn't fool around," commented the Amazon.

"Look at the size of that thing!" shouted Peten. "It has to be the most fiendish Fiend I've ever seen!"

"Indeed," stated End. "And Andy is in trouble. The Dark Being is incredibly powerful. So long as Melissa can discard a Magic Card, she'll be able to enact its brainwashing effect every round. Even if Andy summons a second Monster, 3,000 Attack Points will likely destroy it, and Melissa can attack directly with whatever she steals.

"Andy's only chance for winning now depends on whether his draws are better than hers…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Luster Dragon appeared back on Andy's side.

"Oh Andy?" chuckled Melissa. "This may be a good time to mention that, if you don't draw within two minutes, you lose… The Shadows aren't very patient…"

"Andy, get up!" shouted Francesca.

"It's no good, Fran," laughed Melissa. "I doubt he can hear you!"

Indeed, Andy seemed to be out cold…

Then, Lord of Dragons knelt down and nudged him. Andy groaned.

He slowly lifted his head…

The Spellcaster helped him to his feet.

"Th-thanks…" muttered Andy.

_That's impossible…_ thought Melissa. _No one has EVER been able to recover from a direct attack from Reshef!_

But the impossible was happening!

Andy drew a card.

"Now where were we?" he stammered. "Oh yes… I play… Sweet Feast!"

He played the card, and the bountiful cornucopia appeared.

"Since the most powerful Monster on the field is that… thing in front of you," said Andy, "and it has eight stars, I get a big boost to my Life Points!"

His Life Points soared to 10,700!

_Wow!_ thought Andy, as energy flowed through him. _Feels like I just drank a hundred Gatoraids!_

"Now I get to draw eight cards!" continued Andy, as cards flew off of his deck. "Of course, I can't play any of them since I played Sweet Feast, so now I'll have to discard three, but I have a lot to choose from!"

He looked over his hand. He discarded Red Eyes, Komori Dragon, and Divine Dragon Ragnarok.

He looked over at his inner demon. Not only had he lost the demonic features, but he had been weakened. He was on his knees with his head bowed.

"Your move…" snarled Andy.

"Fine!" shouted Melissa. "Pad your points as much as you like! Being decked out won't save you from him in case you were wondering!

"And all I have to do is draw another Magic Card, and Reshef will be able to take control of that Dragon _again_!"

She made a draw. Her Life Points went up to 4,500.

She snarled.

"Disappointed?" asked Andy.

"Reshef!" shouted Melissa. "Blow his Luster Dragon to bits!"

Reshef blasted forth his burning beam and Luster Dragon exploded!

Andy's Life Points dipped to 9,600.

"Your move…" she growled.

As Andy drew, he looked at the huge Fiend.

_Wait a second…_ he thought. _Reshef the Dark Being is a Monster that can brainwash other Monsters… It's powerful, but it lets other creatures to do its dirty work for it…_

He chuckled.

_I think we have a winner! A Monster that represents Sloth! That thing is her Soul Card!_

He looked at his hand.

_Of course, destroying that monstrosity will be difficult. But I might be able to protect myself for a while…_

_Think I've got an idea…_

He placed a card down.

"Cave Dragon in Defense Mode!" he shouted.

The huge, elderly Dragon appeared. (2,000/100)

"Now I play Stamping Destruction!" he shouted, playing a card.

Cave Dragon stamped his foot down, and Solemn Wishes shattered! Melissa cringed as her Life Points fell to 4,000.

"That will be my turn," he said.

Melissa drew a card.

"I play Pot of Charity!" she exclaimed, playing a card. "And I'll remove Mystical Elf from play to do so!"

Three cards flew into her hand.

"And now I have plenty of Magic Cards to discard!" she laughed, discarding one.

Reshef's eyes glowed, and Cave Dragon was dragged over to Melissa's side.

"Now, I'll move your Dragon into Attack Mode," cackled Melissa, "and I'll attack you with him!

"Attack, my slave!"

Cave Dragon looked at her. He made a long sigh.

"I said attack, you big, fat idiot!" she shouted.

Cave Dragon refused.

"What?" gasped Melissa. "Why won't he attack?"

"He can't, stupid!" snapped Andy.

Melissa looked at him.

"Cave Dragon couldn't attack me right now even if he wanted to, Melissa," sighed Andy. "Maybe before this duel, you should have asked your brother Kurtis for more information about Wind Monsters!

"Cave Dragon can't attack unless there's another Dragon on the same side of the field as him, and Reshef is most likely a Fiend!"

Melissa's eyes narrowed.

"Yeah, you're right, he is," she pouted. "Ah, so what? Cave Dragon's effect may protect you from him… But what will protect you from Reshef? Reshef, attack!"

The demon blasted forth its unholy light, and Andy cringed…

But as his Life Points fell to 6,600, it didn't seem to hurt as much…

Melissa stared at him…

"What the Hell are you made of?" she asked. "None of my opponents could take even _one_ hit from Reshef in a Shadow Game! Taking two and still being able to stand is beyond impossible!"

"If it's impossible Melissa, than how come I'm still here?" asked Andy. "Is it my turn yet?"

"Yes…" she growled. "Make it quick!"

Cave Dragon returned to Andy's side.

Andy drew.

"I'll move Cave Dragon back into Defense Mode, and that will be my turn…" he added, as Cave Dragon curled up into Defense. "How's that for quick?"

"Fine," said Melissa, drawing. "Well, since it would be a waste of time to steal your Cave Dragon again, I'll just have Reshef destroy him!"

Reshef blasted forth its attack, and Cave Dragon was blown away!

"Now I'll summon Spirit of the Harp in Defense Mode," she added.

A beautiful Fairy woman playing a harp appeared, looking quite out of place beside the hideous Fiend. (800/2,000) –) (1,300/1,600)

"So Andy," sighed Melissa. "Is there any way for you to win a duel without attacking?"

"I'll find a way to defeat your big beast!" warned Andy, making a draw.

He looked at the card.

"I play Reload!" he said, playing the card. "Now, I'll just return my five cards to my hand, reshuffle, and draw five more!"

He did so.

"All right Melissa," he said, "I'm placing a card facedown…"

A facedown card appeared.

"And then I'll play Monster Reborn, to summon an old friend…"

Red Eyes Black Dragon appeared! (2,400/2,000)

"Say WHAT?" shouted Melissa. "I never sent him to the Graveyard!"

"True," responded Andy. "I put him there myself when I discarded cards after playing Sweet Feast!

"Red Eyes, take out Spirit of the Harp! Inferno fire blast!"

Red Eyes blasted his flames… The harpist screamed as she was roasted alive!

"Your move…" muttered Andy.

"You know," chuckled Melissa, as she drew, "I almost like the fact that you summoned him…"

She discarded a card, and Reshef's eyes cast its powerful spell again! Red Eyes flew over to Melissa's side.

"I mean, I rarely get a chance to fry someone with one of his rarest cards!" she laughed. "I'll let you in on a little secret… This is exactly what I'm going to do to Kaiba. I'm going to wait until he summons one of his Blue-Eyes, then summon Reshef, and then blast his lights out with his own Dragon!

"The time he spends in the Shadow Realm will be spent with one embarrassing thought on his mind – that his own signature Monster did him in!

"Red Eyes, attack his…"

"I activate Threatening Roar!" shouted Andy.

His Trap Card lifted, and the great beast roared! Melissa and the two Monsters in front of her stopped dead in their tracks.

"Quite an interesting speech," muttered Andy. "Too bad that attack was ruined.

"And let me tell you something, Melissa. Even if you beat me here – which you won't – Kaiba will destroy you! He doesn't own Threatening Roar to my knowledge, but he does own a Negate Attack. And I guarantee that if the exchange you just described were to take place, he'd have had it set.

"And since Blue-Eyes has an Attack Score higher than Reshef, and Blue-Eyes would benefit from your Field Card as much as it would, Reshef would be gone on his next turn.

"Know why I know? Because he's a duelist with integrity, honor, and a great deal of strategy who earned his way up to the top, while you're nothing more than a spoiled brat who was born with a silver spoon in her mouth and up her…"

"JUST MOVE!" shouted Melissa.

Red Eyes Moved back to Andy's side.

"You don't have to yell…" he said softly, as he made a draw.

He chuckled.

"You're the one who made the sloppy move this time, Melissa," he sighed. "You were so anxious to attack me with my own Dragon, you wasted the opportunity to destroy him, which is what you should of done…

"Because now I can sacrifice him… to summon THIS!"

He threw a card down…

Red Eyes Black Dragon slowly grew and mutated…

Red Eyes Darkness Dragon emerged!

"Want to know how many Dragons are in my Graveyard?" asked Andy. "Do ya? EIGHT!"

(4,800/2,000)

"Red Eyes…" ordered Andy, "attack Reshef the Dark Being with diabolic fire blast!"

The mighty Dragon blasted forth a great stream of flames, and the Dark Being roared! It erupted in fire, and then exploded!

Melissa was thrown to the ground, as her Life Points fell to 2,200.

The demon behind her grinned. A third set of arms grew under her second set, and her fingers sprouted claws. Her hair also turned from blonde to black.

"Super!" shouted Francesca. "Andy just clobbered her best Monster!"

"Not just her best…" stated Stan, as they saw Melissa get up.

Melissa started to quiver in fear…

"I think that Andy did it…" continued Stan. "Melissa's Soul Card has been destroyed, so now she's in trouble…"

"Make your move," demanded Andy.

Melissa slowly drew a card.

"Heh, heh," she chuckled, looking at it.

"HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA!" she laughed.

"Don't go nuts now…" sighed Andy.

Melissa placed a card down on her Disk.

"I summon Jowgen the Spiritualist!" laughed Melissa.

A tall man rose up onto the field. It looked like a priest dressed in golden robes, carrying a long crooked staff. (200/1,300) –) (700/800)

"What on Earth?" asked Stan. "Her Life Points aren't low enough for her to play Last Turn!"

Francesca sighed.

"Melissa is smart, Stan," she answered. "She's using Jowgen for his _intended_ purpose, which isn't for playing Last Turn! If she simply discards one card, she can destroy all Monsters on the field that were Special Summoned!"

"Wait…" said Stan. "Red Eyes Darkness Dragon is a Special Summon!"

"That's right folks!" chuckled Melissa, choosing a card. "I must be the only duelist on earth who uses Jowgen the way he's supposed to be used! Heck, I don't even _have_ Last Turn in my deck!"

She discarded the card. Jowgen spun his staff, and Red Eyes Darkness Dragon was obliterated!

"Your move, Andy…" she chuckled with a nervous laugh.

Andy made a draw.

_Darn…_ he thought. _I have the cards to summon something that could win this duel, but I can't so long as Jowgen is on the field!_

_But maybe she can be tricked…_

"I choose to make no move," he said. "I pass."

Melissa chuckled.

"That was a mistake, Andy. "Because just as I can summon a six-star Monster with no sacrifice, I can summon a seven-star Monster with one!

"So I sacrifice Jowgen…"

Jowgen vanished.

"…to summon Hyozanryu!"

A huge creature appeared. Francesca remembered this creature from her own duel with Melissa – a giant Dragon made entirely of diamond with beautiful scales. (2,100/2,800) –) (2,600/2,400)

"Hyozanryu," laughed Melissa, "attack directly with diamond devastation!"

Hyozanryu shot forth a blast of diamond crystals from his jaws, and Andy cringed…

His Life Points fell to 4,000…

But he chuckled.

"Fool," he laughed. "If you had kept Jowgen on the field, you might have had a chance to finish me. But now, it's too late!"

He made a draw.

"I play Polymerization!"

Two Cyber Dragons appeared on the field…

They swirled together, and fused into Cyber Twin Dragon!

Melissa gasped.

"And by the way," added Andy. "This big fellah is your favorite brand of Monster – Light! That means your own Field Card boosts his Attack Score!"

(2,800/2,100) –) (3,300/1,700)

"Your move," he dared.

Melissa's hand shook… She drew…

"I, uh…" she stammered. "I switch Hyozanryu to Defense Mode… And that will be all."

"Heh, heh," chuckled Andy making a draw. "That won't help. Cyber Twin Dragon has the ability to attack twice in one round!"

"No…" moaned Melissa.

"Odd," sighed Andy. "You like Light Monsters so much… But if your powerful Field Card hadn't been in place, Hyozanryu's Defense would have been equal to my creature's Attack, and I wouldn't be able to touch you right now!

"Ironic, huh?

"Cyber Twin Dragon, finish off Hyozanryu AND its master with double strident blast!"

Cyber Twin Dragon's left head blasted a gout of flame, incinerating Hyozanryu, and then his right shot forth another, striking Melissa in the chest!

Melissa fell to her knees, as her Life Points tumbled to zero…

Behind her, the demon appeared to have reached her true form. Her legs had been replaced by a snaky trunk…

And she glared at Melissa. She started to slither forward…

"You lose…" growled Andy. "And just from the look on that demon's face, I think she's wanted to get her paws on you for a _long_ time…"

Melissa looked at her inner demon in terror… And then the thing grabbed her! She tried to scream, but she clasped a claw over her mouth.

With Melissa struggling, the demon dragged her back into the mirror, and they were gone.

Andy turned, and saw that his own demon had vanished.

He took a deep breath…

"Thank goodness for that," sighed Francesca.

And then a piece of paper tied into a scroll fell to Andy's feet.

"Huh?" he said.

He picked it up.

"What's this?" he mused, opening it.

He read:

_**Dear Andy,**_

_**I can't thank you enough for finally defeating that brat. After so many Shadow Games in which she's mocked me, I've finally claimed her.**_

_**You may think me a beast for what I intend to do to Melissa. But consider her my own business now. She made the wager, she lost, it's her own fault.**_

_**Consider this a warning. Your own inner demon is a part of you, but always keep it in check. A wise man controls his dark side, he does not let it control him. Just look at what happened to Melissa. She continually brought her inner demon to the surface, and now she will pay for it.**_

_**If I ever see your own inner demon again, if it pleases you, I'll laugh in his face. **_

_**Sincerely, **_

_**Melissa's Demon**_

"Well, that was creepy…" sighed Andy, ripping it into pieces.

Another door appeared in the middle of the room.

"Onward?" asked Stan.

"Only way to go," added Francesca.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

In Petal Meadows, Merlee opened his eyes.

_Strange,_ he thought.

He got to his feet.

_You'd almost think that Francesca and Andy were as experienced in this sort of thing as the Spawn are. But that's impossible. Unless…_

He looked at the strange pendant he carried.

_Unless there are things about them that even I didn't know…_

He gestured, and a card appeared in his hand.

Reshef the Dark Being.

His magic had grabbed it right before Melissa was snatched.

_I'll keep hold of this for now,_ he thought, putting it into a pouch on his belt. _If the Queen plans what I think she's planning, it may be of use later._

He looked at his own Duel Disk.

This contraption had taken a little getting used to, and mechanical devices weren't his style, but he was a smart man. He had eventually gotten the hang of it.

_If she goes though with that plan, it may be time for me to be involved as more than a spectator…_

**0**

**0**

**0**

"**Kaiser Sea Horse"**: Sea Serpent/Light, Level 4, (1,700/1,600)

Deckmaster SA: "Summoning Light": Downgrade the star level of all LIGHT-Attribute Monsters in your hand and on your side of the field by two.

_Note: Kaiba used Kaiser Sea Horse as his Deckmaster in the multi-part anime episode "Brothers in Arms". All creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**Coming up next:**_

_**The heroes proceed deeper, and find that Kurtis will not go down as easy as Melissa did. The Spawn of Wind has a brand new strategy, and it doesn't bode well for Francesca. Can she take on a second Shadow Game so soon after the first?**_

**_Stay tuned for "Disappearing Act", coming soon._**

_**Also, the Prologue to "Yu-Gi-Oh! Dark Messiah" is now up.**_


	51. Disappearing Act

_**When I first laid eyes on Kurtis, I didn't like him at all. He was a bully and a sadist who picked on those weaker than himself. Stan showed him what happened when he picked on someone who could fight back.**_

_**I'm facing him now, and my opinion of him hasn't changed much. He's now showing me that he's not just a bully and a sadist…**_

…_**he's a coward.**_

_**He's fixed his strategy to try to make sure I can't fight back at all. **_

_**At least that was his goal.**_

_**But Kurtis can plan in advance all he wants. I believe I can beat him, because I'm a better person than he is…**_

_**Yeah…**_

_**The truth is, I'd like to believe that…**_

…_**but the fact is, his strategy may have been sneaky, but it's smart. And finding a way to defeat it is going to be difficult, to say the least.**_

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Disappearing Act**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

The door they opened led out into what looked like a large meadow.

They looked up to see overcast clouds overhead. Weird trees were growing here and there.

"Are we still inside the Palace?" asked Stan. "Boy, the Shadow Queen has waaaay to much free time."

"What do you expect?" sighed Francesca. "She's been cooped up in here for ten centuries…"

Then they heard a loud buzzing noise…

From up ahead of them, a large swarm of Insect-like creatures flew at them.

"Killer Needles!" shouted Stan.

He drew a card off of his deck.

Swords of Revealing Light.

"Back!" he shouted.

He threw the card into his Disk, and the Swords appeared. The swarm froze.

"Good thinking," gasped Andy.

And then a card appeared facedown behind the Swords…

It lifted up…

Dust Tornado!

The Tornado flew forward, and the Swords shattered!

"Aw, geeze…" sighed Stan.

The three of them threw cards down on their Disks; The Illusory Gentleman, Twin-Headed Behemoth, and Amazoness Swords Woman sprang up.

The three Monsters started to blast and slash at the Insects, but more kept coming!

"They're all over the place!" shouted Francesca.

"Why don't you tell them to buzz off?" asked a voice. "I'm sure they'd understand…"

They looked up at a tree, and saw someone sitting on the tallest branch.

"Kurtis…" snarled Stan.

"I'd tell them to go away," chuckled Kurtis, "but it's none of my beeswax!"

"All right, I've had enough," said Francesca.

She placed a card into a slot.

"Mirror Force!" she shouted.

The light from the Trap Card consumed the Insects, and they shattered.

"Good job," sighed Kurtis.

He leapt down from the tree.

"But you three will wish they had gotten you once I'm done with you," he snarled.

"Upset, Kurtis?" asked Andy. "Upset because your little sister has been banished?"

"You're too smart for your own good, Andy," answered Kurtis.

He growled.

"You know, the Spawn are able to communicate with each other telepathically, and once she started screaming for help, well, it just infuriated me.

"That beast is torturing her like you wouldn't believe. Just five minutes ago, it promised to stop and simply lock her in a cell after she had begged for mercy a hundred-thousand times. She's agreed to it, but I don't believe it will keep its promise once she has…

"And I'm powerless to do anything about it…"

"What do you want me to do?" asked Andy. "Cry?"

"Oh, you'll be crying pretty soon," muttered Kurtis, raising one of his talons.

"You think you can take me?" asked Andy. "I'll blow your dumb Harpies back to… uhm… uh… wherever Harpies come from!"

"Oh yeah," moaned Stan. "That got him…"

"Heh, heh," chuckled Kurtis. "Naw, I don't think so, Andy. You're still tired from your duel with Melissa, and I like to think of myself as an eagle, not a vulture."

He pointed to Francesca.

"I choose to take on you, Fran!" he demanded.

"Give her a break, Kurtis!" answered Stan. "She's still winded from dealing with Gloomtail…"

"You want to make excuses?" asked Kurtis.

His Disk flicked open, and he threw a card into it.

A Trap Card appeared: Nutrient Z.

Francesca started to glow. To her surprise, she felt her muscles getting stronger, and the weariness leaving…

"You're… you're healing me?" she asked.

"Now they can't make excuses," said Kurtis. "Now either duel me or I'll bring back those Insects, and you won't hold them off a second time."

"All right, fine!" said Francesca, taking out her deck. "I might even like this…"

She looked through her cards.

"And this time my Deckmaster will be Amazoness Fighter!"

The card glowed, and the muscular female Warrior appeared behind her.

"Well then," chuckled Kurtis, "here's mine… Something you no doubt have seen…"

He held a card up, and a Killer Needle appeared behind him.

"That's a pretty pathetic Deckmaster…" stated Francesca.

"Is it?" asked Kurtis. "I'll have you know that weak Monsters can sometimes make great Deckmasters. The King of Games once used his Kuriboh as his, and it saved his life!"

"What?" asked Stan. "Yugi dueled using this system?"

"Yes," answered Kurtis. "Him, Kaiba, Joey, and a few of their companions. But I have neither the time or the desire to tell you the whole story!

"So let's duel!"

The Life Point counters both set to 8,000.

"And let the Game commence!" laughed Kurtis.

The sky above darkened, and strange shapes appeared in the clouds…

_Super…_ thought Francesca.

Kurtis drew his first hand.

"You know, Stan," he growled, "when you defeated my Harpies, it was traumatic for them! They cried for hours, and then they cried to their brother. And now their brother is angry at all of you!"

He threw a card down.

"So now he's here to teach you a lesson. Harpie's Brother in Attack Mode!"

In a gust of wind, a tall man with wings and black hair, dressed in leather with a scarf over the lower part of his face appeared. He had long talons. (1,800/600)

"Not bad," said Francesca, making a draw.

She paused.

She turned to Amazoness Fighter.

"Really?" she asked.

Fighter nodded.

"Okay…" she muttered.

She looked at her hand. One of her Paladins was there.

She concentrated.

No, this was only the cheap one. Playing it was safe.

"I summon Amazoness Paladin in Attack Mode!" she shouted.

She put the card down, and Paladin appeared. (1,700/300) –) (1,800/300)

"Heh, looks like we have a standoff, Kurtis!" chuckled Francesca. "But not for long… See, all I have to do is summon another Amazon on my next turn, and she'll be strong enough to take that guy down… and by the way, I already have one in my hand!"

"Do you now?" said Kurtis, drawing. "Well, maybe you should worry about what I have in _my_ hand…"

He placed another card down.

"Bladefly, in Defense Mode…"

A Monster materialized. It looked like a wasp of some type, with cleavers for front legs. (600/700)

"Bladefly has two powerful effects," explained Kurtis. "First, it raises the Attack of all Wind Monsters on the field by 500 points…"

Harpie's Brother rose to 2,300 Attack, and Bladefly itself rose to 1,100.

"And also," chuckled Kurtis, "it _lowers_ the Attack of all Earth Monsters on the field by 400!"

Paladin's Attack sank to 1,400.

"Harpie's Brother, attack with talon slash!"

Harpie's Brother flew forward, and swiped at Amazoness Paladin! She shrieked and then shattered.

Francesca's Life Points fell to 7,100.

"Fine," snarled Francesca. "I can take it…"

"Can you?" asked Kurtis. "Look at your arm, my dear…"

Francesca looked…

And to her horror, the part of her left arm from the shoulder to the elbow faded away!

"What on earth?" she shrieked. "What are you doing?"

She put her right hand between her shoulder and her left forearm, and it passed right through! She had no idea what was holding her forearm up.

"This Shadow Game's rules are very different than Melissa's, dear," chuckled Kurtis. "I got the idea from a guy named Marik Ishtar… Who was great at this sort of thing before he chickened out.

"As you lose Life Points, small parts of your body will fade away, and when you lose, you'll vanish completely! Just like a fog that fades in the morning light…"

"You're sick…" she growled.

"And you're finished," responded Kurtis. "Unless you can summon something with more than 2,300 Attack Points right now…"

Francesca drew a card.

_This might cost me,_ she thought, _but I have to take out that bug!_

"I summon Getsu Fuhma in Attack Mode!" she shouted.

She placed a card down, and the redheaded Warrior carrying a katana appeared. (1,700/1,200)

"And since she's a Dark Monster, she isn't affected by Bladefly."

"She can't destroy Harpie's Brother…" remarked Kurtis.

"No, but she can swat your Bladefly!" answered Francesca. "Getsu Fuhma, attack Bladefly!"

Getsu Fuhma leapt at Bladefly.

Kurtis chuckled.

"I don't think so…" he said softly.

He waved his hand, and the Killer Needle started to glow…

Harpie's Brother leapt out in front of Bladefly and slashed his talon at Getsu Fuhma! She fell backwards and shattered into pixels!

"Huh?" gasped Francesca.

Her Life Points fell to 6,500, and now part of her right arm faded…

"You just found out my Deckmaster's ability the hard way," chuckled Kurtis. "If you try to attack an Insect Monster on my side of the field, I can redirect that attack to another of my Monsters! Bladefly is untouchable!"

Francesca's eyes narrowed.

"You planned this the whole time, didn't you Kurtis?" she accused. "That's why you wanted to duel me… Because most of my Monsters were Earth. You planned a strategy that would strengthen your Monsters and cripple mine!

"You aren't an eagle or a vulture… You're one of those annoying birds that leaves droppings all over my dad's car right after he washes it!"

"You know, dear Francesca," chuckled Kurtis. "You are _ugly_ when you are angry!"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"I gotta hand it to Kurtis," muttered Peten, "that may have been a nasty trick, but it was a smart one."

"Yeah," chuckled The Unfriendly Amazon. "Let's see how far Francesca gets when all her Monsters are running at low power, and his are boosted…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"This is terrible…" groaned Andy. "Francesca is completely defenseless!"

"You got that right," chuckled Kurtis.

He drew a card.

"I summon Faith Bird in Attack Mode!" he laughed.

He put a card down, and a huge bird of prey with shining blue feathers appeared. (1,500/1,100) –) (2,000/1,100)

"Harpie's Brother, attack directly!"

Harpie's Brother took to the air and swooped down on Francesca.

"NOW!" shouted Francesca.

Amazoness Fighter grasped Francesca by the shoulders and braced them both! Harpie's Brother bounced off!

"What?" asked Kurtis.

Francesca grinned.

"My Deckmaster has a total of 1,500 Attack Points," she stated, "but once per turn, she can spend 300 of them to protect me from a direct attack!"

"Clever," stated Kurtis. "But now, what will protect you from Faith Bird?"

Faith Bird swooped down on Francesca and dug its talons into her! She screamed…

Her Life Points fell to 4,500, and half of her torso faded away…

"Fran, think of something!" begged Andy.

Francesca caught her breath…

She made a draw.

"I play… Pot of Greed!" she stated.

She played the card, and drew two more cards.

_This will help,_ she thought.

"I'll place these two cards facedown," she said, fitting them into her Disk.

Two facedown cards appeared.

"And now I'll summon Amazoness Swords Woman in Attack Mode."

She put a card down, and Swords Woman appeared, brandishing her huge blade. (1,500/1,600) –) (1,100/1,600)

"Heh, heh," chuckled Kurtis. "I know what she can do, dear, but it hardly matters! I can stand to lose a few Life Points…"

He drew a card.

"I'll shift Bladefly into Attack Mode," he stated.

Bladefly flew up into Attack position.

"And now I'll summon Spirit of the Books in Attack Mode!"

He put a card down, and an eagle-like humanoid wearing a long robe appeared. He held a large tome under his arm. (1,400/1200) –) (1,900/1,200)

"Four Monsters?" asked Francesca.

"Good, you can add," laughed Kurtis. "But how good are you at subtraction?"

"No…" gasped Andy. "Even with her Deckmaster ability, Francesca will lose 3,000 Life Points!"

"Harpie's Brother…" started Kurtis.

"I activate a Trap Card!" shouted Francesca. "The Regulation of Tribe!"

Her Trap Card lifted.

"And I choose Winged Beasts!"

Chains sprang up and seized the three Winged Beasts!

"Now I activate… Scapegoat!"

The other facedown card lifted, and four sheep tokens appeared.

"You're free to attack my Swords Woman with Bladefly, but then they'll both be destroyed," stated Francesca.

"I don't think so," stated Kurtis, "but I will have it attack one of your Scapegoats!"

Bladefly flew forward, and cleaved the sheep in half.

"Your move," stated Kurtis.

Francesca made a draw.

"I'll sacrifice one Scapegoat to keep the Trap," she said, as another one vanished, "and I'll summon Amazoness Blowpiper in Defense Mode."

She put a card down, and Blowpiper appeared, squatting down. (800/1,500) –) (400/1,500)

"And that's my turn," she said.

"Good," said Kurtis, "and you'll soon see that your Trap Card isn't as useful as you think… because not all of my Monsters are Winged Beasts."

He drew a card.

"First I'll switch Bladefly back to Defense Mode, just in case," he started.

Bladefly shielded itself.

"Next," he continued, "I'll summon a little guy named Little-Winguard in Attack Mode!"

A small cute-looking creature in blue armor carrying a small sword appeared. (1,400/1,800) –) (1,900/1,800)

"And since Little-Winguard is a Warrior, he's free to attack! Little-Winguard, attack another Scapegoat!"

Little-Winguard flew forward, slashing through one of the sheep.

"And that will be my turn," chuckled Kurtis.

Francesca sighed as she drew.

"I'll sacrifice the last Scapegoat," she said, as the last token vanished, "and then summon Amazon Archer in Defense Mode."

She put a card down, and Amazon Archer appeared, holding her bow in her lap. (1,400/1,000) –) (1,000/1,000)

"Very well," chuckled Kurtis, making a draw. "Little-Winguard, attack the Archer!"

Little-Winguard flew forward again, and sliced Archer in two.

"Pretty soon, you'll have nothing left to sacrifice," warned Tyson, "and then my army will destroy you!"

Francesca closed her eyes…

She drew a card…

She looked at it.

"I'll deactivate my Trap Card…" she said.

The Regulation of Tribe shattered.

"And now," she continued, "I'll sacrifice Swords Woman and Blowpiper to summon Guardian Angel Joan!"

She threw a card down on her Disk, and the two Amazons vanished…

The immense, radiant form of Joan descended, glowing with holy light! (2,800/2,000)

"HUH?" gasped Kurtis. "This isn't supposed to happen!"

"Oh, but it is!" answered Francesca. "And Joan doesn't care about Bladefly either, because like most Fairies, she's a Light Monster! Joan, attack Spirit of the Books! Searing light of Heaven attack!"

Joan shot forth a blast of pure light, and Spirit of the Books was consumed by it!

"Way to go Fran!" shouted Andy. "Whoo-hoo!"

Fran's Life Points went up to 6,400. She was relieved to see some of her flesh restored.

Kurtis wasn't so lucky. His Life points went down to 7,100, and part of his left arm faded.

And it hurt. Badly. The intense holy energy of Fairy lords as powerful as Joan tended to be agonizing to people like him during Shadow Games. After all, she was an angel, and he was part demon.

"Your move," dared Francesca.

Kurtis growled as he drew.

"I'll move Little-Winguard, Faith Bird, and Harpie's Brother to Defense Mode…" he said with a scowl.

The Warrior shielded himself, and the two Winged Beasts folded their wings.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Ergh," growled The End of Anubis. "I hate Fairies. Especially ones that are stronger than I am!"

"Talk about a lucky draw," mused Peten. "She managed to draw the most powerful Monster in her deck just when she needed her!"

"I hate that dame," muttered The Unfriendly Amazon. "She cost me the duel with her last time…"

"Well, unless Kurtis can do something soon, it looks like he's not going to be winning this…" muttered End.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Francesca drew a card.

"I play Premature Burial!" she exclaimed. "And I'll bring back Swords Woman!"

She played the card, and her Life Points slipped to 5,600. Swords Woman arose.

"But I'm only bringing her back so I can sacrifice her," she continued, "to summon Penumbral Soldier Lady!"

She switched cards, and Swords Woman vanished, replaced by the beautiful Warrior of Darkness. (2,100/1,400)

"Penumbral Soldier Lady," ordered Francesca, "take out his Faith Bird! Sword of Shadows!"

Penumbral Soldier Lady made a swipe, and Faith Bird burst in an explosion of Feathers!

"Guardian Angel Joan, destroy Harpie's Brother!" she shouted.

Joan shot forth her light, and Harpie's Brother screeched. He burst.

Francesca's Life Points rose to 7,900. Almost all her body had been restored by now.

Kurtis cringed again…

"Looks like the shoe is on the other foot, Kurtis," she warned. "Soon, I'll be able to take out your rotten Bladefly and you'll neither be able to boost your Monsters or weaken mine…"

Kurtis growled.

He drew a card.

"I play Pot of Greed!" he exclaimed.

He played the card, and the pot handed him two cards.

He looked at them.

"I'll place two cards facedown, and that will be my turn," he stated.

He threw the cards into slots, and they appeared behind his two Monsters.

Francesca looked at them.

_Probably Traps,_ she thought_. I'll have to be careful…_

She drew a card.

"I activate a Trap Card!" exclaimed Kurtis. "Spiritual Wind Art – Miyabi!"

"Mi - what?" asked Andy.

One of his facedown cards lifted…

A young girl in a brown robe with long, green hair appeared on the field. She carried a staff with a white gem on the end.

"Who's THAT?" asked Francesca.

"Her name is Wynn the Wind Charmer," answered Kurtis, "and she has great powers over Wind, including the powerful spell called Miyabi. I can now sacrifice one of my Wind Monsters to destroy any card you have on the field. So I'll sacrifice Little-Winguard…"

Wynn raised her staff, and it glowed. Little-Winguard faded away.

"And I'll use that ability on Guardian Angel Joan!"

Wynn pointed her staff at Joan, and she vanished.

"And when I said I 'destroyed her'," continued Kurtis, "I don't mean I sent her to the Graveyard, I meant I sent her to the bottom of your deck! So unless you have some way to shuffle it, you won't be using her again."

"Clever," snarled Francesca, as Wynn the Wind Charmer vanished. "But now you have no Monsters to redirect an attack to, so its curtains for your Bladefly!

"Penumbral Soldier Lady, attack!"

She lifted her sword…

"Activate… Windstorm of Etaqua!" shouted Kurtis.

His other Trap lifted, and a fierce wind blew towards Fran. Penumbral Soldier Lady staggered back, and then crouched in Defense Mode.

"All right, fine," muttered Francesca. "It's your move."

Kurtis drew a card.

"I'll remove Little-Winguard from play…" he stated.

The card slipped out of his discard slot.

"And in return, I'll summon Garuda the Wind Spirit!"

A new Winged Beast appeared in a gust of wind. It was a muscular humanoid with an eagle's head and wings. He wore red trousers and a sash. (1,600/1,200) –) (2,100/1,200)

"Go!" he shouted "Blow away Penumbral Soldier Lady with wing gust!"

Garuda took to the air and started to beat his wings furiously! Penumbral Soldier Lady tried to shield herself from the gust, but eventually she lost and was blown to pieces.

"Well, Francesca," chuckled Kurtis. "I really don't think you have much left in your deck that can put up a resistance…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"He's got a point," chuckled Peten. "Other than Joan, Penumbral Soldier Lady, and Getsu Fuhma, I think ALL of her Monsters are Earth."

The Unfriendly Amazon slammed a fist down on her armrest.

She was really disappointed, not by the fact that the Amazons were being defeated, but that she wasn't the one doing it.

_Ah well,_ she thought. _So long as someone manages to take down that bitch, I'll be happy…_

She leaned on her arm and sighed again.

She was likely going to be stuck with these two idiots for a long time, if not forever…

And she started to wonder whether or not dying was better than being trapped here…

She sighed again.

And then a thought came to her…

What would happen if these three actually managed to destroy the Shadow Queen?

Her magic spells would all be broken, including the one that kept her in the human world. Would she then wake up back home?

The Unfriendly Amazon was an exile, but being exiled on her home world was better than being stranded in this place. She was more homesick than she had admitted…

"Guys?" she said to End and Peten.

"Yeah?" asked the Fiend.

"You know, maybe we're supporting the wrong people…" she answered.

They looked at her strange.

"Listen…" she said.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"So now what?" asked Andy.

"Fran has a chance," answered Stan. "IF she manages to summon Flurrie. Flurrie's a Wind Monster, so she would benefit as much from that Bladefly as Kurtis's Monsters…"

"Hey, Fran!" shouted Andy. "Do you have Madame Flurrie in your hand?"

"Don't you think I would have summoned her by now if I did?" snapped Francesca.

"Sorry…" said Andy, sadly.

Francesca looked at her hand.

"I'll summon another Swords Woman in Attack Mode," she stated.

Swords Woman appeared again, swinging her blade. (1,500/1,600) –) (1,100/1,600)

"Now I'll place a card facedown, and that will be all," she stated.

A facedown card appeared.

Kurtis made his draw.

"I summon Takuhee is Attack Mode," he stated, placing a card down.

A huge eagle with brown feathers appeared. (1,450/1,000) –) (1,950/1,000)

"Attack her Swords Woman!" shouted Kurtis.

Takuhee swooped down on the Amazon…

"I activate Waboku!" shouted Francesca.

Her Trap Card lifted, and the Winged Beast was stopped dead in its tracks.

"I must say, my dear," snarled Kurtis, "you are a stubborn one, but you must admit, you don't have much chance of winning. Why continue?

"I'll tell you that no physical pain is waiting for you, mostly because when we're done, you won't really have anything that _can_ feel pain…"

"Kurtis, number one, I don't believe you further than I could throw you," answered Francesca. "Number two, being turned into a bodiless phantom isn't very appealing, so excuse me if I try my hardest here!"

"Your funeral," he sighed.

Francesca drew.

"I play Graceful Charity!" she shouted.

She played the card, and the beautiful angel flew out with three cards.

She waited.

"Give me a minute…" said Fran, looking at them.

_If the key to winning this duel is defeating his Soul Card,_ she thought, _I have to figure out what it is first. Lust, huh? A certain attractive Winged Beast with a gorgeous figure and a whip comes to mind…_

Then it hit her.

_Ooh, I just got the best idea!_

She handed two cards to the angel, and she vanished.

She fit a card into a slot.

"I play Dark Designator!" she shouted.

"Huh?" asked Kurtis.

"Here's how it works, Kurtis," stated Fran. "I can name any Monster that I can think of, and if it's in your deck, you have to add it to your hand!"

Kurtis looked at her strangely.

"Now let me think," said Francesca. "I choose… Cyber Harpie Lady!"

_What in the name of…_ thought Kurtis, going for his deck.

He took out the card.

_Why the heck would she let me have access to my favorite card? Heh… She was almost at the bottom of the deck… I never would have gotten to her otherwise…_

"Now I summon…" said Francesca. "Amazoness Chain Master!"

She played the card, and the chain wielding Amazon appeared. (1,500/1,300) –) (1,100/1,300)

Kurtis raised an eyebrow.

"Chain Master…" shouted Francesca, "attack Takuhee!"

Chain Master swung her chain, and charged at the huge bird!

"What the…?" gasped Kurtis.

Takuhee swiped with its claws, and Chain Master shattered.

Francesca's Life Points fell to 7,050.

"I have to say, Fran," muttered Kurtis, "I've been in Shadow Games, where my opponent went crazy from fear, but never _this_ crazy!"

"I'm not crazy," chuckled Francesca. "I'm smart! When Chain Master is destroyed in battle, her effect activates. I may have to spend 1,500 Life Points…"

Her Life Points fell to 5,550, and her chest started to fade.

"…but I'm willing to take that risk, because now I can see your hand and take one Monster Card from it!"

Kurtis gasped!

Francesca walked up to him.

"And in case my strategy hasn't sunk in by now, kindly hand over the Harpie!"

Kurtis growled a little, but he handed the card to her.

"Thank you!" said Francesca, snatching it.

She slipped the card into her own hand, and walked back to her position.

"I think that's enough for one move," she chuckled.

Amazoness Fighter grinned at her.

"Is Fran trying what I think she is?" asked Andy.

"Sure looks like it," chuckled Stan. "Instead of trying to defeat his Soul Card in a straight fight, she took it from him!

"And Kurtis doesn't seem to like it…"

Indeed, he didn't… He started to perspire a little…

He drew a card…

"Garuda…" he muttered, "attack Swords Woman!"

Garuda spread his wings again and blasted forth his windstorm. Swords Woman cringed, and shattered.

"Forget?" asked Fran. "I don't take any damage,_you_ do!"

Kurtis's Life Points fell to 6,100, and the lower part of his right leg faded…

"Takuhee, attack directly!" he shouted.

Takuhee swooped down on Fran.

Amazoness Fighter grabbed onto her shoulders again, and the Winged Beast bounced off.

"Forget about my Deckmaster?" asked Fran. "She may be down to 900 Attack Points now but she still has enough strength left for three more times!"

"Your move…" snarled Kurtis.

Francesca drew.

Monster Reborn.

"I play Monster Reborn!" she shouted.

The holy ankh appeared on the ground, and Penumbral Soldier Lady appeared on it. (2,100/1,400)

"And now I summon…" chuckled Francesca, "Cyber Harpie Lady!"

She threw the card down, and the lovely female Monster appeared, and gave her whip a lash.

"I always wanted to give one of these gals a try," she said with a smirk. "And I don't need to tell you that Bladefly's benefit applies to Wind Monsters on _both_ sides of the field!"

(1,800/1,300) –) (2,300/1,300)

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Hmmm," stated The End of Anubis. "Fran might actually win this…"

"You'd better hope she does," replied The Amazon.

Her two unwitting partners glared at her.

"Look," muttered the Amazon. "I don't like you two, and you two probably hate me just as much. Do we really want to be sitting here until the mountain erodes?

"As much as I hate to say it, we have to put our support behind those three kids… because if they don't take care of the Queen, we might never go home again…"

The End of Anubis sighed.

"Well, I have to admit, I liked this place at first," he stated, "but the air here kinda sticks to my lungs in a bad way…"

"Mmm," muttered Peten. "It is kind of rubbing me the wrong way too…"

"So?" asked The Amazon.

There was a pause. She finally spoke up.

"Show that brat who's boss, Fran!"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Penumbral Soldier Lady, attack Takuhee!" shouted Francesca.

The Warrior made one swipe, and cut the bird in half!

"Cyber Harpie Lady, attack Garuda with whiplash attack!"

The Harpie lashed her whip, and Garuda shrieked! He shattered!

Kurtis staggered backwards, and his Life Points fell to 5,750.

"Traitor…" he grumbled.

"Your move now," dared Fran.

Kurtis slowly drew a card.

"I summon… Winged Dragon, Guardian of the Fortress," he muttered. "In Defense Mode…"

He put a card down, and the small blue Dragon with smaller wings appeared, crouching in Defense. (1,400/1,200) –) (1,900/1,200)

_Not my strongest Monster,_ he thought, sweating heavily, _but it was the best I could do…_

Francesca drew a card.

"First I'll place a card facedown," she stated.

A facedown card appeared.

"And then I'll summon… Command Knight, in Attack Mode!"

A flame appeared on her side of the field. The splendid image of Command Knight stepped out. (1,200/1,900) –) (1,600/1,900)

"Know why birds hate fire?" asked Francesca. "Because if their wings catch fire, they can't fly, and a bird that can't fly is a sitting duck! And since Penumbral Soldier Lady is a Warrior, she gains 400 Attack Points!"

Penumbral Soldier Lady's Attack grew to 2,500.

"Command Knight, attack his Dragon!" shouted Francesca.

Command Knight's sword blazed with fire, and she cleaved Winged Dragon in two!

"Cyber Harpie Lady…" she ordered, "destroy the Bladefly!"

Cyber Harpie Lady swooped, and brought her talon down on the Insect, crushing it!

"Good riddance!" sneered Francesca. "Penumbral Soldier Lady, attack directly!"

Kurtis screamed as Penumbral Soldier Lady stuck him with her Sword of Shadows!

His Life Points tumbled to 3,250, and he turned translucent!

"Darn you, Fran!" he shouted. "I will defeat you, even if it means destroying my own Harpie!"

"Go on!" laughed Francesca. "I dare you! I double dare you!"

"I never turn down a double dare," snarled Kurtis, making a draw.

_Yes!_ he thought_. I drew Lightning Vortex! Now I can…_

His train of thought was interrupted.

"I activate… Showstopper!" shouted Francesca.

Her Trap Card lifted.

"I have to sacrifice my three Monsters and pay half my Life Points…" she stated.

The three Monsters in front of her vanished. Her Life Points fell to 2,275. Her body started to fade even more than Kurtis's…

"But now you have to discard everything in your hand!" she laughed.

Kurtis gasped as the cards in his hand were wrenched away.

"I hope Fran is okay…" muttered Andy. "I can barely see her over there!"

"Now, I think it's my move," continued Francesca, drawing.

_Perfect,_ she thought.

"I summon Amazoness Priestess in Attack Mode!"

The slender Amazon sorceress appeared, her staff glowing with green fire. (1,500/1,500)

"Know how many Amazons are in my Graveyard?" she asked. "Six."

(2,100/1,500)

"Attack directly!" ordered Fran.

Kurtis screamed as the Priestess blasted him with her powerful spell.

His Life Points fell to 1,150, and he was now less than translucent. He was nearly transparent.

"Make your move…" she demanded.

Kurtis was bordering on panic. He never imagined that this would happen…

His hand shivered as he drew…

"Well!" he exclaimed, playing the card. "I play Monster Reborn!"

Cyber Harpie Lady reappeared.

"Why did you do that?" asked Fran.

"Take a look!" mocked Kurtis. "With the boost from Bladefly, she's more than strong enough to…"

"Uhm, I hate to interrupt," muttered Francesca, "but it appears you got so scared that you got confused. Your Bladefly has been gone for several turns now…"

(1,800/1,300)

"Now, since you have no other cards to play…" started Francesca.

She drew a card.

"I summon Amazoness Paladin in Attack Mode!"

Paladin appeared, holding aloft her sword. (1,700/300) –) (1,900/300)

"Mercy… please…" begged Kurtis.

"Mercy?" said Francesca, disgusted. "You should have thought of that before you started these things and became a big creep!

"Priestess, destroy the Harpie!"

Amazoness Priestess shot forth her spell, and Cyber Harpie Lady was destroyed.

"Now Kurtis," stated Francesca, "time for you to vanish into the Shadows! Paladin, attack directly!"

Paladin swung her sword, and Kurtis screamed as his Life Points fell to nothing…

And then with the sigh of a breeze, he vanished into nothing as well.

Francesca took some deep breaths…

To her relief, she saw her body regaining substance…

"FRAN!" shouted Andy, running up to her.

He hugged her.

She was whole again.

"I was worried for a while," he muttered.

"So was I," she sighed, "so was I…"

She took the Cyber Harpie Lady out of her discard slot as another door opened in the middle of the field.

"So what are you going to do with that?" asked Stan.

"I think we both know the answer to that," muttered Francesca.

She was about to rip the card in half…

Then a strange sensation came over her.

"Meh," she said with a shrug.

She tossed it over her shoulder, and they started walking towards the door.

They didn't see it disappear…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Merlee looked at the Cyber Harpie Lady.

_Francesca's strategy was certainly unusual,_ he thought, _but it was deadly. She actually used Kurtis's soul as a weapon against him…Good thing she never managed a direct attack with this, or he might have wound up brain-dead!_

He carefully placed it in his pouch.

_I hated using a little mind control magic on her, but I couldn't let her destroy it. It's too useful for me right now._

_They are progressing, I think their chances are improving…_

**0**

**0**

**0**

"**Killer Needle"**: Insect/Wind, Level 4, (1,200/1,000)

Deckmaster SA: "Insect Vassal": If your opponent declares an Attack on an INSECT-type Monster on your side of the field, you can redirect the attack to another Monster on your side of the field.

**0**

**0**

**0**

"**Amazoness Fighter"**: Warrior/Earth, Level 4, (1,500/1,300)

Deckmaster SA: "Feminine Strength": Once per turn, if you are attacked directly, you can deduct 300 points from the Deckmaster's ATK to negate the attack. If the Deckmaster's ATK reaches zero, you can no longer use this ability.

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**Coming up next…**_

_**Two down, four to go, but it gets even harder from this point. **_

_**Stan now has to face his first Shadow Game, in a deadly contest where fire as well as Shadows threaten to consume him. Tyson breaks out a whole new strategy, in a chapter called "Shadow Flames". **_

_**Don't miss it!**_


	52. Shadow Flames

**_A year ago, I babysat my little cousin, and on a whim, I took her to see a movie called _The Adventures of Shark Boy and Lava Girl._ The movie had three protagonists, Shark Boy, Lava Girl, and the dreamer who had created them._**

**_Lava Girl was the character I found the most interesting, which is odd, because the characters in children's movies usually don't have much substance. She had a bit of an identity crisis. She was a creature of fire, and couldn't touch anything without it burning. She was dismayed, and thought that because she was made of fire, she had to be a creature of evil and destruction._**

_**But the hero of the movie proved her wrong. What she truly was… was a creature of Light. **_

**_In most cases, fire does indeed come side-by-side with light. Up to this point, I've never heard of a fire that didn't create light…_**

_**Up to this point, that is…**_

_**My mind has changed, because a fire is trying to consume my very flesh, and it isn't light, it's very dark. **_

**_In the depths of the Shadow Queen's palace, rules of nature can change on a whim…_**

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Shadow Flames**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

As Stan, Andy, and Francesca walked down the cave-like passage, they started to sweat…

It was getting hot.

They entered a room lit by a bright red glow. And then they saw the source…

They were in a volcanic cave. To their left was a large pool of lava, being fed by a lava flow coming from the ceiling.

"This can only mean one thing…" muttered Andy.

He spoke up.

"Tyson? Are you in here?"

There was no response for a minute or two…

Then a form burst out of the lava! A figure crawled out of it…

Tyson stood upright, and lava dripped from his clothing, which they guessed was enchanted in some way.

"Boy, I was getting pruned…" he chuckled. "Nothing like bathing in boiling magma… It does wonders for my skin… Care to try?"

"Tyson, I find you no more funny than last time," stated Andy. "And back then, I found you as funny as a canker sore…"

Tyson smirked.

"You and Francesca must think you're so special," he sighed. "Being able to defeat Melissa and Kurtis in Shadow Games… Well, let me tell you something; Even if by some miracle you do away with all of us, you may never sleep soundly again…"

"I don't follow," answered Francesca.

Tyson stepped out of the pool, and his footsteps melted the stone floor…

"Once you've experienced the Shadows, you're a changed duelist," remarked Tyson. "Two things can happen to you now…

"Either the darkness will overcome you as you try to hide in your beds, and you'll be reduced to quivering wrecks…

"Or, you'll become stronger as a result – but that might not occur for a while. When we started, we all had nightmares for months before we got used to it."

"Not that I intend to let you go, Stan," he added. "You and I are going to duel, and you won't be as fortunate as your two friends!"

"If we must, we simply must," stated Stan. "But you won't scare me, Tyson…"

Tyson's body burst into an aura of flames!

"Step a little closer and say that!" he laughed.

"You're still not scaring me," sighed Stan. "I've had scarier birthday parties…"

"Fine," said Tyson, as his fiery Duel Disk appeared on his arm. "Scaring you isn't my job. That's for the beasts in my deck!"

He took a card from his deck.

"And my Deckmaster is a force to be reckoned with," he stated. "Meet Mr. Volcano!"

A fiery wizard in a suit and cape appeared.

"And just what does he do?" asked Stan.

"There's no rule that says I have to tell you!" exclaimed Tyson. "Now choose yours!"

Stan pulled out his deck…

"_Stan!"_ cried a voice. _"Let me out this time!"_

"Goombella?" muttered Stan.

He looked at Goombella's card.

"Are you sure?" he asked.

Goombella smiled.

"All right then," he said. "I choose Goombella the Scholar!"

He held the card aloft, and the sassy Goomba perched on his shoulder.

"Hey, wait!" laughed Tyson. "Some trash just blew into here! Oh wait, that's just your Monster… Looks like we've got fungus among us!"

Goombella gave him a dirty look, and then turned to Stan.

"Stan," she whispered into his ear. "Listen closely. My Deckmaster Ability is very powerful…"

"I'm listening," answered Stan.

She quickly whispered into his ear.

"Got it?" she asked.

"Got it!" answered Stan.

"All right Tyson," he exclaimed. "It's time to duel!"

The scores set to 8,000…

And then the lights in the room dimmed.

"Uh oh…" muttered Francesca.

"You'll find this duel much less pleasant than your two friends found theirs, Stan," said Tyson, waving his hand.

And then Stan gasped in fear…

He was on fire!

Well, sort of. Surrounding him was an aura of black flames of some sort. His skin tingled.

He noticed that the same aura was around Tyson.

"What's going on, Tyson?" he demanded.

"Ever get mad and tell a person to burn in Hell, Stan?" chuckled Tyson. "Well, I'm going to send you to a Hell, and you'll burn there!

"These are Shadow Flames… A special type of fire found in the darkest voids. It doesn't hurt much now, as you can feel, but as you lose Life Points, it will get hotter, and more intense…

"The loser of this duel will be trapped in a virtual inferno forever!"

"You're mad…" muttered Stan.

"Do I look angry to you?" asked Tyson. "Do I? Actually, I'm quite happy…"

He drew his first hand.

"And I'll place a Monster in Defense Mode…" he stated.

A fiery little creature appeared…

"Flame Dancer!"

The creature was a little imp with one eye, and flames shooting out of a spout in its head. (550/450)

"HA, HA, HA!" laughed Stan. "What's the matter, Tyson, have a bad first hand?"

Tyson didn't respond.

"Why'd you even put that little thing in your deck in the first place?" he asked.

No response.

"Have it your way…" muttered Stan, drawing a card.

He looked over his hand.

"I'll fight fire with fire!" he shouted. "And I'll summon Blast Magician in Attack Mode!"

"He put the card down, and a bonfire erupted on his side of the field. The flaming magician arose! (1,400/1,900)

"Attack Flame Dancer!" shouted Stan. "Blast attack!"

Blast Magician shot forth a stream of flame from his staff, obliterating the imp.

"So now what, Tyson?"

"Heh, heh, heh, heh, heh…" chuckled Tyson.

He drew a card and looked at it.

"Fight fire with fire, Stan?" he chuckled. "That's an old saying, but it's a half-baked idea. The truth is, trying to fight fire with fire usually only makes the fire worse!

"See, the reason I put that weak Monster out on the field was so you wouldn't waste a strong one to destroy it… But this is even better than I anticipated!"

He placed a card down…

And a great flame erupted in front of him! A gargoyle-like Fiend with bat-like wings, a flaming mane, and a fiery sword appeared! (1,000/1,000)

"What the Hell is that?" gasped Stan.

"Good choice of words," chuckled Tyson. "He's called a Gorlag. And he might not look like much, but he gains 500 extra Attack Points for all Fire Monsters on the field. That includes Blast Magician, so thank you so much, you fool!"

"So, he has 1,500 Attack Points?" asked Stan.

Tyson chuckled.

"I said ALL Fire Monsters," he answered, "and Gorlag is one too!"

(2,000/1,000)

"Gorlag…" he shouted, "attack Blast Magician with infernal blade!"

The demon roared, and flew forward, striking Blast Magician with its sword! The Fire mage was burned up.

Stan cringed, as his Life Points fell to 7,600.

"And now let me show you Gorlag's other great ability…" chuckled Tyson, snapping his fingers.

Another flame spouted up, and Blast Magician appeared next to Gorlag!

"You summoned him on your side?" gasped Stan.

"Uh huh," answered Tyson. "Any Monster that Gorlag destroys is reborn as my slave. Of course, Blast Magician lost his effect, so feel free to use all the Magic Cards you want, not that it will help…"

"All right!" stated Stan. "My move!"

He drew a card.

_Nuts,_ thought Stan. _Only one Monster that I can summon… she'll have to do for now…_

"I summon Ebon Magician Curran in Defense Mode!" he exclaimed.

He put the card down, and Curran appeared, shielding herself. (1,200/0)

"Putting a Monster in Defense Mode, Stan?" chuckled Tyson. "Well, that would be great, except that Curran's Defense has a grand total of zero!"

He made a draw.

He looked at the two Monsters in his hand.

_Plan B is ready should Plan A fail,_ thought Tyson. _And little does Stan know, I have a Plan C and a Plan D after that. Because unlike that stupid Melissa and Kurtis, I'm far from a one-hit wonder. I have several contingency plans should my initial one turn out to be a dud._

"Gorlag, destroy Curran!" shouted Tyson.

Gorlag flew forward. Curran screamed…

The Fiend swung his sword, and she was blown apart.

"Blast Magician, attack Stan directly!" shouted Tyson.

Blast Magician pointed his staff, and shot forth a blast of fire! Stan cringed as he was struck, and his Life Points fell to 6,000.

Even worse, the Shadow Flames around him started burning fiercer! His skin started to throb, and it got hotter.

"If you can't stand the heat," chuckled Tyson, "stay out of the kitchen. And you know what happens next…"

Another bonfire appeared, and Curran appeared on Tyson's side.

"And now," chuckled Tyson, "Gorlag is even stronger!"

Gorlag increased in size, and his Attack grew to 2,500!

"Hold it!" shouted Stan. "Curran isn't a Fire Monster!"

"Oops!" remarked Tyson. "Forgot to mention. Any Monster I enslave with Gorlag's effect has its Attribute changed.

"Anyway, make your move…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"End," asked the Amazon, "does that thing's strength have any limit?"

"The only limit," sighed End, "is the number of Fire Monsters that could conceivably be on both sides of the field at one time…"

He sighed.

"Gorlags aren't very popular with other Fiends," he remarked. "Archfiends aside, most Fiends are Dark, and they make fun of those who don't conform. And Gorlags have it worse off, because other Types, including Pyros and Fire Monsters of other Types, don't like Fiends much…"

"I wonder why…" said Peten, sarcastically.

End ignored the wisecrack.

"And as you can see," he continued, "their base power isn't much. So they can only be handled if you know how to use them right."

"And Tyson clearly does," sighed the Amazon. "Super…"

"Ah, who cares?" snarled End.

The Amazon grabbed him by the collar.

"Need I remind you?" she snarled. "These three kids are our ticket home! We've got to think positively!"

The Fiend glared at her.

"Think positively," he sighed. "Well, I'll try anything once…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Now what?" said Andy. "With every Monster that thing strikes down, it gets stronger! Stan's really in hot water!"

"Bad choice of words, Andy…" muttered Francesca.

Stan drew a card.

_Nothing good,_ he thought. _Unless…_

"All right Tyson," he stated, "I'm using my Deckmaster's ability!"

"Do tell…" chuckled Tyson.

Stan removed his deck.

"It's called Tattletale, and here's how it works," stated Stan. "I can return as many cards as I want back to my deck, reshuffle, and the draw the same number, plus one. And I'm going to return all six to my deck!"

He placed his cards back in his deck, and Goombella closed her eyes. She glowed…

Stan's cards all floated out in front of him, and then flew in a chaotic pattern, eventually rebuilding into a deck again. Stan held up his Disk, and it slid back into the tray. Then seven cards flew out.

"The downside to this move is, I have to let you do the same if you so choose," continued Stan.

Tyson chuckled.

"Fine," he said. "I'll do the same with four of my cards…"

He added four cards to his deck, and Goombella glowed again. The same thing happened…

Five cards flew out of Tyson's reshuffled deck.

Stan looked at his cards.

_Good…_ he thought.

"Now," stated Stan. "I'll summon Magician's Valkyria in Attack Mode!"

He placed a card down, and the attractive brunette Spellcaster appeared. (1,600/1,800)

"What good will she do?" laughed Tyson. "I'll just add her to my collection too!"

"You aren't going to get a chance, pal," stated Stan, "once I play this… Shrink!"

He played the card, and Gorlag bellowed! He shrank down to half his size, and his Attack Score fell to 1,250.

"Valkyria, destroy him!" shouted Stan.

Valkyria aimed her scepter and fired, blowing the Fiend to pixels!

And then, both Blast Magician and Ebon Magician Curran burst into pixels as well!

"Figured that might happen…" muttered Stan.

Tyson's Life Points slipped to 7,650.

"Clever…" he stated. "But I'm just getting started…"

"Your move now," dared Stan.

Tyson made a draw.

"I'll place a card facedown," he stated.

A facedown card materialized.

"And then I'll summon Flame Ruler in Defense Mode…"

He placed a card on his Disk, and a tall, bearded man, awash with flames appeared. He knelt in Defense. (1,500/1,600)

"And that will be my turn," said Tyson with a grin.

"Oo-kay…" said Stan, as he slowly drew.

He turned the card on his Disk, and Magician's Valkyria moved into Defense Mode…

Then he fit three cards into slots, and they appeared behind Valkyria.

_I know his plan,_ he thought. _He set it all out in front of me…_

_If he sacrifices Flame Ruler for a Fire Monster, it counts as two Monsters. So he plans to sacrifice it to summon Fire Queen… _

…_which will let him Special Summon Fire King… _

_which will let him use his Volcano Palace Field Card!_

_But now, I'm prepared…_

_As soon as Fire Queen appears, I'll activate my first facedown card, A Rival Appears! to summon my eight-star Dark Magician of Chaos from my hand…_

_Then, as soon as he plays Volcano Palace, my facedown Dust Tornado will reduce it to rubble!_

_Now, he can't attack Dark Magician of Chaos when Magician's Valkyria is there, and Fire Queen won't be strong enough for him, so he'll attack Valkyria with Fire Queen…_

_And then, when he attacks Dark Magician of Chaos with Fire King, I'll spring my Spellbinding Circle! Then I'll pick both of them off…_

"It's your move," he said.

"Fine," said Tyson, making a draw.

He switched cards.

"I'll sacrifice Flame Ruler…"

Flame Ruler erupted into a huge bonfire…

And then the bonfire grew…

The creature that appeared wasn't the sexy, armored, female Warrior of Fire, but a hideous demonic figure made of flames! (2,700/1,600)

"That's not Fire Queen!" shouted Stan.

"No," chuckled Tyson. "It's a Pyro called Infernal Flame Emperor!"

The huge, blazing creature glared at Stan.

"A useful rule about engaging the enemy, Stan," chuckled Tyson. "Always keep them guessing!"

_That's a nine-star Monster!_ thought Stan, in panic. _A Rival Appears! is useless!_

"Now watch his great effect!" exclaimed Tyson. "When he's summoned, I can remove Fire Monsters in my Graveyard from play, and destroy Magic and Trap Cards! So I'll remove the three I have…"

Three cards fell out of his discard slot…

Infernal Flame Emperor pointed, and Stan's three facedown cards burst into flame!

"Not so fast, Tyson!" shouted Stan. "By destroying my Dust Tornado, you activated it!"

The Tornado blew across the field, shattering Tyson's facedown card!

"Humph," said Tyson with a shrug. "Like I really need that Shadow Spell anymore. Infernal Flame Emperor, attack Magician's Valkyria with infernal inferno!"

The Emperor blaster forth a wave of flame, and Magician's Valkyria let out a bloodcurdling scream before she shattered.

"Lucky for you, she was in Defense Mode," laughed Tyson. "Well, I place another card facedown, and call it a turn…"

He fit a card into a slot, and it appeared.

_Could this be his Soul Card?_ thought Stan, making a draw. _I'm not sure… That Monster is powerful, but I don't think it suggests Greed… More like Wrath… And if Gorlag was his Soul Card, he likely wouldn't have removed it from play…_

He looked at the card he had drawn.

"I play Pot of Greed!" he exclaimed.

He played the card, and the jar handed him two cards.

_All right…_ he thought, looking at them.

"I summon Watapon!" he stated, placing a card down.

The tiny, puffball of a Monster appeared. (200/300)

Tyson raised an eyebrow…

"And since I drew Watapon using Pot of Greed," continued Stan, "I can now sacrifice it to summon Neo Aqua Madoor, in Defense Mode!"

He switched cards on his Disk, and the huge, icy Spellcaster emerged, surrounded by a protective blizzard of frost. (1,200/3,000)

"Clever," chuckled Tyson. "But let me tell you one thing… Fire melts ice!"

"Just make your move, okay?" snarled Stan.

"I'll move alright," chuckled Tyson, making a draw. "First I'll summon Molten Zombie…"

He put a card down, and the thick, gloppy Pyro appeared with a low moan. (1,600/300)

"However," continued Tyson, "I only summoned him so I could use my facedown card… Spiritual Fire Art – Kurenai!"

His facedown card lifted, and a young girl emerged onto his side of the field. She had fiery red hair that fell to her knees, and wore a revealing girdle, covered by a grey cloak. She carried a staff tipped with a flame.

"Huh?" asked Stan.

"Meet Hiita the Fire Charmer!" laughed Tyson. "She's even more skilled at controlling the element of Fire than I am! And she knows a powerful spell called Kurenai!

"By sacrificing one Fire Monster, she can blast your Life Points for the amount equal to the Attack Score of the Monster that I'm sacrificing… So goodbye Molten Zombie!"

Molten Zombie vanished into pixels, and Hiita aimed her staff at Stan…

A stream of flames shot forth, and he screamed!

He fell to his knees, and his Life Points fell to 4,400.

The Shadow Flames on his skin started to burn with even more intensity…

_Can you feel it Stan?_ thought Tyson. _Well, I sure can… the pain you're feeling isn't just burning you…_

_Just like my father's style, the Shadow Flames I can inflict upon someone will not only be agonizing, but they help me immensely. When I duel my next victim, I'll be even stronger, because you'll be feeding me with energy like fuel that can't be consumed, just as all the past ones are doing for me right now…_

_That's another rule common to all Shadow Games that I didn't mention, Stan. With each victim claimed, one gets better and stronger, until he's truly unbeatable. _

_Heck, who knows? Maybe once mom gets what she wants and we've done away with all opposition, I'll add Leopold, Maria, and Vladimir to the fire too…_

He chuckled.

_And why stop there?_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"This isn't good people…" muttered Peten.

"Tell me about it," sighed the Amazon. "Tyson hasn't lost control of this for even a second…"

"Weren't you the one who told me a minute ago to think positive?" asked End. "Stan has one of his Enchanted Cards in his hand…"

"Yeah," replied the Amazon. "Only problem is, using it might be risky…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Stan!" shouted Francesca. "Get up! You can still beat him!"

"That's a lot… easier said… than done…" muttered Stan.

He pulled himself to his feet.

He drew a card.

"Mystical Elf in Defense Mode…" he stated, playing a card.

Mystical Elf appeared, kneeling in her meditative state. (800/2,000)

"Don't know when to quit, do you?" chuckled Tyson, drawing a card.

He grinned.

He flicked open his Field Slot.

"I play… Molten Destruction!" he shouted, placing the card into it.

What happened next fit the description of the card perfectly – it was destruction. The center of the arena exploded as a burst of lava erupted onto the field! Within seconds, The two of them were standing amid a boiling magma pool!

"Intimidating, isn't it?" chuckled Tyson, as Infernal Flame Emperor rose to (3,200/1,200). "And now I'll summon Great Angus in Attack Mode!"

He placed a card down, and a furious creature burst out of the lava! It was a beast with the head of a boar, with enormous tusks! (1,800/600) –) (2,300/200)

"Infernal Flame Emperor, melt his Madoor!" shouted Tyson.

The Emperor blasted forth his flame, and Neo Aqua Madoor shattered.

"Great Angus, attack Mystical Elf!"

Great Angus breathed forth a blast of fire, and Mystical Elf was burned up!

"So now what Stan?" asked Tyson. "Pardon the cliché expression, but you've got nowhere to go but up in smoke!"

"I don't think I'll pardon the expression…" muttered Stan.

He drew a card.

"I play Graceful Charity!" he shouted.

He played the card, and the angel flew out of his deck, handing him three cards.

He looked at the six cards he now had.

_Well,_ he thought, _what have I got to lose?_

He handed her two cards, and she flew into his discard slot.

"I'll summon… Silent Magician LV 4 in Attack Mode!" he stated.

He placed the card down, and the young child-mage appeared, holding her staff aloft. (1,000/1,000)

"Huh?" asked Francesca. "Stan still has her in his deck?"

"I'm just as surprised…" muttered Tyson.

Stan shrugged.

"I haven't used her since I dueled your brother Leopold," he replied. "For some reason, I just never drew her, or was able to use her effectively. But now, let's try her out again! I play… Clock Out!"

He played the card, and his Life Points fell to 3,400.

He started to sweat as the clock appeared and started to spin…

It landed on the three.

"HA, HA, HA, HA, HA!" laughed Tyson. "Nice try, Stan, but not nice enough!"

He chuckled slowly.

"I know her power… She gains 500 Attack Points each time I draw a card… That Magic Card will keep me from attacking her for three turns…

"Unfortunately, you'll need to keep me from attacking for _four_ of my turns before she's strong enough to defeat Infernal Flame Emperor! And unlike my dumb brother, I am NOT dumb enough to do anything that will make me draw outside of my Draw Phase!"

"We'll soon see," muttered Stan. "It's your move…"

Tyson drew a card, and Silent Magician glowed. Her Attack rose to 1,500.

"So, I can't attack, huh?" he asked. "I'll just pass the time by summoning a few more Monsters… Blazing Inpachi, in Attack Mode."

He placed a card down, and the burning tree-man appeared. (1,850/0) –) (2,350/0)

"Well, that's enough for me for now," chuckled Tyson.

Stan drew a card.

_Good,_ he thought. _Just who I needed._

"I summon White Magician Pikeru in Attack Mode!" he exclaimed.

He put a card down, and Pikeru appeared in a flash of light.

Infernal Flame Emperor growled, and Pikeru drew back in fear.

"Stay calm," assured Stan. "He can't hurt you right now…"

"He'll be able to soon enough," laughed Tyson.

He drew, and looked at the card. Silent Magician rose to 2,000 Attack.

"Darkfire Soldier #1, in Attack Mode," he stated.

He put the card down, and the bare-chested, flaming soldier with his curved sword appeared. (1,700/1,150) –) (2,200/750)

"One turn to go!" he warned.

Stan drew a card, and Pikeru cast her healing spell. His Life Points went up to 4,200.

"I'll place a Monster facedown in Defense and that will be all," he stated.

He put a card on his Disk, and a facedown Monster appeared.

"Well, let's see what else I've got," laughed Tyson.

He drew, and Silent Magician went up to 2,500 Attack.

"Well, I'll summon Darkfire Soldier #2 this time!" he laughed.

He put a card down, and a fifth Monster appeared on his side, this one a fiery ronin with two blazing katana. (1,700/1,000) – (2,300/600)

"On my next round, I'll be free to attack," chuckled Tyson, "so your little girl will be going down…"

The clock vanished.

"We'll soon see," said Stan, making a draw.

Pikeru cast her spell again, and Stan's Life Points went up to 5,400.

"I'll flip my facedown Monster into Attack Mode!" he shouted. "Magician of Faith!"

The card flipped up, and Magician of Faith appeared. (300/400)

A card slipped out of his discard slot.

"I'll use her to retrieve my Pot of Greed and play it again!"

He played the card, and the jar handed him two more cards.

"Good!" he said, looking at them. "Now I'll sacrifice her…"

Magician of Faith shattered into pixels.

"…and I'll summon Chaos Command Magician!"

The powerful Spellcaster of Light arose! (2,400/1,900)

"Chaos Command Magician," shouted Stan, "attack Darkfire Soldier #2 with chaos blast!"

The sorcerer pointed his staff and shot forth his multicolored spell, blowing the fiery ronin to shards!

Tyson's Life Points fell to 7,550.

"Big deal!" he mocked. "When it's my turn, it's curtains for your Silent Magician!"

"You really think so?" asked Stan. "It's still my turn…"

He played a card.

"I play Card Destruction!"

Tyson gasped.

"Now we must each fold our hands and draw an equal number," continued Stan. "And just watch…"

Tyson growled. They each discarded their hands and drew new cards.

"And since that counts as drawing cards," laughed Stan, "Silent Magician gains a boost!"

Silent Magician grew to 3,000 Attack!

"Now it's your turn," stated Stan. "And after you draw, Silent Magician will grow to 3,500 Attack Points, and she'll be stronger than Infernal Flame Emperor!"

"Curse you, Stan…" muttered Tyson, making a draw.

Sure enough, Silent Magician rose to 3,500 Attack.

He looked at the card he had just drawn.

He turned the cards on his Disk.

"I'll move all my Monsters to Defense Mode…"

The four Monsters knelt in Defense.

"And I'll place two cards facedown too…"

He played the cards, and they appeared behind his Monsters.

"Looks like Tyson is running scared!" laughed Francesca.

"Indeed!" laughed Stan, drawing a card.

Pikeru cast her spell again, and his Life Points went up to 6,600.

"Now that Silent Magician LV 4 has grown as powerful as she can," he stated, "I can sacrifice her to summon her big sister, Silent Magician LV 8!"

Silent Magician started to grow, transforming into a tall, adult version of herself. (3,500/1,200)

"And don't try using Magic Cards on her, because they won't work!" he added.

"And that's not all. I'll also summon… Skilled White Magician!"

He put another card down, and the robed Magician of Light appeared. (1,700/1,900)

"Silent Magician, wipe out Infernal Flame Emperor with solar beam!"

Silent Magician cast a mighty spell, and the huge Pyro howled! It exploded into pixels!

"Pikeru, take out that Inpachi!" shouted Stan. "Sparkle blast!"

Pikeru cast her white magic, and Blazing Inpachi burst into an explosion of fiery logs.

"Chaos Command Magician, destroy Darkfire Soldier!"

The Chaos Mage cast his spell, and Darkfire Soldier was blasted out of existence!

"Skilled White Magician, take out the last one! White magic attack!"

Skilled White Magician fired a beam of light at Great Angus! The Beast howled and burst into flames!

Nothing was left on Tyson's side but burning embers…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Go, Stan, GO!" shouted the Amazon. "Teach that firebug not to play with matches!"

"Will you lower your voice?" snarled End.

"Aren't you ever happy?" asked Peten. "Stan's got him cold! Nothing he might summon could be a match for that Silent Magician!"

"I'm suspicious," growled End. "I have a sneaking suspicion that Tyson is saving his best cards for last.

"After all…

"His Deckmaster has done nothing but stand there so far…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Well, Tyson, what now?" asked Stan. "I've got four Monsters on my side on the field, and you've got nothing except two facedown cards that I'm pretty sure were just a bluffs!"

"We'll soon see about that, Stan…" he snarled.

He made a draw…

And then he laughed like a maniac!

"Um, that might be a good card…" muttered Andy.

"It's a great one!" laughed Tyson. "But first I'm going to use my Deckmaster ability…"

Mr. Volcano started to glow with fire…

"Volcanic Eruption!" laughed Tyson. "Once per duel, I can summon up to five Fire Monsters from the Graveyard in Defense Mode, on the condition that they _stay_ in Defense Mode!

"BUT, I'm _only_ going to summon _four_…"

Four flames erupted out of the lava. Both Darkfire Soldiers, Great Angus, and Molten Zombie appeared, crouching in Defense.

"And by the way," chuckled Tyson. "When Molten Zombie is Special Summoned from the Graveyard, I get to draw one card…"

A card flew off of his deck.

"Yeah, what are you going to do with them all?" asked Stan. "Your Field Card makes their Defenses weak, if not nonexistent."

Tyson laughed, and then put another card down.

"I summon Ultimate Baseball Kid in Attack Mode!"

A small form leapt out of the lava with a yelp! It was a little boy wearing a fiery-red little-league outfit and a batter's helmet, holding a metal bat studded with spikes. (500/1,000) –) (1,000/600)

"Sure, he may not look like much," added Tyson, "but he gains 1,000 extra Attack Points for every Fire Monster on the field, other than himself."

(5,000/600)

"_Five-thousand Attack Points!"_ gasped Francesca.

"AND it gets worse!" laughed Tyson. "I'll also activate my Trap…"

One of his cards lifted.

"It's called Line Drive!" he announced. "On the round this Trap is activated, my Ultimate Baseball Kid can hit a shot past your Monsters and strike you directly! Sure, I have to cut my Life Points in half to do it…"

His Life Points fell to 3,825.

"…but this ballgame is over…"

Stan started to sweat…

"Think again, Tyson…" he snarled. "I'll still have 1,600 Life Points left!"

Tyson chuckled.

"Have you forgotten about the Shadow Flames that are trying their hardest to burn away at your skin, Stan?" he mocked. "When this blow hits, you'll likely be burned to ashes!

"Ultimate Baseball Kid! Bat him out of the park with home run slammer!"

A ball of flame appeared in the Kid's hand… He tossed it into the air, and walloped it with his bat! Stan's four Spellcasters dove for cover and it plowed into him!

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Stan could hear faint screams in the distance – he vaguely recognized them as Andy and Francesca. But right now, all he could feel right now was that intense burning feeling.

He was being burned alive…

_Help…_ he thought in panic. _Someone help…_

"STAN!" shouted a voice in his ear.

"G-Goombella?" he responded.

"You have to draw a card, Stan!" she begged. "Pikeru is on the field… but she can't heal you unless you draw a card! Please, you have to get up! Don't let that bastard win!"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Stan, please get up!" shouted Francesca, in tears.

"Save it, Francesca," laughed Tyson, "stronger duelists than him have…"

Stan's arm moved towards his Disk.

"That's… impossible…" gasped Tyson.

Stan yanked a card out of the deck tray…

Pikeru cast her spell, and energy flowed into Stan. His Life Points went up to 3,200.

Stan slowly picked up his cards and glared at Tyson.

"Tyson…" he growled. "Your batter's hit was foul… Which means strike one…"

"You are tough," snarled Tyson, "well, let's see how well you handle this…"

His other facedown card lifted.

"I activate Fires of Vesuvius! For as long as this Continuous Trap is in place, each of us is only allowed to attack with whatever Monster is currently our strongest! So you can't weaken my Ultimate Baseball Kid by taking out my other four Monsters! At least you can't do it in one round!"

"I'll end by placing one more card facedown," he stated.

A new facedown card appeared.

"We'll soon see…" muttered Stan. "I'm using my Deckmaster ability again…"

He put his three cards back into his deck, and Goombella glowed again. Once again, the cards in his deck rearranged themselves, and when they were done, four cards floated out.

"Don't forget," chuckled Tyson, "I get the same benefit!"

He returned three of his cards to his deck, and Goombella glowed again. The same happened to his deck, and he drew four cards.

Stan fit a card into a slot. A facedown card appeared in front of him.

"That will do it for me," he snarled.

Tyson looked at him with surprise.

He drew a card.

"Ultimate Baseball Kid, take out Pikeru!" he shouted.

The batter produced another flaming baseball… Pikeru squeaked in fear…

"Activate Negate Attack!" shouted Stan.

His Trap Card lifted, and Ultimate Baseball Kid's baseball hit against an invisible barrier.

"Foul ball again…" mumbled Stan. "So that's strike two against him…"

"Aren't we funny!" growled Tyson. "This isn't fun anymore, Stan. So make your move…"

Stan drew a card, and Pikeru raised his Life Points to 4,800.

The feeling was starting to come back.

"So, I can only attack with my strongest Monster, huh?" asked Stan. "Well, I see no problem with THAT!"

He played a Magic Card.

"I play Diffusion-Wave Motion!"

"WHAT?" shouted Tyson.

Stan's Life Points fell to 3,800.

"Now a Spellcaster on my side of seven stars or more, like Silent Magician, can attack every Monster on your side of the field!" shouted Stan. "And once your four defensive Monsters are gone, your Kid will be weak!

"Silent Magician, ultimate solar blast!"

Silent Magician aimed her staff, and shot forth four blazing beams, eradicating Molten Zombie, Blazing Inpachi, and both Darkfire Soldiers!

Ultimate Baseball Kid looked on in fright as his Attack Points plummeted to 1,000…

Silent Magician aimed her staff at him and fired! He screamed and was blown to pieces!

"Strike three," said Stan with a smile. "He's out!"

Tyson grunted, as his Life Points plummeted to 1,325.

"This ballgame isn't over yet, Tyson," said Stan. "We're going into extra innings, and I assure you, your winning streak in Shadow Games is about to end!

"Make your move…"

Tyson made a few low gasps… it was hard to say whether they were of pain, anger, or both…

For the first time in his life, the heat was a little too much, even for him…

He drew a card.

"I play the Trap Card… Forge of Hephaestus!" he shouted, as his facedown card lifted. "Now, both of us must take whatever Monster in our deck or Graveyard has the highest base Attack Score and add it to our respective hands!"

Stan looked at him in surprise. A card slipped out of his discard slot, that he had discarded with Card Destruction…

Sorcerer of Dark Magic.

"Now then…" continued Tyson, playing a card. "I play Silent Doom! Now I can bring back a Monster from my Graveyard in Defense Mode… And I'll use it to bring back Darkfire Soldier #2!"

Darkfire Soldier #2 appeared, kneeling in Defense Mode. (1,700/1,100) –) (2,300/700)

"Want to know what I'm up to?" asked Tyson. "To summon my most powerful Monster, I have to sacrifice a Monster with 2,000 Attack Points or more, and discard the rest of the cards in my hand!"

He switched cards on his Disk, and discarded the rest of his cards.

"Arise!" he shouted. "Come forth, Infernal Incinerator!"

A huge, fiery explosion rocked the arena! An enormous creature emerged, resembling a multi-legged beetle of some sort with an enormous, fiendish face! (2,800/1,800)

"Adorable, isn't he?" asked Tyson. "And he's powerful, too… Not only does he gain 500 Attack Points from my Field Card, but he gains 200 more from each Monster you have on your side of the field! Of course, he'd lose 500 for every other Monster I had… But I don't see a problem with that right now, cause he's enough!"

(4,100/1,400)

"Infernal Incinerator, roast Pikeru with infernal blast!"

The great beast roared, and Pikeru screamed!

Stan could do nothing but watch… The Fiend shot forth a blast of Hellfire and Pikeru was blown away.

Stan's Life Points fell to 900...

The Shadow Flames around him grew more intense, but somehow, Stan didn't care. They didn't seem to hurt as much as they did before.

"Is that your move, you monster?" asked Stan.

"Still think you can win, Stan?" chuckled Tyson. "Please. I've been watching you duel, and I know your deck! I know you don't have a single Monster that can stand up to this!"

"It isn't how strong your cards are," stated Stan. "It's what you do with them!"

He looked at Infernal Incinerator.

_And I think this thing might be the key to beating him,_ he thought. _Infernal Incinerator is a Monster that steals power from others, and can't share… Can any Monster further embody Greed?_

_But he wasn't far off… I don't have much that can defeat that thing… Let's see…_

He looked at his cards.

_I have Sorcerer of Dark Magic, Dark Magician, Dark Magician Girl, and Polymerization… None of them are really useful in this situation…_

He drew a card.

_Huh,_ he thought.

He remembered the last time he had used this card… It had helped him defeat Kurtis at the Great Tree, so very long ago, it seemed…

A plan started to form…

"Okay Tyson, I sacrifice Chaos Command Magician, and Skilled White Magician…"

The two Spellcasters vanished.

"To summon Dark Magician!"

Dark Magician appeared! (2,500/2,100)

"Heh, heh," chuckled Tyson. "Your favorite Monster, huh? Can't wait to barbecue him!"

"You won't get a chance to, Tyson!" answered Stan. "Because now I'm going to sacrifice him and my Silent Magician to Special Summon my most powerful Spellcaster, who you so graciously let me have with your Trap Card…"

Dark Magician and Silent Magician stood back to back…

"Both of you," ordered Stan, as they vanished, "step aside and make room for… Sorcerer of Dark Magic!"

An aura of ultimate darkness appeared on Stan's side of the field, and the most powerful Dark Spellcaster in Duel Monsters appeared out of the aura! (3,200/2,800)

"And…" added Stan, "now that I have only _one_ Monster on my side of the field, your Infernal Incinerator's power is greatly reduced."

The Fiend fell to 3,500 Attack.

"Big deal!" laughed Tyson. "He's still stronger than your Sorcerer!"

"Really?" chuckled Stan. "Remember back when you said that fighting fire with fire only made a fire worse? I'd like to challenge that theory…"

He fit a card into his Disk.

"I play Scroll of Bewitchment!"

The reams of a mystical scroll encircled Sorcerer of Dark Magic, and he glowed…

His robes turned fiery red!

"What's happening?" gasped Tyson.

"This Equip Card lets me change the Attribute of the Equipped Monster," replied Stan. "So I'm changing his Attribute from Dark, to Fire!"

Tyson looked dumbfounded.

"What good will THAT do you?" he asked.

"Think about it," answered Stan. "It'll hit you in a minute…"

Tyson's eyes opened wide…

"If he's a Fire Monster…" he gasped, "he gets powered up by Molten Destruction!"

"Bingo!" laughed Stan. "Give the man a cigar!"

The Sorcerer's stats changed to (3,700/2,400).

"Eee…" stammered Tyson.

"All right!" shouted Stan. "Sorcerer of Fire Magic, quench Infernal Incinerator's fire with celestial fire blast!"

The Sorcerer shot forth a blaze of flame from his staff, and Infernal Incinerator howled! It burst in a deafening explosion!

Tyson gasped…

His Life Points fell to 1,125…

"Well Tyson, I'm ending my turn," said Stan, "and since you discarded your whole hand to summon that thing, I think your fire is about… to go out…"

Tyson's hand shook as he drew a card…

"Uh, let's see here..." he muttered.

He looked at it.

"One card… facedown…" he stammered as the card appeared.

He was clearly in great pain… Stan almost felt sorry for him...

He drew a card…

…almost.

"Sorcerer, attack him directly!" he shouted.

"Activate… Ring of Destruction!" shouted Tyson.

His Trap Card lifted.

"I may lose, Stan," he yelled, "but I'll drag you to the Shadow Realm with me!"

And then the card shattered…

"Idiot," said Stan. "My Sorcerer can negate and destroy your Traps! Now where were we?"

The Sorcerer blasted Tyson in the chest, and he screamed…

The Shadow Flames around him started to burn fiercer, and he laughed, not like he was before, but more like a madman…

Eventually, the black flames seemed to consume him, and both they and he dissipated.

Stan took some deep breaths, as the Shadow Flames around him vanished. Slowly, energy started coming back to him…

"Stan!" shouted Francesca.

The lava in the cavern vanished, leaving a cold, stone floor.

"You okay?" asked Fran.

Stan looked at where his opponent had been.

"Play with fire," he mused, "you get burned…"

He sat on the floor.

"How much longer can we keep this up?" he asked.

"We have to try," urged Andy. "We can't turn back at this point…"

Stan sighed.

"I know…" he muttered. "But how much more intense is it going to get before this nightmare is over?"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Merlee was walking through Petal Meadows again.

He gestured, and the Infernal Incinerator card appeared in his hand.

_Don't give up, children, I beg you,_ he thought.

_You are halfway through the gauntlet, and by now you have proven yourselves adequately. The remaining Spawn are starting to get nervous, and even the Queen is starting to become afraid. _

_Don't give up. Soon, you can rest, and prepare for what is to come…_

**0**

**0**

**0**

**GORLAG (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Fiend/Effect  
**Attribute: **Fire  
**Level: **4  
**ATK: **1,000  
**DEF: **1,000

**Card Description: **This Monster gains 500 ATK for ever Fire-Attribute Monster on the field. When this Monster destroys an opposing Monster, Special Summon the destroyed Monster to your side of the field during your next Main Phase. Monsters Special Summoned by this effect have their Attribute changed to Fire, and cannot use any Effects.

_Note: "Gorlag" was used by Alister in the anime episode "Deja Duel! (Part Two)". All creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0**

**0**

**0**

**SILENT DOOM (Magic Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Magic  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description: **Image of a hand with a glowing orb on the palm. Select one Normal Monster in your Graveyard and Special Summon it to the field in face-up Defense Position. The selected monster cannot declare an attack for as long as it remains face-up on the field.

_Note: "Silent Doom" is a Japanese card that has not yet been released in the United States. It was used many times in the anime, first by Kaiba in "A Duel With Destiny"._

**0**

**0**

**0**

**FIRES OF VESUVIUS (Trap Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Trap/Continuous  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description: **Image of a volcano with a lava flow cascading down the mountain. So long as this card is active, both players can only attack with the Monster on their side of the field that has the highest current ATK. If one player has two Monsters with the same ATK that are higher than all others, he can only attack with one of them.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**FORGE OF HEPHAESTUS (Trap Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: Trap  
Attribute: -  
Level: -  
ATK: -  
DEF: -**

**Card Description: **Image of a powerful blacksmith striking a sword on an anvil with a hammer. Both players move the Monster in their deck or Graveyard which currently has the highest base ATK to their hand, and then shuffles their decks.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**LINE DRIVE (Trap Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Trap  
**Attribute: -  
Level: -  
ATK: -  
DEF: -**

**Card Description: **Image of Ultimate Baseball Kid hitting a flaming baseball over a centerfield wall. This card can only be activated when you have at least one "Ultimate Baseball Kid" face-up on the field. Pay half your Life Points. During the round this card is activated, all "Ultimate Baseball Kids" can attack your opponent directly.

**0**

**0**

**0**

"**Goombella the Scholar":** Spellcaster/Earth, Level 4, (500/2,000)

Deckmaster SA: "Tattletale": Once per turn, you can return any number of cards in your hand to your deck, reshuffle your deck, and draw as many cards as you returned to your deck, plus one. If you use this ability, your opponent may do the same.

**0**

**0**

**0**

"**Mr. Volcano":** Pyro/Fire, Level 6, (2,100/1,300)

Deckmaster SA: "Volcanic Eruption": Once per duel, you can Special Summon up to five Fire-Attribute Monsters from your Graveyard in face-up Defense Position. Monsters Special Summoned in this manner cannot be switched out of Defense Position except via the use of Magic Cards, Trap Cards, or Monster effects.

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**The team comes to Leopold's domicile, and the prideful Spawn has never given up his claim that he's the best. Those wishing to see another Dinosaur based duel will be disappointed, because that deck was just Leopold's practice deck!**_

**_See his true deck, and a greater power, once Andy takes him on in a chapter called "Forbidden Forest" coming up next._**


	53. Forbidden Forest

_**The deeper we go, the more frightening this twisted Palace becomes. **_

_**I didn't admit it at the time, but dueling in a Shadow Game is more tiring and tolling than anything I've ever encountered. I feel really sorry for Francesca – she's had to endure two of these horrible battles. And if the pattern is any indication, she has another waiting for her.**_

_**But now, I've refreshed myself, and one of the most annoying duelists I've ever seen wants to put me through another one…**_

_**How long can it go on before we eventually lose?**_

_**I've long since regretted not refusing that invitation I got. I remember saying that I had nothing to lose and so much to gain…**_

_**Boy, was I wrong…**_

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Forbidden Forest**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

A new door opened, and three weary teenagers stepped out of it…

They were already scared, and this place made it worse.

They were in a creepy forest that was even darker than the woods around Twilight Town. The trees were all twisted and lifeless. Above them was nothing but a dim light.

"Stay close, everyone," warned Francesca. "Unless I miss my guess, Leopold is around here…"

"And what are we going to do when he comes?" asked Stan. "I don't think any of us are in any condition to duel him…"

Behind a tree, a figure activated a Disk… He placed a Magic Card into a slot…

A card appeared before the three teenagers…

Mesmeric Control.

"Guys…" muttered Francesca.

The spiral on the card started to turn, and they started to get tired…

Fran never finished her sentence. She fell into a deep slumber.

Andy wanted to help her, but he couldn't look away. He fell asleep too.

_Got to fight it…_ thought Stan. _Got to fight it…_

_Oh, what the heck…_

He collapsed…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The three of them dreamed, and each of their dreams replayed the three painful duels with the three Spawn. The dreams were accurate up to a point…

But in every case, just when the duels started to turn in their favor, something nasty happened to the three dreamers, and in the dream version of the duel, the outcome became quite different…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"_You loused up, Melissa," sighed Andy. "You were so anxious to attack me with my own Dragon, you wasted the opportunity to destroy him, which is what you should of done…_

"_Because now I can sacrifice him… to summon THIS!"_

_He threw a card down…_

_Red Eyes Black Dragon slowly grew and mutated…_

_Red Eyes Darkness Dragon emerged!_

"_Want to know how many Dragons are in my Graveyard?" asked Andy. "Do ya? EIGHT!"_

_(4,800/2,000)_

"_Red Eyes…" ordered Andy, "attack Reshef the Dark Being with diabolic fire blast!"_

_The mighty Dragon blasted forth a great stream of flames, and the Dark Being roared! It erupted in fire, and then exploded!_

_Melissa was thrown to the ground, as her Life Points fell to 2,200._

_The demon behind her grinned. A third set of arms grew under her second set, and her fingers sprouted claws. Her hair also turned from blonde to black._

"_Super!" shouted Francesca. "Andy just clobbered her best Monster!"_

"_Not just her best…" stated Stan, as they saw Melissa get up._

_Melissa glared at him…_

"_I think that Andy did it…" continued Stan. "Melissa's Soul Card has been destroyed, so now she's in trouble…"_

"_Make your move," demanded Andy._

_Melissa slowly drew a card._

"_I'm not out yet, Andy," she said. "I play Fulfillment of the Contract!"_

_She played a card, and Reshef the Dark Being reappeared in a flash of light!_

"_It lets me revive a Ritual Monster from my Graveyard," she stated, "so long as I pay 800 Life Points, and Equip it with this card…_

"_And since that was a Special Summon, I'll also summon Hysteric Fairy!"_

_The tall Fairy in a blue suit with glasses appeared. (1,800/500)_

"_And don't forget about Reshef's effect…" she chuckled, discarding a card._

_The Dark Being's eyes glowed, and Red Eyes Darkness Dragon was dragged over to Melissa's side!_

"_Of course, his Attack is only 2,700, because there's only one Dragon in _my_ Graveyard," she said. "But that hardly matters!_

"_All three of you, on three… One… two…_

"_Three!"_

_The three Monsters fired on Andy, and he howled…_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"_I play Monster Reborn!" shouted Francesca._

_The holy ankh appeared on the ground, and Penumbral Soldier Lady appeared on it. (2,100/1,400)_

"_And now I summon…" she chuckled, "Cyber Harpie Lady!"_

_She threw the card down, and the lovely female Monster appeared, and gave her whip a lash._

"_And I don't need to tell you that Bladefly's benefit applies to Monsters on /IbothI sides of the field!" continued Fran. _

_(1,800/1,300) –) (2,300/1,300)_

"_Penumbral Soldier Lady, attack Takuhee!" she shouted._

_The Warrior made one swipe, and cut the bird in half!_

"_Cyber Harpie Lady, attack Garuda with whiplash attack!"_

_The Harpie lashed her whip, and Garuda shrieked! He shattered!_

_Kurtis staggered backwards, and his Life Points fell to 5,750._

"_Your move now," dared Fran._

_Kurtis slowly drew a card._

"_I'll place one card facedown," he stated, playing a card, "and then play Winged Dragon, Guardian of the Fortress in Defense Mode."_

_The small blue Dragon appeared, and folded its wings. (1,400/1,200) – (1,900/1,200)_

"_All right," said Fran._

_She drew a card._

"_I activate my Trap!" shouted Kurtis. "Remove Brainwashing!"_

_His Trap Card lifted._

"_When this Trap is triggered," he said with a smirk, "all Monsters on the field go back to their true owners, so Cyber Harpie Lady goes back to where she belongs!"_

_Francesca gasped, as the Winged Beast vanished, and reappeared on Kurtis's side._

"_I uh…" she said. "I move Penumbral Soldier Lady into Defense Mode…"_

"_Fine…" said Kurtis. "My draw!"_

_He drew._

"_I play Monster Reborn, to bring back Harpie's Brother!"_

_He played the card, and Harpie's Brother reappeared. (1,800/600)_

"_And I'll summon Birdface in Attack Mode too…" he continued._

_Yet another Winged Beast appeared. (1,600/1,600) –) (2,100/1,600)_

"_And, I'll move Bladefly and my Winged Dragon into Attack Mode as well…"_

_Bladefly and Winged Dragon rose up._

"_And finally, I'll get rid of Penumbral Soldier Lady!" he shouted. "I play Lightning Vortex!"_

_Francesca screamed as her last Monster was incinerated!_

"_Now, all you, attack directly!"_

_The five Monsters plowed into Fran… Amazoness Fighter fended off the first, but it wasn't enough to save her…_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"_Ultimate Baseball Kid, take out Pikeru!" shouted Tyson._

_The batter produced another flaming baseball… Pikeru squeaked in fear…_

"_Activate Negate Attack!" shouted Stan. _

_His Trap Card lifted, and Ultimate Baseball Kid's baseball hit against an invisible barrier._

"_Foul ball again…" mumbled Stan. "So that's strike two against him…"_

"_Aren't we funny!" growled Tyson. "This isn't fun anymore, Stan. So make your move…"_

_Stan drew a card, and Pikeru raised his Life Points to 4,800._

_But the card was Sibling Rivalry – no good in this situation._

"_I'll move all my Monsters into Defense Mode and end my turn there," he said, as all his Spellcasters knelt._

_Tyson drew._

"_Well Stan," he stated. "My batter may have two strikes against him, but it only takes one home run to win this game!"_

_He fit a card into a slot._

"_I'll Equip Ultimate Baseball Kid with Fairy Meteor Crush!"_

_Stan stepped back in fear…_

"_And need I remind you," said Tyson with a grin, "that Pikeru's Defense is… zero. Ultimate Baseball Kid, attack White Magician Pikeru!"_

_Ultimate Baseball Kid hit a screaming liner at Pikeru, and she burst into flames! Stan was thrown back, and the Shadow Flames on him started to burn fiercely…_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Slowly, they woke up.

At first, they thought that the horrid dreams had been real… And they were quite relieved to see that they weren't prisoners in some dark void.

"Have a nice sleep, folks?" asked a voice.

They looked up, and saw Leopold above them. He was holding the Mesmeric Control card.

"That was a cheap shot, Leo," growled Andy, as the Spawn of Earth crumpled it up.

"Cheap?" asked Leopold, adjusting his glasses. "I saw that you three were exhausted, and I thought you could use a break."

"How thoughtful," said Stan, sarcastically.

"And now that you're rested," continued the Spawn, "on your feet Andy. If you thought that nap was a rough one, you're in for a rude awakening…"

"Fine," muttered Andy. "If we have to crash though the rest of you goons to get to your mother, we're as game as you are…"

He shuffled his deck.

"…and I'll send your Dinosaurs back to the Stone Age!"

"Dinosaurs?" asked Leopold. "Don't be stupid. That deck you saw was a practice deck…"

He took out a deck of cards.

"Why do you think I lost that time to Stan? Now I can use my real power!"

"I think you're just making excuses because you hate to lose," replied Stan.

"Say what you want," said Leopold, loading his deck. "But I estimate my chances of winning this time are a hundred percent!"

"Please, Leopold," said Andy. "Someone who's as smart as you claim to be should know…"

His Disk activated.

"…that there's only one absolute in life, and that's the fact that there are no absolutes!"

"We'll see…" said Leopold.

"I have something for you to think about," said Andy with a grin. "Who controls the concept of Law?"

"What?" asked Leopold. "I don't know what you're…"

"Well, is whoever controls Law a lawful being himself?" asked Andy. "He couldn't be, because then there'd be a higher law for _him_ to follow, which makes no sense, because he's the one who controls Law!

"The other alternative is that the being who controls Law is _now_ lawful, but that would make no sense either, because a being who is lawless simply cannot control Law… Can he?"

Leopold closed his eyes and smiled.

"I know what you're doing, Andy and it won't work," he said with a chuckle. "You're trying to make me doubt my own intelligence by posing a paradox. Unfortunately for you, I know that particular paradox well. It was posed by Plato, although he attributed it to Socrates.

"And believe me, Andy, I've read of philosophers who posed much more confusing paradoxes than that. I also know of a lot of theoretical problems, like the famous 'How many angels can dance on the head of a pin?'

"The answer to all of them is, they don't have an answer, and you shouldn't worry about them. Someone who even tries to answer them is stupid."

_Okay…_ thought Andy. _Maybe he's smarter than I'm giving him credit for... Getting into a battle of wits is likely futile._

_But Merlee was right, he's full of Pride…_

"But onto business…" continued Leopold.

He waved his hand, and darkness shrouded the already dark forest!

"Not again…" said Francesca with a shudder.

"So what's the deal now, Leopold?" asked Andy.

"You'll find out soon," answered the Spawn. "But for now…

"Let's duel!"

The Life Point counters each set to 8,000.

"Try not to be scared when you see my Deckmaster, Andy," chuckled Leopold, holding aloft a card. "The mighty Leogun!"

A fierce lion appeared behind him, and roared!

"Leogun?" said Stan, surprised. "You're kidding, right?"

"No one uses five star Monsters that weak anymore," commented Francesca. "This isn't 1994."

"True, Leogun is a pretty pathetic Monster by today's standards," admitted Leopold.

The Beast growled.

"But," he continued, "his Deckmaster ability is incredibly powerful… and don't think I'll tell you what it is!"

"Fine!" replied Andy. "Meet my Lord of Dragons!"

He held up a card, and Lord of Dragons appeared in a flash of light.

"You're getting sloppy, Andy!" laughed Leopold. "I saw your duel with Melissa… I know exactly what that guy can do!"

"A guy as smart as you should know the old saying," said Andy, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it!"

"Touché," said Leopold, drawing six cards. "Now, let's get started…"

He gave them a look-over.

"I'll place a card facedown, and then summon Nekogal #1 in Attack Mode."

A facedown card appeared, and then a tall form appeared. It was a young girl with catlike features, claws, and a tail, wearing a green bikini. She purred. (1,100/900)

"You gotta be kidding," said Andy, drawing a card. "I'm surprised she even _has_ as Attack Mode!"

He put a card down.

"I'll summon Twin-Headed Behemoth in Attack Mode!"

The fierce, two headed Dragon appeared. (1,500/1,200)

"Twin-Headed Behemoth, turn that cat into Meow-Mix!"

Nekogal gasped as Behemoth shot fire towards her…

"I activate… Interdimensional Matter Transporter!" shouted Leopold.

His Trap Card lifted. A strange machine, just like the one that took the three teenagers to the Crystal Stars appeared…

Both it and Nekogal were sucked into a portal, and the blast hit nothing.

"What happened to your Monster?" asked Andy.

"My Trap Card removed her from play until the end of the turn!" laughed Leopold. "So your attack missed!"

He chuckled.

"You really didn't think I was so dumb as to put an obviously weak Monster in Attack Mode without protection, did you?"

"Clever…" muttered Andy. "Fine, that's all I can do…"

Nekogal reappeared out of the portal.

_I've got to stop underestimating this guy,_ thought Andy. _Maybe he's not the smartest duelist in the world as he claims to be, but he's likely pretty smart. Thinking that he's incompetent might well lead to doom…_

"I'll place another card facedown," said Leopold, playing a card.

Another facedown card appeared.

"And since you weren't impressed with Nekogal #1," he stated, "I'll sacrifice her to summon the stronger Nekogal #2!"

Nekogal #1 vanished, and another Beast-Warrior appeared. She looked pretty much the same as the first Nekogal, but her bikini was purple. (1,900/2,000)

"Oh, Nekogal?" stated Leopold.

She turned to him.

"See that Dragon?" he told her. "He tried to attack your little sister."

Nekogal #2 snarled…

And then she pounced, clawing at the Dragon! Behemoth shattered.

"Tattletale," muttered Andy, as his Life Points fell to 7,400.

He waved his hand, and Twin-Headed Behemoth reappeared. (1,000/1,200)

"Ow…" muttered Andy, looking at his hand. "I feel…"

"…stiff?" asked Leopold with a chuckle. "Yeah, that's usually the feeling one gets when his body starts to petrify…"

Andy looked at him with a look of fright.

"You mean the loser gets…" he gasped.

Leopold nodded.

"As usual, the loser will be banished," said Leopold, "but also, as you lose Life Points, your flesh will slowly start to be replaced by fine, white marble. When you're defeated, you'll be turned to solid stone…

"A living monument to your dueling career…not a bad way to go, even though no one will be able to view you to appreciate it…"

He chuckled again.

"I assure you that as long as you have at least a few Life Points left, your muscles will be flexible enough to draw and use the Disk… But I can't say it will be easy…"

"This is madness…" muttered Andy.

"I've seen bigger examples of madness," said Leopold. "This particular punishment was developed by an early practitioner of the Shadow Games, five millennia ago… He would smash his defeated foes to pieces to ensure their defeat was final.

"But he got his in the end… His apprentice turned on him, and defeated him.

"I promise not to shatter you Andy… But I wonder… Is spending eternity as a piece of marble preferable?"

"You'll be able to see for yourself!" replied Andy. "My move!"

He drew a card.

"I'll place one card facedown," he stated, "and then I'll sacrifice Behemoth for Des Volstgalph!"

Twin-Headed Behemoth vanished, and the powerful sand Dragon appeared. (2,200/1,700)

"Attack!" he shouted.

Des Volstgalph reared up…

"I activate… Curse of Aging!" shouted Leopold.

His Trap Card lifted, and he discarded a card.

The Dragon moaned, and its scales started to molt. Its stats fell to (1,700/1,200). It tried to attack anyway, but Nekogal leapt over his attempt, and struck back!

The Dragon shattered, and Andy's Life Points fell to 7,400.

He felt a tightening in his stomach…

"Meow!" said Nekogal, with an evil smile.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"This is getting serious," said the Unfriendly Amazon. "This has only started, and Leopold already has Andy on the ropes.

"Andy will come back, trust me," assured Peten. "After all, he beat me twice…"

"And what does that prove?" asked the Amazon. "I could outduel you on my worst day!"

"You want to make a bet on that?" asked Peten.

"People, we'll argue about who the better duelist is later," sighed End. "That won't change the fact that Andy is getting his butt kicked…

"And he's about to get it kicked harder…"

"My draw!" exclaimed Leopold.

He drew a card.

He placed a card down.

"And I'll summon Alligator's Sword in Attack Mode!"

A ferocious gator man bearing a scimitar leapt forth! (1,500/1,200)

The two Beast-Warriors stared Andy down.

"Take him down!" ordered Leopold.

"Activate… Threatening Roar!" shouted Andy.

The Trap lifted, and the great beast bellowed!

Nekogal screeched, and ran, hiding behind Leopold.

"Don't hide behind me, stupid!" scolded Leopold.

He sighed.

"It's bad enough I have to deal with stupid humans, but now I'm dueling using stupid Monsters too! That's the problem with Beast-Warriors – they're strong, but they have the intelligence of bricks!"

"That's just sad, Leopold," said Stan. "Your Monsters fight for you, they protect you, they even _die_ for you, and you _insult_ them? You should really be more respectful… As a duelist, without your Monsters, you'd be nothing!"

"Stan," remarked Leopold, "if I wanted your advice, I'd ask for it, and I didn't ask for it. And just so you know, I'll insult them if I want to! What are they going to do about it?"

Nekogal's face fell…

"Hello? Can I take my turn?" asked Andy.

"Fine," muttered Leopold.

Andy drew.

"I'll summon Luster Dragon in Attack Mode," he stated.

He played the card, and the large, sapphire Dragon appeared.

"And since you're getting tired of Nekogal," he continued, "why don't I take her off your hands? I play Snatch Steal!"

He played the card. Two tendrils grabbed Nekogal and dragged her over to Andy's side.

She glared at Leopold…

"What are you doing?" asked Leopold.

"Just giving her a dinner invitation," answered Andy. "But she's the main course. I play Draconic Offering!"

He played the card.

As the hungry Dragon bore down on her, Nekogal seemed to take her fate with acceptance. She continued to stare angrily at Leopold, and it was only broken when Luster Dragon picked her up with its jaws.

The Dragon swallowed the Beast-Warrior, slurping up her tail last like a string of spaghetti.

Andy's Life Points rose to 9,400.

The stiffness slowly started to go away.

"And I'm not done yet, Leopold!" shouted Andy. "Luster Dragon, attack Alligator's Sword with sapphire flash blast!"

Luster Dragon shot forth his breath, and Alligator's Sword shattered!

"Not bad," chuckled Leopold, as his Life Points fell to 7,600.

He slowly bent his elbow.

"But those two were among the weakest of my servants."

"Oh, so they're servants now?" asked Francesca, getting annoyed herself.

"If you care about your Monsters so much," answered Leopold, "what position does that put you in during a duel? Certainly, they aren't equals."

"A duelist is more the commander of a regiment," answered Francesca. "Monsters should be willing recruits, not slaves!"

"Well who cares what you think?" said Leopold, drawing.

He fit two cards into slots, and placed a card on his Disk. A facedown Monster appeared, followed by two facedown cards.

"That will be all," he said.

Andy drew.

_Aw, this hand is terrible_, he thought.

"Luster Dragon, attack!" he shouted.

Luster Dragon shot forth his Attack; a Morphing Jar appeared on the card and cackled before it was blown apart!

"I'm sure you know what that means, Andy," said Leopold.

"No problem!" answered Andy, discarding his hand. "The cards I had stank anyway!"

He and Leopold drew five new cards.

Andy grinned as he looked at them.

"I can tell by your satisfied expression that you drew some good cards, Andy," said Leopold. "Well don't end your turn yet…"

A facedown card lifted.

"I activate Scapegoat!"

Four sheep tokens appeared.

"Fine," sighed Andy. "Just move…"

Leopold drew.

"I summon Panther Warrior in Attack Mode!" he shouted.

He played the card, and the fierce panther-man in armor, and a cape, carrying a sword appeared. (2,000/1,700)

"Make that slayer mode, because he's going to destroy your Dragon!"

"Aw, cripes," muttered Stan. "That's one of Joey Wheeler's favorite Monsters… and Leopold is using the same combo that he does…"

"Panther Warrior can't attack unless I sacrifice another Monster first," stated Leopold, "so I'll sacrifice one Scapegoat…"

The yellow token vanished.

"And Panther Warrior, slay his Dragon!"

Panther Warrior leapt forward and swiped with his sword, and the Dragon was blown into pixels!

Andy's Life Points fell slightly, to 9,300.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Beast-Warriors," sighed The End of Anubis. "I'll say one thing for the Spawn, they certainly know how to create useful decks out cards that aren't otherwise useful."

"I dunno," muttered the Amazon. "I heard him talking about a special Beast-Warrior that he had…

"An incredibly powerful and rare card that has _never_ been defeated. One that's… cursed…"

"Cursed?" asked Peten. "Never been beaten?"

"Well," sighed the Amazon. "He might have been exaggerating, but this special card was created in the image of a creature that even the practitioners of the original Shadow Games were afraid of. It was only summoned in those contests on only one occasion…"

"…and let me guess," muttered End. "Something went terribly wrong."

"That's the theory," replied the Amazon. "When Pegasus created the game of Duel Monsters, the Egyptian God Cards were far from the only mistake he made. Several times he unleashed forces in his cards that simply should have stayed buried with the Pharaohs…

"One powerful Monster Card that he created… Pegasus produced a few of them as promotional cards, but even in normal duels, they were frightening. These cards seemed incredibly evil… The duelists who owned them were successful, but using them was like using some demonic spirit. It was as if the card was controlling them, and not the other was around…

"He stopped producing them, but a few were left…

"And I believe Leopold has one…"

"What's the name of this card?" asked End.

"Uhm…" said the Amazon.

She thought for a minute.

"Now what was its name?" she asked herself. "Oh, it's on the tip of my tongue…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Andy drew a card.

"I summon Koops the Bashful in Attack Mode!" he exclaimed.

He put the card down, and the shy Koopa appeared. (1,800/500)

"I knew you were small-minded, but that was just stupid," said Leopold. "He's not strong enough to defeat Panther Warrior…"

"Who said he was going to attack your Panther Warrior?" said Andy with a grin.

Leopold looked at him strangely.

"He's going to attack his power supply!" shouted Andy. "Koops, take out the three Scapegoats with shell slam!"

Koops retracted into his shell, and shot forward, striking one Scapegoat after another, blowing them to particles!

Koops leapt up on Andy's side.

"Now you'll have to sacrifice real Monsters to have him attack," stated Andy.

"Good thinking, Andy!" shouted Francesca.

"Well, it seems I underestimated you," chuckled Leopold.

He drew a card.

"But I've still got plenty of tricks in store for you…"

He played a Magic Card.

"I play Tribute Doll!" he stated. "That means…"

"I know what it means!" interrupted Andy. "You can sacrifice one Monster to summon a seven-star Monster. So do it already!"

Leopold gave a disdainful sniff.

"You know how the lion is called the King of the Jungle?" asked Leopold. "Well, that's a misnomer. I sacrifice Panther Warrior to summon Garnecia Elefantis!"

Panther Warrior vanished, and a hulking form arose. It was a muscular, humanoid elephant, dressed in African trappings and holding a wavy sword. (2,400/2,000)

"Even the mighty lion stands aside to acknowledge the mighty power of a pachyderm!" laughed Leopold.

"You call that a seven-star Monster?" asked Andy. "I've seen six-stars that were stronger."

"True, he isn't much for a seven-star," replied Leopold. "But I put him in my deck for a vital reason, which you'll soon see.

"Since he can't attack this round since I summoned him with Tribute Doll, I'll end my turn."

Andy drew a card.

_I may have talked tough,_ he thought, _but the truth is, I have nothing in my hand right now that can even come close to beating Garnecia Elefantis. Guess I'll have to defend for now…_

"First, I'll summon Mirage Dragon in Defense Mode," he stated.

He put a card down, and the wispy Dragon of Light appeared. (1,600/600)

"Then I'll use my Deckmaster ability, to summon Grey Wing in Defense Mode."

Lord of Dragons glowed, his Life Points fell to 8,800, and the small Dragon appeared. (1,300/700)

"And Koops goes into Defense Mode too," he added, turning the card.

Koops shielded himself.

"You'll have to smash through my defenses before you can get to my Life Points!" warned Andy.

"No problem!" laughed Leopold, drawing a card. "You're about to see the incredibly useful ability of my Deckmaster!"

"What?" gasped Andy. "Your Deckmaster?"

"Yes," stated Leopold, adjusting his glasses. "It's called Frenzy. By paying only 500 Life Points…"

His Life Points fell to 7,100.

"…I can have a Beast or Beast-Warrior of seven stars or more attack ALL of your Monsters at once!"

"Holy…" muttered Andy.

"Garnecia Elefantis," he ordered, "attack with tusk trample!"

The huge creature trumpeted! It charged forward, plowing into the three Monsters, blowing them to pieces!

Andy looked in disbelief.

"To end, I'll place a Monster facedown in Defense Mode, and that will be my turn," he stated.

A facedown Monster appeared in front of him.

"All right…" muttered Andy, making a draw.

He placed a card down on his Disk.

"I summon The Dragon Dwelling in the Cave in Defense Mode…"

The large, rocky Dragon appeared. (1,300/2,000)

"Clever," chuckled Leopold, "but not clever enough…"

He drew a card.

"I summon Beaver Warrior in Attack Mode…" he stated.

A cute-looking rodent dressed in knight-like armor holding a sword and shield leapt up with a squeak! (1,200/1,500)

"And now I'll Flip-Summon my other Monster," he continued. "Mostly because it can only be summoned via Flip-Summon… Boar Soldier!"

The card flipped, and a creature resembling a warthog in armor holding a huge, stone axe appeared. (1,000/500)

"Garnecia Elefantis, wipe out his wall!"

The pachyderm Beast-Warrior charged, and the Dragon was blown to bits!

"Beaver Warrior, attack directly!"

Beaver Warrior leapt forward, and stabbed Andy in the stomach with his blade. He winced…

"By the way," added Leopold. "When you have no Monsters on your side of the field, Boar Soldier's Attack Score doubles…"

Boar Soldier's attack rose to 2,000…

Leopold pointed, and the Beast-Warrior charged, and clobbered Andy with his axe!

Andy fell over, and his Life Points tumbled to 5,600.

"Andy!" shouted Francesca.

"Ooh…" muttered Andy.

He searched himself…

He was still in one piece, but his skin was starting to turn pale, and his skin was getting taunt…

He got up, and doing so took effort!

He could tell now that Leopold wasn't just trying to scare him… If he lost, he'd be entombed in stone forever… He started to wonder if Leopold's spell would render him unconscious, or if he'd be able to remain aware…

He didn't want to find out!

He slowly took some deep breaths, and even breathing was starting to get difficult. He drew a card…

"I'll summon… Cave Dragon… in Attack Mode…" he said, placing the card down.

The large, elderly Dragon appeared. (2,000/100)

"And also, a card facedown," he stated.

He fit a card into a slot, and it appeared.

"Your… move…" he said.

"Heh, heh, heh…" chuckled Leopold, making a draw. "Please Andy, only someone who was very stupid would fall for something that obvious…"

He drew a card.

"And since I'm _not_ very stupid, unlike you, I'm simply going to draw one card, and pass for this turn…"

"Swell," muttered Andy, making a draw. "You aren't very stupid… But you were dumb enough not to know that I didn't really care what you did that turn…"

"You don't mean…" said Leopold, stepping back.

Andy's Trap Card lifted.

"Oh, criminy, not Burst Breath!" shouted Leopold.

Cave Dragon blasted a burst of vapor at the three Beast-Warriors, and they howled!

Within seconds, the arena was clear.

Andy fit another card into a slot.

"Now I'll play Premature Burial to bring back Des Volstgalph," he stated.

His Life Points slipped to 4,800, and the huge Dragon appeared.

"Attack…" ordered Andy.

Des Volstgalph blasted forth his breath, and Leopold screamed…

His own Life Points fell to 4,900.

"So Leopold," muttered Andy, as his foe picked himself off the ground. "You're smart, and I'm stupid, right? So how come the score is almost tied?"

"It's going to change soon…" cursed Leopold.

He drew a card.

"I summon Wolf Axwielder in Attack Mode!" he stated.

He placed a card down, and a humanoid wolf holding a nasty axe appeared. (1,650/1,000)

"Now I play… Wild Nature's Release!"

He played a Magic Card, and Wolf Axewielder glowed with green fire! His Attack Score rose to 2,650!

"Attack Des Volstgalph!" shouted Leopold.

Wolf Axewielder pounced, and beheaded the Dragon! It shattered.

Andy cringed a little as his Life Points fell to 4,350.

"You think that scares me?" he asked. "You played Wild Nature's Release to destroy my Dragon, meaning your Monster will be destroyed when you end your turn, meaning you'll be defenseless!"

Leopold placed a card into a slot, and it appeared in front of him.

"You're never defenseless so long as you plan ahead, Andy," he stated.

He waved to signal the end of his turn, and Wolf Axewielder shattered.

_I've almost got all the cards in my hand that I need to make him sorry he ever set foot in this Palace,_ he thought. _I'll show him who the superior one is…_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"This is getting tense," muttered Peten. "That Monster you mentioned… Think Andy's Cyber-Twin Dragon could beat it?"

"Just barely," answered the Amazon. "But Leopold has ways of strengthening it. He has Equip Cards in that deck that can cross the gap, and make it even stronger than Cyber-Twin Dragon…"

Peten sighed.

"Heaven help him…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Andy drew a card.

"I play… Pot of Greed…" he muttered, playing the card.

The jar handed him two cards.

He made a smirk.

"I play Monster Reborn, to bring back Des Volstgalph again!"

Des Volstgalph reappeared!

"And now I play… Stamping Destruction!"

"Hey, wait a minute…" muttered Leopold, as Andy played the card.

Des Volstgalph stamped his foot, and a shockwave tore through Leopold, and his facedown card shattered.

"Shadow Spell, huh?" asked Andy. "I should have known."

Des Volstgalph's Attack rose to 2,400.

Leopold gulped.

"Attack!" shouted Andy.

Des Volstgalph blasted Leopold again!

His Life Points tumbled to 2,000.

Leopold groaned. Now his skin was starting to turn pale…

"Way to go Andy!" shouted Francesca.

"Isn't it ironic, Leopold?" asked Andy. "Ironic that an Earth Monster has kicked your behind twice now?"

"There are many ironies in the universe, Andy," muttered Leopold, "and you'll soon have lots of time to ponder them all…"

He drew a card.

"I'll play my own Pot of Greed…" he stated.

The Pot handed him two more cards.

He fit a card into a slot.

"I play Frontline Base!" he stated, as the card appeared. "This card lets me summon an extra Monster every round. Of course, it has to be a specific kind of Monster, but I have that covered.

"Next, I summon Indomitable Fighter Lei Lei in Attack Mode!"

A hulking brute in armor with hairy arms appeared. (2,300/0)

"And now I'll use Frontline Base to summon Protective Soul Ailin!" continued Leopold.

He placed another card down, and a delicate, pink fairy with wings dressed in a toga appeared. (0/0)

"You're probably wondering why I summoned a Monster with a nonexistent Attack Score who isn't even an Earth Monster," started Leopold. "Well, you may have noticed that Lei Lei here has the same stats as Goblin Attack Force… He also has the same weakness as Goblin Attack Force. Are you getting this? I can slow down if it's too much for you…"

"Yeah… pretty much," stated Andy (as much as he could, seeing as it hurt to talk). "He has to shift into Defense Mode after he attacks, right?"

"Right," answered Leopold. "But Ailin is a Union Monster that can be Equipped to him. When they're together, he can switch right back into Attack Mode after being forced into Defense Mode!"

Protective Soul Ailin floated behind Lei Lei, and the Beast-Warrior's eyes glowed…

"Lei Lei, attack Des Volstgalph with berserker punch!" shouted Leopold!

The Indomitable Fighter socked the huge Dragon, and it shattered into shards.

Andy's Life Points fell a little, to 4,250.

"It's not that much!" assured Francesca.

_Yeah, but what now?_ Andy asked himself.

Lei Lei knelt in Defense Mode… Then Ailin massaged his shoulders, and he stood back up into Attack Mode.

"Your move…" dared Leopold, looking at the two cards in his hand.

Andy drew a card.

"I summon…" he muttered.

He put a card on his Disk.

"Divine Dragon Ragnarok, in Defense Mode…"

The wispy Dragon appeared. (1,500/1,000)

_Yeah,_ I know, he thought, looking at Stan and Francesca. _They think I'm out of my mind. I know it's a weak Monster, but it's the best I can do…_

"My draw!" laughed Leopold, drawing a card.

"I always say Andy, when one is good, two is better, so I'll just summon another Indomitable Fighter Lei Lei!"

A twin of the first Fighter appeared!

"And thanks to my Frontline Base, I can summon another Protective Soul!" he continued.

He put a card down, and another Fairy appeared… And then it merged with the second Lei Lei.

_Oh, this is going to hurt…_ muttered Andy.

"You…" said Leopold, "take down his Dragon!"

The first Lei Lei punched Ragnarok, and it burst.

"You!" he said to the second. "Attack directly!"

The second Indomitable Fighter socked Andy in the face…

His Life Points fell to 2,050, and he fell on his behind.

Andy tried to get up…

Only to find that he couldn't. His legs had no feeling.

He pulled himself up into a sitting position, and felt his legs, which were bent with the knees upward…

They were solid marble.

He shivered, and did a quick check…

The same was true of the rest of his body below the waist…

Andy looked as the two Fairies urged their hosts back from defense to offense.

_If I don't do something fast,_ he thought, _the next round will be it…_

He paused.

"_You still have one more round to turn it around…"_ said a voice.

A hand fell on his shoulder.

"_What?"_ replied Andy. _"Lord of Dragons?"_

"_Indeed,"_ replied the Spellcaster. _"Your hour may be dark, but I'll guide you through it."_

"_There is a difference between you and Leopold, Andy,"_ continued the Spellcaster. _"While both of you are skilled duelists, Leopold uses his victories as an incorrect proof that he is superior to others. Even if you are better at a skill, that doesn't make you a better person than your peers. Leopold has skill, but skill alone doesn't make him a superior duelist._

"_To be superior duelist, one must have traits that Leopold lacks – honor, integrity, loyalty, and respect for others. These are the traits of the true duelist. Leopold was destined for failure a long time ago. _

"_If you possess such traits, you can defeat him; because you know you're not only a better duelist…_

"_You're a better person."_

"Are you going to take all day?" asked Leopold.

"I just needed a pep talk, Leo," said Andy. "And if I have to duel you sitting down, I will!"

He drew a card.

"And I play Graceful Charity!" he exclaimed.

The angel flew out of his deck with three cards.

He took them, looked them over, and handed her two.

"I summon Warrior Dai Grepher!" he shouted.

He put a card down. Grepher appeared. (1,700/1,600)

"And now I'll pay 500 Life Points to use my Deckmaster's ability!" he said, as his Life Points fell to 1,550. "I'll sacrifice Grepher, to summon Luster Dragon #2!"

Grepher shattered, and the huge emerald Dragon appeared! (2,400/1,400)

Lord of Dragons gave him a thumb's up.

"Luster Dragon, attack the Lei Lei on the left!" shouted Andy. "Emerald flash blast!"

The Dragon shot his blast at Lei Lei, and the Beast-Warrior cringed…

Leopold's Life Points fell to 1,900, but the Monster was still there.

"What?" said Andy, in surprise.

"Don't you know anything about Union Monsters?" said Leopold, in disgust. "When a Monster is attacked when a Union Monster is Equipped to it, the Union Monster takes the hit for it! You only managed to destroy the Protective Soul."

"Then make your move," said Andy.

Leopold drew a card.

"Ergh…" he growled.

"Disappointed with your draw, Leo?" asked Andy, with a smile.

"I'll move my two Indomitable Fighters to Defense Mode…" growled the Spawn, as the two Beast-Warrior's knelt.

"Then I'll draw…" said Andy.

_Aw, Tyrant Dragon?_ he thought. _I need to swap two Monsters for that!_

"Luster Dragon, attack the un-Equipped Fighter!" he ordered.

Luster Dragon attacked, and the first Lei Lei was blown away.

"Your move again…" said Andy.

Leopold drew.

"I play… The Shallow Grave…" said Leopold, playing a card. "This Magic Card lets us both revive a Monster from our Graveyards in facedown Defense Mode."

A facedown Monster appeared next to Lei Lei.

"Great!" answered Andy.

He placed Divine Dragon Ragnarok on his Disk, and it appeared facedown.

_Now I'll be able to summon my Tyrant Dragon!_ he thought.

"And now play… Book of Taiyou!" continued Leopold, playing a card. "This lets me Flip-Summon the Monster I just brought back! Morphing Jar!"

The card flipped face up, and the Morphing Jar appeared! (700/600)

Andy was clearly disappointed…

They both folded their hands, and drew five new cards.

"Leopold just took a big risk…" said Stan.

"I hear you," said Francesca. "That Morphing Jar has only 700 Attack Points, and now it's in Attack Mode. If Andy manages to attack it…"

"Wait…" said Stan.

He paused.

"What?" asked Francesca.

"I felt something…" said Stan, getting afraid. "When Leopold drew the fifth card, I sensed something… A force of incredible…"

He paused again.

"…incredible evil…"

Leopold grinned a sinister grin.

"I'll move Indomitable Fighter Lei Lei to Attack Mode…" he stated.

Lei Lei stood up.

"Then I'll separate him from Protective Soul Ailin…"

Protective Soul Ailin floated away from the Beast-Warrior.

Thunder started to roll over the forest. The sky darkened even more as Leopold held up a card…

"And now, I'll sacrifice my Morphing Jar and my Protective Soul Ailin…" he continued. "To summon a Beast-Warrior of legendary might…"

The two Monsters vanished…

"_I summon… Sengenjin!"_

What happened next resembled an earthquake. The ground shook, and a huge form rose out of the ground…

It was a huge ogre, fifteen feet tall, with blue skin and red hair. It had one eye, and a maw of sharp teeth. It wore a spiked harness, and fur trunks and boots. On its back it carried axes, maces, and other dangerous looking weapons.

The huge creature roared…

(2,750/2,500)

"What is that?" yelled Andy.

"His name is Sengenjin," chuckled Leopold. "Quite a looker, isn't he?"

Leopold chuckled softly.

"There's a history behind this card, Andy," he continued. "In the days of the ancient Shadow Games, this creature was only summoned in one Shadow Game. When he was, he broke free, intending to conquer the Earth!

"To do so, he embarked on a quest to collect all seven of the Millennium Items, and he collected three of them before he was defeated and banished back to the Shadow Realm."

Leopold chuckled again.

"Pegasus was a fool to immortalize his image in a card when he created the game. Bad luck stuck every duelist who used this rare card. They said these cards were cursed with his wicked aura! Sengenjin won't serve anyone willingly. He hates serving others. But he'll serve me… Do you know why?

"Because as one of the most powerful Earth Monsters in existence, Sengenjin only obeys a true master of Earth! His evil curse has no effect on me!"

Sengenjin growled in acknowledgement.

"But onto what we were doing…" he continued. "I play the Equip Card Mystical Moon! This Equip increases the Attack and Defense of a Beast-Warrior by 300 points."

He played the card, and Sengenjin rose to (3,050/2,800)

"God help him…" muttered Francesca.

"Now I activate my Deckmaster ability!" laughed Leopold, as his Life Points fell to 1,600. "Sengenjin, Frenzy!"

The huge ogre charged forward, first striking Luster Dragon and blowing it to pieces, and then punching at the facedown card, destroying Ragnarok.

Andy's Life Points fell to 900.

_No…_ thought Andy. _It's over_… _As soon as he attacks with Lei Lei…_

"Now, Lei Lei…" said Leopold with a grin.

He paused. Andy closed his eyes, waiting for the end...

Then Leopold laughed!

"HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA!" laughed Leopold. "Gotcha!"

He grinned.

"Scared you, didn't I?" laughed Leopold. "I was joking, Andy… If I use my Deckmaster's ability on one Monster, I can't attack with any others. It's just like Diffusion-Wave Motion."

Andy stared at him, and Leopold laughed out loud.

The three teens gave him dirty looks.

"It was a joke, people!" laughed Leopold. "Where's your sense of humor?"

"It wasn't funny!" shouted Francesca, now angry.

"Ah, well," muttered Leopold. "Since I'm getting sick of Lei Lei anyway, I'm going to play Mystik Wok, and sacrifice him to do so."

He played the card, and Lei Lei vanished into smoke. Leopold's Life Points went up to 3,700.

"That's my turn, Andy. Bet you're feeling really stiff now, huh?"

Andy was numb all over. He felt his chest, and it was solid stone too. Whatever was keeping him alive right now, it clearly wasn't his heart…

_Go ahead and summon anything you want_, Andy, thought Leopold, looking at the Monster Reborn in his hand. _I just played Mystik Wok to lure you into a false sense of security. Nothing you summon can have a defense that Lei Lei can't break when I bring him back. And then, one direct attack from Sengenjin will finish you!_

Andy looked at his hand.

_Only one card in my deck can possibly save me…_ he thought. _Given that backstory he gave, Sengenjin is clearly a Monster of Pride… but to defeat it, I have to draw that one card…_

He paused.

_I don't have much of a deck left… I have pretty good chances…_

He strained to reach his Disk… He drew a card…

The card shone in the dim light of the forest…

"Okay, Leopold," he said grimly. "Sengenjin is a powerful Monster, I'll admit that, but he'll be small potatoes compared to what I'm about to summon…"

Both Leopold and his Monster gave him confused looks…

He showed Leopold the card…

Polymerization.

"HA!" laughed Leopold. "Your Cyber-Twin Dragon isn't strong enough, Andy!"

"I'm not fusing two Cyber Dragons together this time, Leopold…" answered Andy.

He played the card.

"I'm fusing THREE of them!"

All three Cyber Dragons appeared on the field, and then swirled into a morass of light…

And then they formed into a huge, three-headed beast! It was half-again as big as Sengenjin, with enormous metal wings, and furious jaws!

"Meet my **_Cyber End Dragon_**!" shouted Andy.

(4,000/2,800)

Leopold gasped, and the huge Beast-Warrior drew back in fear…

"_Four-thousand Attack Points?"_ gasped Leopold. "How… where…"

Stan and Francesca were just as surprised.

"Where did Andy get _that_?" gasped Francesca.

"Marty sure had some good stuff…" chuckled Stan.

"I'm ending my turn, Leopold," said Andy. "Now use your smarts to think of a way out of this… If you can."

Leopold shakily drew…

"I… I shift Sengenjin to Defense Mode…" he gasped, as the huge Beast-Warrior knelt.

"And now I'll play Monster Reborn, to summon back Nekogal #2 in Defense Mode!"

He played the card, and the catlike Beast-Warrior reappeared, crouching in Defense. (1,900/2,000)

"Is that all?" asked Andy.

"Yes!" cried Leopold.

Andy drew a card.

"Then I should tell you that defending doesn't work with this guy," he said, "due to his trampling effect! Cyber-End Dragon, ultimate strident blast!"

Cyber-Twin Dragon shot forth three blasts of flame, and Sengenjin was incinerated!

Leopold screamed as his Life Points fell to 2,500.

"And I'm not done with you yet, Leo!" shouted Andy, playing the card he had just drawn. "I play De-Fusion!"

Cyber-End Dragon faded into a blur, and split into three Cyber Dragons! (2,100/1,600 x3)

"And that means I get three more attacks!" shouted Andy. "One…"

A Cyber Dragon shot forth a stream of flame, and Nekogal was burned up.

"Two…" continued Andy.

The second Dragon attacked, and Leopold hollered as his Life Points fell to 400.

"Three!" commanded Andy.

The last Cyber Dragon attacked, and this time there was no scream…

Andy looked up, as his three Dragons vanished. Leopold had been frozen in mid scream…

He was solid stone.

And then, darkness started to surround the statue, and he faded away.

The feeling came back to Andy's body, and slowly, his flesh was restored.

"Oh, Andy…" said Francesca, almost crying. "I thought for a minute you would…"

"It's okay, baby…" he said, slowly getting up. "It's okay… It was a terrible joke he made, but I had the last laugh…"

The stiffness slowly went away, and he could move with ease again…

But he was now exhausted. He knew he wouldn't be able to duel a normal duel again today, much less a Shadow Game…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_Take heart, Andy,_ thought Merlee. _For the time being, the Shadows will not plague you again. I can only hope your two friends are just as successful._

The Sengenjin card appeared in his hand.

_This card is a destructive thing that does nothing but destroy. I should burn it. But it is still of use for now. And my faith is growing that the Chosen Ones will succeed in the current task…_

_But when the Queen plans the next one, I will throw a wench into her machinery…_

**0**

**0**

**0**

"**Leogun":** Beast/Earth, Level 5, (1,750/1,550)

Deckmaster SA: "Frenzy": Pay 500 Life Points. One of your Beast or Beast-Warriors of seven stars or more can attack all opposing Monsters during the turn you use this ability. If you use this ability, none of your other Monsters can attack on the same turn.

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**Coming up next:**_

_**Maria greets the heroes, and she's itching for revenge for the humiliation that Francesca handed her last time! Fran may be in over her head now, as Maria literally tries to put her on ice. Tyson's Shadow Flames were bad enough, but Shadow Ice is just as bad.**_

**_Don't miss "Cold Shoulder," coming soon._**


	54. Cold Shoulder

_**When I dueled Maria the first time, I hated her. I hate to say that about anyone, but it's true in this case.**_

_**She insulted me, degraded me, and worst of all, she cheated. If it weren't for her mother's intervention, I likely would have lost.**_

_**Melissa, Kurtis, Tyson, and Leopold seemed to get smart – none of them wanted a repeat of their first defeat, and chose a different opponent the second time around…**_

_**But like Merlee said, Maria is heavy with the Sin of Wrath. She apparently never forgave me for humiliating her. And now she has demanded a rematch.**_

_**Well, big deal. I defeated her once, so I can do it again…**_

_**Yeah, believe that, Francesca…**_

_**Try your hardest not to lie to yourself in this situation, when the cold is overpowering, and your body heat is slowly being leeched away…**_

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Cold Shoulder**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

Andy lay down under the dark trees in the Forbidden Forest, and his shirt was off. Francesca was trying her hardest to massage the stiffness out of him.

"Mmm…" muttered Andy. "Remind me to get those hands of yours donated to the Smithsonian, Fran."

"Be serious, Andy," sighed Francesca. "We aren't out of the woods yet, so to speak."

Stan nodded.

"Maria's likely going to come gunning for us next," he said. "I know of a lot of Water Monsters that could embody Wrath… like Gogiga Gagagigo…"

"I was able to take down that stupid thing last time…" muttered Fran.

"Even worse," muttered Stan, "I know of a powerful card called Ocean Lord – Neo Daedalus. It's hard to summon, but if you summon it with Umi or A Legendary Ocean on the field, you can sacrifice the Field Card to destroy _every_ card on the field and in both players' hands except the Monster itself."

"How much more Wrath can you get?" asked Andy.

"Winning then if that maneuver is used would take a miracle…" muttered Stan, "seeing as it has enough Attack Points to defeat _anything_ that can be summoned without a sacrifice…"

"I'll still find a way," said Francesca, as Andy started to get up.

"How do you know she won't go after me?" asked Stan.

"Bzzt! Wrong!" shouted Maria's voice over the trees.

They looked up.

"Hey, Maria," sighed Fran. "Long time no see… And I _still_ don't see you…"

"You will in a minute," responded Maria. "And I want some payback after that humiliation at Keelhaul Key, Fran, so we're going to duel NOW!"

A peaceful-looking spring of sparkling water appeared twenty-feet in front of them.

"So if you'll kindly take a dip in there," she continued, "you'll be taken to my room, and we can…"

"We'll come," said Andy, annoyed, "but we'll come when we're good and ready!"

There was a pause.

"Andy…" sighed Maria's voice. "I'm not very patient…"

And then three tentacles reached out of the spring and grabbed their legs!

They screamed and tried to resist, but whatever the creature was, it was too strong for them, and they were dragged into the pool…

"I tried to be nice," chuckled Maria, "but did you comply? No… Deep breaths now…"

They held their breaths as they were dragged under…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

A second later, they seemed to be thrown out of the pool…

Their clothes were dry, but it was very cold.

They looked around. They were in a cavern made entirely of ice, beautiful and cathedral-like, but chilling. Stalactites and stalagmites with razor-sharp points and other ice formations decorated the place, and a cold wind blew through. Shadowy lights flickered.

"Ice…" said Maria's voice. "Solid water… hard, delicate, beautiful…"

"Cold…" muttered Francesca.

"Like the swift arm of vengeance…" continued Maria.

She walked out of the shadows. She had traded her pirate costume for a one-piece, strapless, blue bathing suit with a revealing thong and a great deal of cleavage (and was barefoot on top of it). The three teenagers couldn't imagine how she kept from freezing.

"After all," she said. "Revenge is a dish best served cold… And I'm going to force-feed it to you, Francesca."

"Nice fashion statement," muttered Fran. "Your mother must be the worst parent in the world – a mother who would let her teenage daughter wear a swimsuit like that…"

Maria chuckled.

"She doesn't care, Francesca," she answered. "And besides, my dad was native to a dimension that's all ocean. Often, the folks there don't bother with clothing at all – it gets in the way of swimming."

"So, exhibitionism is in your blood," muttered Andy. "Nice…"

Maria glared at him.

"Speaking of blood…" she said, balling her fist.

She paused, and then lowered it.

She chuckled.

"Let me tell you three one thing…" she said. "I could freeze all your blood solid right now or just make it boil… Or drown you all by filling your lungs with water. And I wouldn't lose any sleep over it if I did. However, if I did that, my mom would kill me, and that isn't an exaggeration.

"But I intend to get even with you anyway, Francesca. So we're going to duel!"

"Bring… it… on…!" muttered Francesca.

She activated her Disk.

A Duel Disk appeared on Maria's arm, and she activated hers.

"By the way, Fran," warned Maria, "I'm a lot nicer than my siblings…"

She chuckled.

"I'll tell you right away the punishment that's waiting for you… not that it will help…"

"How thoughtful…" muttered Francesca.

"As usual, the loser is banished," continued Maria, as the lights started to dim, "but take a look around… This ice that you see all around… It isn't just frozen water… It's Shadow Ice…"

Francesca didn't like the sound of that.

"As each player loses Life Points, her body will start to freeze," continued Maria, "until, when she loses, she'll be trapped in an unbreakable shell of ice… Nicely preserved and frozen forever."

She turned to Stan.

"Stan…" she said with a chuckle, "Tyson led you to believe that Hell was fire, but some philosophers are certain it's ice…"

She turned to Francesca.

"Prepare for Hell, Francesca!" she cackled.

Francesca gulped…

"Now for my Deckmaster…" said Maria, taking a card out of her deck. "You remember my Nightmare Penguin, don't you?"

She held up the card, and with a squawk, the evil-looking, tuxedoed penguin appeared behind her.

"I'll even tell you what he does," laughed Maria. "When I have a Water-Attribute Monster in Attack Mode, he gives it 200 more Attack Points. And while that may not seem like an awful lot, trust me, it can work wonders."

Francesca skimmed though her deck…

"Francesca!" said a voice.

"Madame Flurrie?" whispered Francesca.

"Yeah, it's me darlin'," answered Flurrie. "How about lettin' me out this time? I can help a great deal!"

Francesca looked at the card.

"Well, if you say so…" she said.

"I choose Madame Flurrie of the Fog!" she shouted.

In a puff of smoke, the glamorous Wind spirit appeared behind her.

"Good choice, darlin'," whispered Flurrie into her ear. "Now listen close…

"If you're hurt, I can take the total Attack Points of all that bimbo's Monsters on the field, divide the number in half, and add them to your Life Points. But I can only do it once, so wait until you need it."

"Okay…" said Francesca.

"Well," said Maria, drawing five cards, "it's time to duel!"

She looked at her hand.

_Perfect…_ she thought. _She'll never know what hit her!_

"I'll give you the first move," she said. "Again, not like it will make a difference…"

"Fine," answered Francesca, drawing six cards.

_Crud,_ she thought. _Only one Monster… fortunately, she's a good one…_

"I summon… Getsu Fuhma!" she shouted.

She played the card, and Getsu appeared on in front of her. (1,700/1,200)

"That will do for now…" she said.

"Perfect," chuckled Maria, drawing a card. "I'll simply place a Monster in Defense Mode, and end my turn."

A facedown Monster appeared.

Francesca drew.

_No Monsters at all now…_ she thought.

She looked at the facedown Monster.

_That thing could have a strong Defense or a powerful flip-effect, but if I know Maria, she's bluffing…_

"Getsu Fuhma, attack!"

Getsu Fuhma leapt up and swung with her sword…

A strange, slug-like thing appeared on the card before it was cut in half.

"What was that?" asked Francesca.

"It was a T.A.D.P.O.L.E.!" answered Maria, with a laugh. "It's an acronym. It stands for: This Aquatic Denizen Prepares Overwhelmingly Large Encounter. And since you destroyed it, I get to pull two other Monsters out of my deck."

Two cards slipped out of her deck.

"So, any other moves?"

"No," said Francesca. "Go ahead…"

"Then I'll place a Monster in Defense Mode again," laughed Maria, as another facedown Monster appeared. "And that will be all…"

_Strange…_ thought Francesca.

She drew.

_Now we're talking!_

"I summon Beautiful Headhuntress!" she shouted.

The kimono-wearing girl carrying a cleaver appeared. (1,600/800)

"Attack her facedown Monster!" shouted Francesca.

Beautiful Headhuntress struck…

…and destroyed another T.A.D.P.O.L.E.

"Another one?" asked Francesca.

"Yep!" laughed Maria. "That was what I got from the first one's effect."

Francesca raised an eyebrow…

"Getsu Fuhma, attack her directly!" she shouted.

Maria shielded herself, as Getsu Fuhma swiped at her with her blade!

Maria's Life Points fell to 6,300…

And then she shivered…

Ice slowly formed on her left foot, and then covered all of her leg!

"Seems your own punishment is starting to do you in, Maria!" laughed Francesca. "Sure you don't want to change your mind?"

_Laugh while you can,_ thought Maria. _With what I've got planned for you, you'll soon be a lot colder than I am right now…_

She drew a card.

"Another Monster facedown," she stated, as a third defensive Monster appeared, "and that's my turn."

"I don't like this…" muttered Andy. "It seems way too easy…"

"I know…" answered Stan. "She's baiting Francesca into something… Something I don't like…"

Francesca drew a card.

_Hmm, Mirror Force…_ she thought, looking at her hand.

"I'll place a card facedown…" she said, playing the card.

"But I'm not gonna fall for it, Maria, and do you know why? Because I know that that thing is another T.A.D.P.O.L.E.! For some strange reason, you WANT all three of them in your Graveyard! Well, I'm not going to attack, you hear me? Send it to your Graveyard on your own."

Maria chuckled as she drew a card.

"You were only half-right," she said with a snicker. "Truthfully, I only needed two of them in my Graveyard…"

She switched cards on her Disk…

"I sacrifice my weak T.A.D.P.O.L.E.," she exclaimed, "to summon a powerful amphibian called a Des Frog!"

The facedown card vanished, and a large frog, the size of Maria, appeared in front of her. (1,900/0)

Nightmare Penguin glowed, and its Attack increased to 2,100.

"A frog?" said Andy, puzzled. This was the weirdest thing he had ever seen.

"And I'm not done," chuckled Maria. "When a Des Frog is summoned via sacrifice, I can summon another one from my hand or deck for _each_ T.A.D.P.O.L.E. I have in my Graveyard. Lucky for you, I can only have three in my deck."

Two more Des Frogs appeared, each one with 2,100 Attack Points!

Francesca gulped. Then she remembered her Mirror Force…

"So…" she stammered. "Are you going to attack?"

"Eventually," replied Maria. "But first, I'm going to play a Magic Card…"

She played the card…

"Des Croaking!" she laughed. "When I have three Des Frogs on the field, this card lets them destroy every card you have on the field!"

The three Des Frogs let out a colossal croaking noise, and Fran's two Warriors covered their ears! They shattered into pixels! Then the Mirror Force shattered as well!

"No…" gulped Andy.

"It may have cost me a few Life Points to pull this combo off," chuckled Maria, "but now, you're defenseless! Attack directly my Des Frogs! Resounding ribbit!"

The three Frogs let out a loud croak again, and Francesca staggered back as the terrible sound waves ripped through her…

Her Life Points plummeted, all the way to 1,700…

And a fierce chill penetrated her body…

She shrieked as ice started to form over her legs… Then over her waist… It didn't stop until it had covered her breasts.

"Maria…" she whined. "What are… you doing…?"

"Remember the rules?" snickered Maria. "You just lost over three quarters of your Life Points, so that's how much of you gets frozen… Not very comfy, is it?"

Francesca was too taken back by the shock to reply.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"NO!" screamed the Unfriendly Amazon. "Francesca, you have to come back! We're rooting for you!"

"You're showing an awful lot of compassion for that girl," muttered Peten, "seeing as just a few hours ago you said you hoped she would, and I quote, 'rot in the Graveyard'."

The Amazon sighed.

"That was then, this is now," she mused. "And if Fran is beaten, the rest of them won't last long…"

"She's right," sighed End. "The three of them are like a chain. If one link is destroyed, I don't think the others can function. If they lose one member, the remaining two will likely be at the Queen's mercy… They can't let that happen…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"What's the matter Fran?" gloated Maria. "Cold? Hard to move? Hard to even breathe?"

"Want to know what will happen to you after you're sent to the Shadow Realm, Fran?" she asked in a mocking tone. "You'll be unbearably cold for a while, and then you'll get very sleepy. Sure, you'll try to fight off sleep, but you won't be able to do it forever. Soon, you'll collapse into an eternal slumber, where you'll suffer hideous nightmares until the end of time…"

She laughed out loud!

"I'll end my turn by playing one card facedown," she stated.

She played the card, and a facedown card appeared.

"F-f-flurrie?" gasped Francesca. "Now is… as good a time… as any…"

"Don't worry, darlin', I'm here…" said Flurrie.

Francesca struggled to draw a card…

"I'm… I'm activating my Deckmaster ability!" she shouted. "Lip Lock!"

Flurrie concentrated, and drew in energy from the three Des Frogs…

Then she gently kissed Francesca on the cheek, and her Life Points went up, reaching 4,850.

The ice started to shatter, until it was only up to her lower waist.

"Much better…" gasped Francesca, looking at the card she had drawn.

"Thank you lord…" muttered Andy.

"So you padded your points," gloated Maria. "I have three powerful Monsters on the field, and you have none! What can you summon that could stand up to them?"

"We'll… see," cursed Francesca. "I play… Pot of Greed!"

She played the card, and the Pot handed her two more cards.

_All right,_ she thought. _Now I can make frog's legs out of those things!_

"I summon… Amazoness Swords Woman, in… Attack Mode!" she shouted.

She played the card, and Swords Woman appeared. (1,500/1,600)

Maria raised an eyebrow.

"And now…" she continued, "I'm going to… Equip her with The Girdle of Hippolyta!"

She played the card, and the golden belt appeared around Swords Woman's waist, raising her Attack to 2,300.

"Swords Woman, take down… one of those Frogs!" she ordered.

Swords Woman made a swipe with her blade, and blasted one of the Frogs to pixels!

Maria's Life Points fell to 6,100.

"You're no fun anymore, Francesca…" she muttered.

"Make your move…" cursed Francesca.

"Well," muttered Maria, drawing, "since you're going to destroy my Frogs anyway, I'll make the most out of it…

"I activate my facedown card… Spiritual Water Art – Aoi!"

Her Trap Card lifted, and a form appeared on the field. It was a young girl in a white cloak with blue hair down to her ankles. She carried a staff tipped with a sapphire.

"Meet Eira the Water Charmer!" chuckled Maria. "The most powerful Water Wizard alive. And she knows a powerful spell called Aoi, which lets her sacrifice one Water Monster…"

Eira waved her staff, and a Des Frog vanished.

"…so that I can see your cards and make you discard one!"

Eira aimed her staff, and Fran lost control of her hand! It was forcibly turned towards Maria's sight.

"Interesting, interesting…" muttered Maria. "Now which one should I dispose of… I know… Premature Burial!"

The card flew into Francesca's discard slot, and Eira vanished.

"Now then, it's still my turn," continued Maria, "and I'll summon my Poison Draw Frog in Attack Mode."

She placed a card down, and another frog, this one smaller than Des Frog, with a card attached to its tongue, appeared. (100/100) –) (300/100)

"In… Attack Mode?" gasped Francesca. "But it… only has 300 Attack Points!"

"True, but if it were on your side of the field, it would have only 100," chuckled Maria. "Thus, I'm playing the Magic Card called Shien's Spy!"

She played the card, and a strange looking woman dressed in a peasant's outfit and a straw hat appeared.

She started to cast a spell, and the Poison Draw Frog appeared on Francesca's side, dropping to 100 Attack!

"Shien's Spy transfers one of my Monsters to your side of the field for one turn," explained Maria, as the spy vanished. "So now I'll attack it with my Des Frog!"

Des Frog let out another terrible croak, and the Poison Draw Frog was eradicated!

Fran's Life Points fell to 2,850

Francesca screamed, as ice started to cover her torso up to her breasts again…

"Even better," chuckled Maria, "since that Monster was sent to my Graveyard, I get to draw one card…"

She drew.

She grinned…

"This will be fun," she chuckled. "I get to gamble!"

"G-g-gamble?" asked Francesca, shivering with cold.

"I'll place two cards facedown," said Maria, playing two cards, "and then I'll activate a Continuous Magic Card…"

She played a card…

"Dangerous Machine Type-6!"

With a rumble, a huge machine appeared behind Maria! It had a circular face, with six numbered panels, and it sparked with electricity!

"That _does_ look dangerous!" gasped Andy.

"If you think Dangerous Machine Type-6 looks dangerous," chuckled Maria, "you should have seen Dangerous Machines Types 1 though 5. However, the effect of this thing won't start until my next turn, so I'm ending my turn now."

Francesca shivered as she drew…

"I summon… Amazoness Chain Master… in Attack Mode…" she shuddered, playing the card.

Chain Master appeared. (1,500/1,300)

"Well _that's_ a surprise, chuckled Maria, sarcastically. "I saw that gal in your hand, remember?"

Fran ignored her.

"Swords Woman," she ordered, "smash the last Frog!"

Swords Woman leapt forward and brought her sword down on the Frog, blasting it to bits!

"Chain Master, attack directly!"

Chain Master swung her grapple at Maria, and she cringed.

Her Life Points fell to 4,400, and the ice grew, covering half of her.

"Bitch…" she cursed.

"I'll play a card… facedown, and end," said Francesca, playing it.

A facedown card appeared.

"All right, Fran," said Maria, making a draw, "let me explain how this Machine works… every one of my standby phases, it will choose a number between one and six, at random. Each number does something different, which can hurt or help either of us…

"So let's see what it does this time!"

The numbers on the Dangerous Machine flashed in a chaotic pattern…

And finally, the number 3 lit up.

"Three," said Maria. "That means I get to draw one card."

A card flew off of her deck.

"And now I play Call of the Haunted!" she said, as her facedown card lifted.

A Des Frog appeared again.

"But I'm only bringing him back to sacrifice him," she continued, "for Amphibian Beast!"

Des Frog shattered, and a semi-humanoid Monster resembling the Creature From The Black Lagoon appeared. (2,400/2,000) –) (2,600/2,000)

"Go!" shouted Maria. "Attack her Swords Woman with sea claw!"

Amphibian Beast lunged forward…

"I activate… Waboku!" shouted Francesca.

Her Trap Card lifted, and the Beast was stopped dead in its tracks.

"Fran's barely holding on…" muttered Andy.

"She can do this," urged Stan. "I know she can…"

"My… draw…" said Fran with a shiver.

She drew, and looked at the card.

"I play… Gift of the Martyr!" she exclaimed. "And I'll sacrifice Chain Master to do it!"

She played the card, and Chain Master shattered. Swords Woman grew to an Attack Score of 3,800!

"Attack Amphibian Beast!" shouted Fran.

Swords Woman leapt forward, and cut the Beast in two!

Maria's Life Points fell to 3,200…

And the ice formed up to her breasts… She started to shiver…

"I'll play a card facedown, and end my turn…" muttered Francesca.

A facedown card appeared.

"You are good," muttered Maria. "But you're still nothing but a slut to me!"

"…coming from the girl wearing the thong bathing suit…" muttered Andy.

Maria growled as she drew.

The Dangerous Machine whirred again…

And this time the 5 lit up.

"HA, HA, HA!" laughed Maria. "Five. That lets me destroy one Monster!"

She pointed.

"Slaughter her Swords Woman!"

A large mechanical arm with a rotary saw reached out of the Machine! The saw started to spin, and lunged towards Swords Woman…

"Not so… fast!" shouted Francesca. "I activate… Dramatic Rescue!"

Her Trap Card lifted, and Swords Woman vanished. The saw only hit the ground, sending shards of ice flying.

"This let her… escape back to my hand," said Francesca, as the weapon retracted. "And now… I can summon… another Monster – Amazoness Fighter."

She placed a card down, and the muscular Amazon appeared. (1,500/1,300)

"Fine," muttered Maria. "I'll summon this in Defense Mode… Humanoid Slime."

She put down a card, and a glob of watery protoplasm appeared in front of her. It changed shape into a man-shaped glob wearing golden armor with gloppy hands. (800/2,000)

"I end my turn…" she said.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Yes!" shouted the Amazon. "Fran, you know what to do!"

"She does?" asked Peten.

"Maria set up a wall Monster," explained the Amazon. "If Francesca simply summons Swords Woman again, she can attack it, and keep attacking it, dealing Maria 500 points of damage with each blow!

"Do it, Fran!"

"Could Maria really have been that stupid?" asked Peten.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Let's just hope that thing doesn't land on a five again," muttered Stan.

"Are any of the results good for Francesca?" asked Andy.

"Wouldn't you like to know," answered Maria.

Francesca drew a card.

She forced a smile, and placed a card on her Disk…

Amazoness Swords Woman appeared again. (1,500/1,300)

"You… messed up, Maria," she chattered. "You forgot about this gal's special ability…

"Attack the Humanoid Slime!"

Swords Woman swung her blade at the amorphous creature! She bounced backwards, but Maria's Life Points fell to 2,700.

Maria snarled in rage…

"Your… move…" gasped Francesca.

Maria drew. The Dangerous Machine whirred again, and this time, the number 2 lit up.

Maria smiled.

"That number makes you discard a card, Francesca…" she chuckled.

A card flew out of Fran's hand, and into the Graveyard.

"We are having no luck!" gasped Andy.

Maria took the card she had just drawn, and placed it facedown. It appeared next to her other one.

"Now…" she muttered with a shiver. "Don't take this the wrong way, Francesca… I usually play this card along with Bad Reaction to Simochi. But since it likely hit the bottom of my deck, and my Life Points are pretty low, my options are rather limited…

"I'm helping you now, but I'll still bury you…"

She played a card.

"I play Rain of Mercy…"

Thunder rolled overhead in the cavern, and a warm rain fell on the two duelists. Some of the ice that was constricting them cracked and fell away, and some warmth started to return…

Francesca's Life Points rose to 3,850, and Maria's rose to 3,800.

"This is one of the closest I've ever seen!" exclaimed Andy.

"Yeah, but unless Maria can trade that Slime for an offensive Monster, she's in big trouble," added Stan.

"I'll end my turn there," said Maria.

Francesca drew a card.

"Swords Woman, attack the Slime again!" she shouted.

Swords Woman attacked with her sword…

"I activate… Destruction Punch!" shouted Maria.

One of Maria's facedown cards lifted…

As Swords Woman struck, she was propelled back fiercely, and then she shattered into pixels!

Maria laughed as her Life Points fell to 3,300.

"See, Fran?" she laughed. "I knew you would try this when I set up a wall Monster. So I put this Trap in my deck. That exchange may have cost me some Life Points, but your Amazon was destroyed for attacking a Monster with more Defense than she had Attack!"

She and Nightmare Penguin snickered.

Fran sighed.

Flurrie put her arm on her shoulder.

"Have faith, darlin'," she said. "You can still beat her. You're in the lead, and there's more to your deck than that."

"I hope…" answered Francesca.

She played a card.

"I'll end… my turn by playing… Art Attack," she said.

The card appeared.

Maria stared at her.

She drew.

Once again, the Dangerous Machine hummed…

It landed on the 4.

"Four?" asked Francesca. "What does… that do?"

Maria chuckled.

"It lets _you_ draw a card," answered Maria, with a smirk, "but I'm not gonna let you…"

Her other facedown card lifted.

"I was prepared… I activate Dice Re-Roll! Now my Machine will spin again."

The Machine whirred again…

And this time, it landed on the 6.

"AWK!" shouted Maria. "Not a six!"

"What does… that do?" asked Fran, in fright.

The Dangerous Machine Type-6 looked broken. It started to spark, sputter, and shake…

And then it exploded into pixels!

Maria was clearly angry…

"Does _that_ answer your question?" she asked.

She sighed.

"It's not wise to tempt fate…" muttered Stan.

"Shut up!" shouted Maria.

She chose a card.

"Continuing my turn," she growled, "I'll sacrifice my Humanoid Slime to summon my Defender Iceberg!"

Humanoid Slime vanished, and the ground rumbled…

An immense form rose out of the ground! It was a huge mountain of ice, with giant arms and a horned head! (0/2,450)

"…and as you can tell from its name," said Maria, "it goes in Defense Mode…"

"That's… uh… impressive…" muttered Francesca.

"Impressive and powerful," chuckled Maria. "Because for as long as it's on the field, it's the only thing you can attack!"

"No way…" gulped Andy.

"That will end my turn," said Maria. "So what will you do?"

Francesca drew.

"Nothing," she muttered. "I have to… pass…"

Maria drew a card.

"I summon Water Omotics in Attack Mode!" she exclaimed.

She played the card, and a female fairy in a scaly blue swimsuit and long, purple hair appeared, holding a jug. (1,400/1,200) –) (1,600/1,200)

"She kind of looks like me, huh?" asked Maria. "But I'm more beautiful…"

"That's open… for debate…" muttered Francesca.

"Water Omotics, drown her Fighter!" shouted Maria.

Water gushed forth from Water Omotics's jar, and formed into the shape of a dragon! It plowed into Amazoness Fighter, and she was washed away.

Her eyebrows narrowed.

"Your move…" she said.

Francesca drew a card.

"I play… Monster Reborn, to… bring back Getsu Fuhma!" she exclaimed.

She played the card, and Getsu Fuhma appeared on the ankh. (1,700/1,200)

"And that's all… I can do…" she muttered.

Maria chuckled.

"I know what your plan is, Francesca," she said, making a draw. "Next turn, your Art Attack card will summon four Monsters, one of which will be your Tiger. You'll blast down my Iceberg, and then attack me all at once.

"Well, I was prepared for your strategy. Watch as your plans go down the drain."

She played a Magic Card.

"I play The Dark Door. Now, both of us can only attack with one Monster per round.

"And I know you might summon another Swords Woman, so I'm getting rid of the Iceberg…

"I'm going to summon my most ferocious Monster with this, the Ritual Magic Card, Turtle Oath."

She played the card, and a huge altar with a turtle-shell covering appeared over the field.

"I'll offer my Iceberg and Water Omotics as sacrifices," she said, as the two Monsters vanished, "and in return, summon the incredible Crab Turtle!"

The altar vanished, and a huge creature, resembling a humanoid tortoise with one glaring eye and crab-like pincers appeared! It was fifteen feet tall, and eight feet wide! It roared in bloodlust…

(2,550/2,500) –) (2,750/2,500)

"Crab Turtle, show these teenage mutants what a full-grown turtle can do!" laughed Maria. "Attack Getsu Fuhma with vice grip!"

Crab Turtle roared again, and rushed forward. It grabbed Getsu Fuhma in its claw, and she screamed before shattering into shards!

Fran's Life Points fell to 2,800. The ice covered her breasts again, and once again, her body started to feel numb…

"Yeah?" muttered Francesca, making a draw. "Well it's my turn… And my Art Attack card… kicks in!"

She drew, and then the card on the field glowed.

Four cards flew out of Francesca's deck, and they landed on her Disk. First came both Amazoness Paladins (1,700/300) – (2,100/300), then Amazoness Blowpiper, kneeling in Defense Mode (800/1,500). Finally, Amazoness Tiger appeared next to them. (1,100/1,500) – (2,700/1,500)

Maria laughed.

"I hate to state the obvious," she snickered. "But one more Amazon, and you would have beaten Crab Turtle!"

Francesca glared at her.

"I'll place a card facedown, and that will be all…" she muttered.

She played the card she had just drawn, and it appeared.

Maria drew.

"Heh, heh," she chuckled, "perfect. I summon Penguin Warlock in Defense Mode."

She played a card, and a cartoonish penguin dressed in a wizard's outfit holding a staff appeared (0/0).

"Zero Attack… and Defense?" asked Francesca.

"Yes," said Maria with a grin, "but he can't be destroyed in battle. Also, if you target a Water Monster other than him with a card effect, such as Amazoness Spellcaster, I can discard one card to have him negate it.

"Face it Francesca, you'll never defeat Crab Turtle! You've lost! You're history! You're next stop is the frozen foods section of the Shadow Realm! Crab Turtle, attack her Tiger!"

Crab Turtle lunged forward and crushed the Tiger! She shattered.

Fran's Life Points fell to 2,750.

_She doesn't know it, but her plan isn't as foolproof as she thinks,_ thought Francesca. _And I have a feeling that her overgrown surf and turf there is the embodiment of Wrath that we're looking for. Not the best version of Wrath, but it's certainly wrathful. I just need the right card…_

She drew.

"I almost feel… sorry for you, Maria," she said. "Almost…

"I move Blowpiper… into Attack Mode…"

Blowpiper stood up.

"And now I play… Amazoness Spellcaster!"

She played a card.

"Weren't you listening?" asked Maria. "I can discard a card to have Penguin Warlock negate that effect!"

She discarded a card… Penguin Warlock raised his staff, and it glowed…

"Yes… but I can counter_ that_," answered Francesca. "I activate… Divine Wrath!"

Her Trap Card lifted and she discarded one of her own cards… thunder rolled…

"Since your Monster… tried to activate its effect, that effect is… negated, and your Monster is… destroyed!"

Penguin Warlock was struck by lightning! He screamed and shattered into pixels!

"And now…" continued Francesca, "my Amazoness Spellcaster's effect goes through!"

The aged Amazon gypsy appeared and started to chant…

**Amazoness Blowpiper:** (800/1,500) –) (2,550/1,500)

**Crab Turtle:** (2,750/2,500) –) (1,000/2,500)

"Blowpiper!" shouted Francesca. "Fillet that fish!"

Blowpiper leapt up and landed a kick in the Crab Turtle's huge eye! The great beast roared, and then shattered into a million pieces!

Maria's Life Points fell to 1,750…

And she shivered, not just in cold, but in terrible fear as well…

"I end my turn, Maria," said Francesca.

"Curse, you… bitch…" shuddered Maria, making a draw. "I'll beat… you… yet…"

She placed a card down on her Disk.

"I summon Aqua Madoor… in… Defense Mode…" she shivered.

A watery Spellcaster wearing a mask appeared, and shielded himself. (1,200/2,000)

"My… Dark Door… is still in place!" she shivered. "You can't get… to my Life Points!"

Francesca drew a card.

_Yes I can,_ she thought. _I destroyed her soul, and now I'll destroy her… by using my own soul as a bullet!_

"I summon… Amazon Archer!" she shouted.

The young Amazon with a bow and arrows appeared. (1,400/1,000)

"And now," said Francesca, "I can use her special ability, and sacrifice two Monsters to hit you directly for 1,200 points of damage! So I'll sacrifice my Blowpiper and one Paladin."

Blowpiper and a Paladin vanished, and Archer pulled her bow back. She fired, and Maria screamed!

Her Life Points fell to 550, and the ice reached to her neck…

"Almost…" she gasped. "But you don't have enough ammo… to finish me off…"

"Yes I do…" said Francesca. "Because now I'm going to sacrifice my other Paladin… AND the Archer herself."

Maria gasped in fright…

Archer pulled back her bow. The other Paladin vanished…

Archer started to fade too, but before she vanished, she fired another arrow, striking the Shadow Spawn of Water!

There was a scream that was quickly silenced. The three teens looked, and saw that Maria had been frozen solid in a block of ice…

And then she vanished completely.

The ice constricting Francesca vanished, and she flopped to the ground. Her cards spilled all over the floor.

"FRANCESCA!" shouted Andy.

He ran up and hugged her.

"It's okay, baby, it's okay…" he said, comforting her.

"Cold…" she muttered. "So cold…"

"We'll be warmer soon…" he assured her. "The Queen will pay for this…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

In Rogueport, Merlee sighed.

He gestured, and the Crab Turtle card appeared in his hand.

"Only Vladimir remains," he mused. "He'll target Stan, for sure – Andy and Francesca are too tired to fight in a Shadow Game under fair conditions…

"But Vladimir is the deadliest yet. He has more tricks than simple Skull Servants. I was confident about the abilities of the Chosen Ones up to this point…

"But now…

"All I can say is, I'm not sure…"

**0**

**0**

**0**

**DANGEROUS MACHINE TYPE-6 (Magic Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Magic/Continuous  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description:** Image of a crazy machine with six panels, sparking with electricity. Once per turn, during your Standby Phase, you can roll one die. Enact the following effects depending on the roll: 1) Discard one card from your hand. 2) Discard one card from your opponent's hand at random. 3) Draw one card. 4) You opponent draws one card. 5) Destroy one opposing Monster. 6) This card is destroyed.

_Note: "Dangerous Machine Type-6" is a Japanese promotional card that has not yet been released in the United States. It was used by Joey in the anime episode "Down in Flames (Part 2)"._

**0**

**0**

**0**

**DEFENDER ICEBERG (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Aqua/Effect  
**Attribute: **Water  
**Level: **6  
**ATK: **0  
**DEF: **2,450

**Card Description:** This impenetrable sheet of ice protects its master at all costs. When this Monster is face-up on the field in Defense Position, your opponent cannot target another Monster for an attack.

_Note: "Defender Iceberg" was used by Crump in the anime episode "Freeze Play (Part 2)". All creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0**

**0**

**0**

**PENGUIN WARLOCK (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Aqua/Effect  
**Attribute: **Water  
**Level: **3  
**ATK: **0  
**DEF: **0

**Card Description:** This strange bird practices stranger magic. This Monster cannot be destroyed as a result of battle. When a Water-Attribute Monster (other than this one) is targeted by a card effect, you can discard one card from your hand to negate the effect.

**0**

**0**

**0**

"**Madame Flurrie of the Fog":** Wind/Fairy (1,800/1,000)

Deckmaster SA: "Lip Lock": Once per duel, take the total current ATK of all face-up opposing Monsters, divide the sum in half, and add the total to your Life Points.

**0**

**0**

**0**

"**Nightmare Penguin":** Aqua/Water (900/1,800)

Deckmaster SA: "Water Enhancement": All Water-Attribute Monsters on your side of the field in Attack Position gain 200 Attack Points.

_Note: Crump used Nightmare Penguin as his Deckmaster in the anime episode "Freeze Play". All creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**The end of the gauntlet is within sight, but Vladimir challenges Stan to a terrifying battle, held within the endless void of the Shadow Realm itself – without his friends to support him! **_

_**What happens at the end of this duel might surprise you.**_

**_It's all coming in a chapter called "Deeper Darkness", coming soon._**


	55. Deeper Darkness

_**Call me Merlee. I can't give you my real name just yet.**_

_**I've watched the progress of the six children known as the Shadow Spawn since they were each born. Evil was implanted in their hearts at an early age, and wickedness was planted within them; it only grew worse when they received the power over Shadow…**_

_**One might think that the one whom the Queen raised as her heir would be the most evil of the siblings, the most wicked…**_

_**But Vladimir is a strange case. Maybe because he, alone of the Spawn, had a human father, maybe because of inborn wisdom, maybe because of a bump on the head when he was a kid… I don't know…**_

_**But for some reason, there is more hope for him than for the others.**_

_**I firmly believe that all the Spawn can be saved… All except Vladimir have fallen victim to their own diabolic punishments by now, but I know secrets about these Games, and so does the Queen. The Spawn were not born evil, and they are young… It isn't too late…**_

_**Crimes cannot be undone, but sins can be cleansed.**_

_**But before that can be done, the Queen's evil plans must fail. She lost all hope for redemption centuries ago. **_

_**I can only watch this duel between my protégé and Vladimir now, and see the result. This will be the duel I will learn the most from…**_

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER FIFTY-FIVE**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Deeper Darkness**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

In the dark bowels of the Palace of Shadow, cells with bars and manacles lined the walls. There wasn't much use for these cells – the Queen used the Graveyard as a prison.

In one large room, a young man brooded.

As he looked at the cards in a dueling deck, a thought came to his mind…

_What am I?_

His name was Vladimir. He had two major titles: The Shadow Spawn of Darkness, and The Heir of Shadow.

Both were titles he didn't want, and would gladly have given to someone else if he wanted them.

Merlee had been only partially right in identifying the sin which weighed down his heart. Yes, Envy was thick in it…

But he was mostly envious of the average duelist – the type who laughed and played with his friends… The type who could play card games for enjoyment.

Duel Monsters was never a form of recreation for him… It was a deadly weapon.

He possessed powers over Shadow, and he was one of the best duelists his mother had. So when the most skilled duelists had to be disposed of in a Shadow Game, it was his responsibility.

He'd done it nineteen times in the past ten years…

Nineteen Shadow Games…

Nineteen souls locked away in the darkness.

Every time his mother made him do it, he grieved for the victim. He remembered them all plainly. Their terrified looks… Their screams… But refusing to do it wasn't an option…

The _one_ time he had refused, he had been tortured for a fortnight.

He fully planned on taking his own mother down in the same fashion someday. But until he was strong enough, he had to obey…

And if things went as planned, in less than an hour, the number would be an even twenty…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

After Maria's defeat, the ice cavern gave way to a much warmer cave, and the three teens stopped to rest.

Andy and Francesca sat slumped against each other, almost too tired to move.

"That leaves Vladimir…" sighed Stan. "But there hasn't been any word from him yet…"

"Maybe he'll leave us alone," gasped Francesca. "He doesn't seem like the type…"

"Trust me," answered Andy, "he'll come…"

But after half an hour, nothing happened.

"Well, we're just wasting time here…" muttered Stan.

And then the walls started to melt away.

"Ho boy…" he said.

The walls of the dark dungeon rose up, and they saw the last of the Shadow Spawn in front of them.

They looked at each other for a few seconds…

"Vladimir…" said Francesca. "It doesn't have to go down like this! You're better than the others! You don't want to…"

"It isn't a question of what I want to do, Fran," sighed Vladimir, shaking his head. "I gave up my right to decide what I wanted a long time ago."

"You aren't evil!" protested Andy. "You can still…"

"Am I, Andy?" he interrupted again. "Whether I am or not is up for the greater powers to decide, but it's too late to turn back…

"Evil or not, I've committed too many crimes against humanity in my brief life to ever be forgiven. If you knew some of the things I've done, you'd be appalled…

"You'd hate me as much as you hated my siblings, damn them… I wouldn't blame you. I hate myself as it is."

"Vladimir…" protested Stan. "I remember when we entered the Palace and your brothers and sisters tried to kill us… You weren't with them! You're better than they are!

"You don't have to do this…"

"I must…" said Vladimir, raising his hand. "And let me say in advance, Stan, I'm so sorry…"

At that moment, Stan felt himself falling! He was falling through a void of darkness!

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

In the room where the Unfriendly Amazon, Peten the Dark Clown, and the End of Anubis were held prisoner, they were shocked to see that the viewing orb in front of them went dark.

"What happened?" asked Peten.

The Fiend near him concentrated.

"Dark energy," he said. "Shadow magic of the most powerful type. I can feel it in my bones.

"Whatever Vladimir has done with Stan, Stan may be in for the fight of his life…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Stan got up…

He was in a void, with a dark sky both above and below. Starry points of light twinkled in the ether.

He was standing on what looked like a rocky platform, eight feet across.

He looked ahead of him, and Vladimir appeared on a similar platform, with his Disk in his hand.

"Where are we?" asked Stan.

"I've altered the rules a bit, Stan," said Vladimir. "In the previous Shadow Games, you and your friends had to worry about being banished here…

"But now, the actual duel is going to take place in the endless void. The loser remains… The winner gets to return.

"Other than that, no special rules apply. I'm not one to savor pain like my siblings do."

He took a card from his deck.

"But I will try my hardest to defeat you," he said, holding the card out in front of him. "And my Deckmaster is one of the most powerful in the whole system…"

"How bad could it be?" asked Stan.

Vladimir's eyes narrowed.

"It's one of the most feared and hated creatures of darkness in the game, Stan," he replied. "But I'll let it speak for itself…"

The card flew from his hand, and fluttered over his head…

In a flash of light, an intimidating form appeared behind Vladimir…

"JINZO?" gasped Stan.

It was indeed Jinzo. The robed android with the bionic cranium, glowing goggles, and fanged grill for a mouth was clearly recognizable.

The creature crossed its arms and stared at Stan, and _through_ him as well.

"I take it you can figure out what this means," said Vladimir.

_No kidding,_ thought Stan, taking out his deck. _It means my Trap Cards are worthless, and I really don't have time to replace them all! If he's going to use a Deckmaster this powerful, I'm going to need to find one that's just as powerful!_

He looked at a card…

_This one is worth a shot…_ he thought.

"I choose Sorcerer of Dark Magic!" he exclaimed, holding it up.

In a flash of light, the powerful Spellcaster appeared behind him.

And then a voice of timeless wisdom came from the Monster…

"_Stan…"_ said the Sorcerer. _"Our foe is powerful, that I can sense, but calm yourself, and listen carefully…_

"_My Deckmaster ability of Reincarnation can allow you to Special Summon any Spellcaster of four stars or less from your Graveyard, if you simply discard one card from your hand._

"_But be careful. If such a Monster is sent to the Graveyard a second time, it will be removed from play._

"_Use this ability wisely, and with a great amount of luck, we may yet emerge victorious…"_

"Okay…" answered Stan.

"It's time to duel!" he said, drawing five cards.

The Life Point counters each set to 8,000.

"I'll even let you go first," said Vladimir, drawing five.

"Fine," said Stan, drawing a sixth. "I summon Magician's Valkyria, in Attack Mode!"

In a twinkle of light, Valkyria descended, floating over the void in front of Stan. (1,600/1,800)

"That will do for now…" he stated.

"I see…" said Vladimir, drawing a card.

He placed a card down.

"I summon an infernal contraption known as Drillago, in Attack Mode!" he exclaimed.

A hideous Machine that was almost all drills and screws appeared in front of him. (1,600/1,100)

"Oh, and by the way," mentioned Vladimir, "when the only cards you have on your side of the field are face-up Monsters with 1,600 or more Attack Points… like right now… this thing can attack you directly."

"Oh geeze…" muttered Stan.

"Drillago, attack!" ordered Vladimir.

The drills on the crazy Machine spun, and it lunged forward! Valkyria was thrown aside, and the thing rammed into Stan!

He fell back, and was caught by the Sorcerer.

He took some deep breaths. His Life Points fell to 6,400.

"Well, that was… unpleasant…" he said, making a draw.

He looked at the card.

"You like Dark Monsters, Vladimir? Here's one… I summon Vivian the Shadow Siren!"

He played the card, and the cute, ghostly Spellcaster appeared! (1,800/1,000)

"Vivian, take out Drillago with your Fiery Jinx!" shouted Stan.

Vivian shot a stream of flames at Drillago, and the Machine burst into pixels!

"Valkyria, attack directly!" he shouted. "Bright rainbow blast!"

Valkyria leapt up, and shot a blast of light at the Shadow Spawn. He cringed, and his Life Points fell to 6,200.

"Who needs Traps?" chuckled Stan.

"This duel is just starting Stan," sighed Vladimir, drawing a card.

_There it is,_ he thought, looking at it and the other cards in his hand. _The final piece I need to make my strategy complete…_

"I'll place three cards facedown," said Vladimir, placing three of them into slots.

Three facedown cards appeared. Stan raised an eyebrow, and then looked at Jinzo.

"Next I'll play Premature Burial, to bring back Drillago…"

He played the card, and his Life Points fell to 5,400. The Machine returned.

"And now, I'll sacrifice Drillago to summon forth a beast from your darkest nightmares… I summon… Helpoemer!"

Drillago shattered, and a new creature appeared…

It was clearly a Fiend, but Stan had never seen something so fiendish in his life. It looked like a humanoid made of black leather, with fanged mouths all over its body! It wore a purple kilt, and was seated on a throne made of dull, chipped rock. (2,000/1,400)

Stan gulped.

_Get ahold of yourself!_ he thought. _Yeah, it's ugly, and creepy, but I can handle it…_

"Helpoemer…" ordered Vladimir. "Attack Valkyria with nightmare gaze!"

The beast's eyes opened, and it glared at Valkyria…

Stan quickly discarded White Magician Pikeru.

"Vivian! Protect Valkyria!" he shouted.

Vivian grabbed hold of Valkyria, and they vanished into the shadows. The Fiend's attack struck nothing.

"Very well," said Vladimir. "I end my turn…"

He stared at Stan.

Stan drew a card.

_Cybernetic Magician,_ he thought. _This guy can wipe out creepshow there, but I need to trade another Monster for him…_

_But which?_

_Sigh, Vivian is useful, and I hate sending her away, but having two Monsters whose effects require discarding is not a good idea…_

"I sacrifice Vivian to summon Cybernetic Magician!" he shouted.

Vivian grinned at Vladimir, and then spun around before vanishing…

And then Cybernetic Magician arose! (2,400/1,000)

"Attack Helpoemer!" shouted Stan. "Cyber magic attack!"

The Magician's punch-dagger glowed, and he shot forth a beam of light! The Fiend screamed with all of its mouths, and shattered!

Vladimir's Life Points fell to 5,000.

"Valkyria, you know what to do…" said Stan with a grin.

Valkyria aimed her staff at Vladimir.

"Activate… Draining Shield!" shouted Vladimir.

His Trap Card lifted, and a dome of energy surrounded him. Valkyria's blast was absorbed, and his Life Points rose to 6,600.

"What?" gasped Stan. "Hey, that's a Trap! Jinzo is supposed to negate ALL Traps!"

"Normally, that's true," replied Vladimir, "but when Jinzo is a Deckmaster, it lets me use all the Traps I want, while only negating yours."

Stan paused.

"But…" he stated. "Why didn't you use that to save Helpoemer? Unless you…"

Vladimir looked at him.

"When your turn comes around again," answered Vladimir. "You'll see what Helpoemer can truly do."

"What are you talking about?" asked Stan. "I just sent it to your Graveyard."

"Wrong," said Vladimir. "Since it was destroyed as a result of battle, it's not in my Graveyard…

"It's in _yours_…"

Stan's eyes opened wide… He looked at his Disk…

"W-w-what's it doing in there?" he asked.

"You'll see," said Vladimir. "But don't try removing it with Monster Reborn or a similar card, because it can't be Special Summoned from a Graveyard."

He drew.

"I play Pot of Greed," he said, playing the card.

As always, the jar appeared, and handed him two more cards.

"Next I'll activate my other two Traps…" he said. "Both of them are Continuous."

The two facedown cards lifted.

"The first is called Coffin Seller. This Trap will cause you to lose 300 Life Points whenever one of your Monsters is sent to the Graveyard. And it doesn't matter whether that Monster is destroyed, sacrificed, or otherwise discarded.

"The other one is called Magical Thorn. This will cause you to lose 500 Life Points whenever a card is discarded from your hand, for any reason."

"Who are you going to use, Don Zaloog?" asked Stan.

"No," replied Vladimir, placing a card on his Disk.

A Monster started to appear.

"I summon one of Kaiba's favorite Monsters… Vorse Raider."

The wicked Beast-Warrior in armor holding a huge axe appeared, swinging it menacingly. (1,900/1,200)

"Attack Magician's Valkyria!" ordered Vladimir.

Vorse Raider growled, and hurled his axe! Valkyria screamed and was blasted into pixels!

Stan's Life Points fell to 6,100, and then again to 5,800.

The axe flew back to Vorse Raider's hand.

"As you can see," said Vladimir, "the Coffin Seller Trap is already working…"

"All right… my move!" shouted Stan.

He drew a card and looked at his hand.

_He left that Vorse Raider on the field in front of my Cybernetic Magician, completely defenseless,_ he thought.

He paused.

_His problem…_

"Cybernetic Magician, attack Vorse Raider!" he shouted.

The Magician cast forth his cyber magic, and Vorse Raider howled before blowing up.

Vladimir's Life Points fell to 6,100.

"Well that was incredibly…" started Stan. "HEY!"

A ghostly hand reached out of his discard slot and grabbed his A Rival Appears! card! It pulled it into the discard slot with it.

Stan stared in disbelief, and his Life Points fell to 5,300.

"The secret's out," said Vladimir. "Now, every time you end a Battle Phase, Helpoemer will grab a card from your hand, at random… You'll lose 500 Life Points from Magical Thorn, plus another 300 from Coffin Seller if the card happens to be a Monster.

"You see my strategy now, Stan? The only way you can avoid losing Life Points from Helpoemer is by not attacking at all, and you can't win that way… But if you attack, your hand will be destroyed, and you'll lose Life Points a little at a time."

"I'll beat you yet, Vlad…" muttered Stan.

But he had to admit, this was one of the deadliest strategies he'd ever seen…

"My draw…" said Vladimir.

He drew a card.

"I'll help us both out, Stan, by playing Card of Sanctity."

A bright flash lit up the dark void, and coins fell from above.

Vladimir drew four cards, and Stan drew two.

_Help me…_ thought Stan_. Right. He's really giving Helpoemer more to choose from…_

"I'll place a Monster in Defense Mode, and end my turn," said Vladimir.

A facedown Monster appeared.

Stan drew a card.

_Attacking will just hurt me,_ he thought. _But not attacking will give him a chance to summon something nasty._

"Cybernetic Magician, attack!" shouted Stan.

Cybernetic Magician blasted the facedown card…

And a spooky grim reaper holding a scythe appeared before shattering.

"That was Emissary of the Afterlife, Stan," said Vlad. "And when it's sent to the Graveyard, both players can search their decks for a Normal Monster of three stars or less."

"A Normal Monster of three stars or less?" asked Stan, looking at his Disk. "Uhm, I… don't have one."

"Well I have one," said Vlad, going to his deck.

He took out a card and showed it to Stan.

"A guy called Ancient Brain. And since you declared an attack…"

The ghostly arm reached out and grabbed Stan's Sibling Rivalry card.

His Life Points fell to 4,800.

_This is nuts…_ muttered Stan.

"Make your move…" he said.

Vladimir drew a card.

"Since you like Spellcasters so much, Stan," he said, "I'm going to summon a very powerful one myself…"

He fit a card into a slot.

"I play Polymerization, to fuse the Ancient Brain I just got with Tainted Wisdom!"

Two creatures appeared. The first was an ugly Fiend with a huge brain for a cranium, a green robe, and raven-like wings. The second was simply a shriveled-up brain.

The Polymerization card appeared, and they swirled into a murky blur…

A dark portal appeared in front of Vladimir, and a sound like armor clanking sounded… A hulking form stepped out, hideously revealed!

It was a fiendish creature, clad in a breastplate shaped like a skull, and a skull-like helmet with huge horns. He had a nasty sword, and a shield that was also shaped like a skull. (2,650/2,250)

"Uh…" muttered Stan. "Uh huh… That's Skull Knight, huh?"

"Yes," stated Vladimir, "all 2,650 Attack Points of him. And I'll end my turn by placing a card facedown…"

He placed a card in a slot, and a facedown appeared.

Stan drew.

_This will cost me some Life Points,_ he thought, looking at his Spellbinding Circle, _But I have to use Cybernetic Magician's special ability._

"All right, Vlad!" he exclaimed. "I'm activating Cybernetic Magician's special ability. I'll discard this Trap that I couldn't use anyway…"

He discarded Spellbinding Circle, and his Life Points fell to 4,300.

"And your Skull Knight is reduced to 2,000 Attack Points!"

Skull Knight fell to 2,000 Attack.

"Attack!" shouted Stan. "Destroy him!"

Cybernetic Magician powered up his magic.

"Not so fast, Stan!" shouted Vladimir. "I knew all about your Magician's effect, so I put something to protect my Knight… Activate Rush Recklessly."

His facedown card lifted. Stan gasped in fear as Skull Knight's Attack rose to 2,700!

Skull Knight knocked the blast aside and struck with his sword, blasting Cybernetic Magician out of existence!

Stan stared in disbelief for a second…

Then Helpoemer's hand reached out, and grabbed his Ebon Magician Curran!

He looked at his Life Point counter: 2,900.

One stupid move had cost him a total of 1,900 Life Points. 500 from activating his Magician's effect, 300 from his Magician's death, 300 from Coffin Seller the first time, 500 from Magical Thorn, and another 300 from Coffin Seller a second time.

As he took another card from his hand, he realized that another mistake like that would be his last…

"Mystical Elf in Defense Mode," he stated.

He played the card, and Mystical Elf appeared, kneeling. (800/2,000)

"That will end my turn, Vladimir," he said, "that's enough for one turn, I must say…"

"I must say…" agreed Vladimir, drawing a card.

"Skull Knight, attack the Elf!" he shouted. "Off with her head!"

Skull Knight swung his sword, and beheaded Mystical Elf.

Stan's Life Points fell another 300 points, to 2,600.

"Your move…" he said.

_What can I do?_ he thought. _Every move I make just brings me closer to losing!_

"_Stan…"_ said a voice behind him.

He turned and saw Sorcerer of Dark Magic.

"_As grim as this situation is,"_ said the Spellcaster, _"you can still fight, so long as you still have Life Points left…"_

"But how?" asked Stan. "I can't even use your effect… I'll just lose more Life Points. Even worse, I'm all alone…"

"_No you're not,"_ said the Sorcerer. _"Your friends are standing behind you back at the Palace, and the three of you have other allies supporting you…_

"_Your tower is strong, Stan… Your allies are numerous. In your quest so far, people have supported you with their cheers and their hopes… Hopes that the Shadow Queen would be defeated._

"_Let me show you…"_

He raised his hand…

Images flashed in Stan's mind…

He imagined himself in the Great Tree, where Punio and Petuni urged him to fight Kurtis the first time…

He remembered Francesca's duel in Glitzville against her brainwashed friend… He swore then that the Queen would pay for the vile act…

He remembered his duel with Leopold for the first time, how the jerk had forced him to duel with the lives of the entire population of Twilight Town on the line… They were so grateful afterwards…

He had dueled tag-team with Francesca against Roboyarou and Robolady… Fran had sacrificed all her Life Points to save him, and he had defeated their Master of Oz to save her and Andy…

In his duel against the ghost pirate Cortez, he had not only won his Crystal Star, but freed a soul from a terrible curse…

Soon after, he had helped free Diana from the same wicked brainwashing that enspelled Yumi…

All the duels that had gotten him here, and Monsters, real and holographic, that he had defeated… Gate Guardian, Sacred Phoenix, Vampire Genesis, even a Perfectly Ultimate Great Moth…

So many victories were now looking back at him, and with each, an ally was cheering him on.

He wasn't alone… He had a fortress of iron…

And he could defend it!

He drew!

"I summon Goombella the Scholar in Defense Mode!" he shouted.

He played the card, and Goombella appeared. (500/2,000)

"And now for her Tattle!" exclaimed Stan.

Goombella winked, and four cards floated off his deck.

_Hey…_ he thought. _I've got an idea…_

He made some rearrangements, and they floated back.

"That's it for my turn," he stated.

"Fine," said Vladimir, drawing.

He placed a card down on his Disk.

"I summon Witch's Apprentice in Defense Mode…"

A blue-robed Spellcaster with a peaked hat carrying a broom appeared, with white, feathered wings on her back, in a sitting position. (550/500)

"This Spellcaster makes Dark Monsters even darker," said Vladimir, "increasing their Attack Scores by 500 Points."

Skull Knight rose to 3,150 Attack, and Witch's Apprentice herself rose to 1,050.

"Skull Knight, attack!"

Goombella stared defiantly, as Skull Knight closed in with his sword…

She was smashed to pieces, and Stan's Life Points fell again, to 2,300.

"Fine," said Stan. "But she helped me a great deal…"

"What do you mean?" asked Vladimir.

"Because now I know what my next four draws will be," answered Stan, "and they're gonna throw your strategy into that abyss down there!"

He drew a card.

"And now I play Heavy Storm!" he yelled, playing a card.

Skull Knight and Witch's Apprentice braced themselves, as fierce winds swept through the void! Coffin Seller and Magical Thorn were blown to pieces!

"Clever…" muttered Vladimir. "But that didn't get rid of Helpoemer, and I still have a very powerful Monster on my side of the field."

"Well then," said Stan, "I'll just summon The Illusory Gentleman in Defense Mode, and end my turn there…"

He played the card, and the cyclopsed Spellcaster appeared, crouching in Defense. (1,500/1,600) –) (2,000/1,600)

"Fine, Stan," muttered Vladimir. "But you aren't the only one who's capable of drawing a Monster…"

He drew.

_Kuriboh?_ he thought. _Then again, I'd rather save this…_

"Skull Knight, attack the Gentleman!"

With one slash of his sword, The Illusory Gentleman was no more.

"Your move…" said Vladimir.

"Okay, here goes… something!" yelled Stan, making a draw.

"I play my own Pot of Greed!" he shouted.

The Pot handed him two more cards.

He looked at the cards. His eyes opened.

He could solve the immediate problem now, but a light sparked in his head.

_Hey…_ he thought, looking at his cards. _Maybe that rotten Helpoemer can actually help me._

A strategy started to form.

"I'll play two cards facedown," he said, placing two cards into slots.

_What is he doing?_ thought Vladimir. _He knows his Traps won't work…_

"Now I summon Watapon!" exclaimed Stan, playing the card.

The puffball Fairy appeared.

"And since I drew Watapon using Pot of Greed," he continued, "I can now sacrifice it, to summon Chaos Command Magician, in Attack Mode!"

Watapon vanished, and the robed sorcerer of Light appeared, casting a shining glow on the void! (2,400/1,900) –) (2,000/1,900)

"Sure," said Stan, "Your Witch's Apprentice reduces his Attack Score by 400…"

Chaos Command Magician aimed his staff at Witch's Apprentice, and she gulped.

"…but that's far from enough to save her! Chaos Command Magician, chaos magic!"

Chaos Command Magician shot forth a beam of light, and Witch's Apprentice was blown into fragments!

Chaos Command Magician returned to 2,400 Attack, and Skull Knight fell to 2,650 Attack.

_Okay, Helpoemer,_ thought Stan. _Be a good abomination, and do what I want…_

The hand reached out of the discard slot, and grabbed a card…

_Ye-ess!_ thought Stan.

"Welp, that's my turn, Vlad old boy," he said.

_Now, let's just pray Vladimir doesn't draw a four-star Monster stronger than Vorse Raider right now…_ thought Stan. _If by some chance he draws a Giant Orc, I've had it…_

"That was a foolish move, Stan," said Vladimir, drawing. "You killed Witch's Apprentice but now what price will you have to pay? Now your Magician is doomed, and you will be too…"

He placed down a card.

"I summon Gil Garth in Attack Mode!"

A creature looking like another infernal machine, this one humanoid with a hunched back and carrying a nasty sword, materialized. (1,800/1,200)

"Skull Knight, attack his Magician!" shouted Vladimir.

Skull Knight leapt forward, and cut down Chaos Command Magician.

_Here it comes…_ thought Stan.

"Gil Garth, attack directly!" shouted Vladimir.

The machine-Fiend flew forward and slashed with its sword! Stan screamed and fell over…

Sorcerer of Dark Magic caught him again, as his Life Points plummeted to only 250.

_It's almost over…_ thought Vladimir. _Well, at least Stan put up more of a fight than the others…_

_Congratulation, Vladimir… this is an even twenty. I do hope you're proud of yourself…_

"Heh, heh…" chuckled Stan.

He wiped his mouth.

"HA, HA, HA!"

"Why are you laughing?" asked Vladimir, surprised. "Are you aware of the stakes of this duel!"

Stan drew a card, still chuckling.

"Oh yeah…" chuckled Stan. "I'm aware. But you didn't see my own strategy, Vladimir, even when it was right in front of your face!

"I activate my first facedown card… Soul Release!"

His facedown card lifted.

"See, I put this on the field to make sure Helpoemer wouldn't grab it. Now I can remove from play up to five cards in either Graveyard. But I'm only gonna get rid of one… Helpoemer, begone!"

A vision of Helpoemer appeared behind him. The creature screamed, and shattered into pixels!

"It's gone, Vladimir, gone for good," continued Stan. "But y'know, I really ought to _thank_ the guy!"

"Thank him?" said Vladimir, shocked.

"Yeah!" laughed Stan. "You see, the last card it snatched was a very powerful Monster that normally needs two sacrifices to summon… But because he grabbed it out of my hand and threw it in the Graveyard, I don't have to sacrifice squat!

"I only have to play the other card I put on the field…

"…Monster Reborn!"

The other facedown card lifted… The holy ankh appeared…

And Dark Magician of Chaos arose! (2,800/2,600)

"Ho boy…" muttered Vladimir.

"Magician, wipe out Skull Knight!" shouted Stan. "Chaos scepter blast!"

Dark Magician of Chaos spun his scepter, and shot forth a burning wave of black energy, blasting Skull Knight apart!

Vladimir's Life Points fell slightly, to 5,950.

_Incredible…_ he thought. _That was the best strategy I have ever seen…_

"And that's my turn, Vlad," said Stan.

Vladimir drew a card.

"Okay," he sighed, "Gil Garth goes into Defense Mode…"

He turned the card, and the Fiend shielded itself.

"And I also summon Wall of Illusion in Defense Mode."

He set a card down, and a frightful wall with a fiendish woman's face on the center appeared. (1,000/1,850)

"Just so you know, Stan," he added, "if this Monster is attacked, the Monster responsible will be returned to your hand."

"We'll see…" said Stan.

He drew a card.

"I play Double Spell!" he exclaimed. "Now, I'll discard this…"

He discarded his Diffusion-Wave Motion.

"…and I think I'll duplicate your Card of Sanctity."

The bright flash lit up the void again. Stan drew five cards. Vladimir wasn't so lucky; he only got to draw one.

"And I couldn't have asked for better," continued Stan. "First I'll summon Skilled Dark Magician."

The robed, black Spellcaster appeared. (1,900/1,700)

"And now I'll play a card that will put me right back into this… Sweet Treat!"

He played the card.

_His Enchanted Card!_ thought Vladimir.

The gingerbread cookie appeared, holding its die. It threw it.

_Come on, roll high…_ thought Stan.

The die bounced on the nonexistent floor…

…it landed on a four!

_So,_ thought Vladimir, as Stan's Life Points shot up to 4,250, _it's not over yet…_

_But while he may have defeated my Helpoemer strategy… another deadly creature lurks in my deck. And soon it will be unleashed…_

"I'm ending my turn, Vlad," said Stan.

Vladimir drew a card.

"I'll place a Monster in Defense Mode," he said, "and that will be all…"

He played the card, and a facedown Monster appeared.

Stan drew a card.

_All right,_ he thought. _His Soul Card embodies Envy… I really don't think Helpoemer fit the bill… That guy was more like Greed. _

_Which likely means he has something else planned…_

"I summon Neo the Magic Swordsman," he shouted.

He threw the card down, and Neo appeared.

"Now, let's clean up!" he said, pointing. "Skilled Dark Magician, take out Wall of Illusion! Black magic blast!"

Skilled Dark Magician aimed his staff, and fired, shattering Wall of Illusion!

The Spellcaster flickered and vanished. Stan caught the card.

"I'll just summon him again next turn," continued Stan. "Dark Magician of Chaos, take out Gil Garth!"

Vladimir cringed as Gil Garth was blown into teeny-tiny pieces!

"Neo, destroy his facedown Monster!"

Neo charged with his sword…

Sangan appeared on the card, and was cut in two.

"Aw, crud…" muttered Stan. "I should have attacked _that_ with my Chaos Magician."

"But you didn't," said Vladimir, taking a card from his deck, "so now I can pull the most powerful creature in my deck."

Stan stared at him.

"The most powerful creature in your deck has less than 1,500 Attack Points?" he asked.

"_Much,_ less," answered Vladimir. "But anyway, I can't summon it without… special conditions. Is it my move yet?"

"Yeah," muttered Stan, trying to think of what powerful Monster with a low Attack Score he had gotten…

Vladimir drew.

He covered his eyes as he looked at the card.

"Vladimir, what's wrong?" asked Stan, suspiciously.

Vladimir maintained some trace of a poker face, but it was clear he was upset.

"I was fully prepared to duel you, Stan," said Vladimir, with an evil grin, "so I put this Magic Card in my deck…"

His hand shivered as he played the card.

"I play Last Day of the Witch!"

The card appeared, and fired twin beams of energy, and both of Stan's Spellcasters were eradicated!

"That's playing dirty, Vladimir!" cursed Stan.

Vladimir held his head for a minute.

_I know it is, Stan,_ he thought_. I know…_

He clenched his fist.

_Curse you mom, curse you to Hell! I protested a hundred times, telling you that it was an unfair card to use against him, and that I shouldn't put it in my deck, but you just wouldn't let it go!_

_I don't deserve to win after playing such a cheap card…_

He took another card from his hand.

"I summon Opticlops in Attack Mode…" he growled.

He played the card, and the one-eyed cyclopsed Fiend appeared. (1,800/1,700)

"Attack…" he muttered.

He averted his gaze, as the Fiend blasted a ray of energy at Stan, striking him in the chest and knocking him down again.

Stan's Life Points fell to 2,450.

The Sorcerer helped him up a third time.

"Vladimir," he cursed. "You're going down…"

He drew a card.

_Lovely,_ he thought. _Skilled Dark Magician can take out that guy, but without my Trap Cards, he likely wouldn't last long…_

_Hey wait… My Deckmaster might be able to help…_

"I summon Skilled Dark Magician again…" he stated.

He played the card, and Skilled Dark Magician reappeared. (1,900/1,700)

"And next," he said, "I'll discard my Negate Attack to use my Deckmaster's ability! Reincarnation!"

Sorcerer of Dark Magic glowed with dark energy. Magician's Valkyria reappeared next to Skilled Dark Magician! (1,600/1,800)

"Skilled Dark Magician, destroy Opticlops!"

Skilled Dark Magician fired, making short work of the Fiend.

"Magician's Valkyria, attack directly!"

Magician's Valkyria fired her blast, striking Vladimir in the chest!

He gasped, and his Life Points fell to 4,250.

"My… move…" he said.

He drew a card.

"Well Stan," he said, "now I'm going to summon that almighty low-Attack Monster… But first I'm going to summon… Kuriboh!"

He placed a card down, and the tiny, cute, furry Fiend appeared. (300/200)

"You _summoned_ Kuriboh?" asked Stan in surprise. "That isn't a Monster you're supposed to summon. You're supposed to discard it from your hand to negate battle damage!"

"True, but it suits my needs right now," said Vladimir. "But let me tell you about the set of cards I'm about to use…"

"_Set_ of cards?" asked Stan.

Vladimir nodded.

"You see," continued Vladimir, "originally, Pegasus only made one set, and he made them for his own personal use… In fact, he designed them _specifically_ for his inevitable duel with Yugi Mouto to act as his assassin…"

_What?_ thought Stan. _This creature was some sort of an… assassin? Created with my mentor in mind?_

"…but his plans failed, and the prototypes were eventually made into some very rare promotional cards," continued Vladimir. "Prepare yourself…"

He played a Magic Card.

"I cast the Black Illusion Ritual!"

A creepy altar with the Eye of Wdjat on the front, and two vessels that looked like smoking cups appeared…

"Considering how powerful this creature is, this Ritual is incredibly easy," said Vladimir. "Only one star level is required as sacrifice, so Kuriboh is enough…"

Kuriboh was sucked into the altar.

"And now… behold Relinquished!"

The altar burst into fragments, and a huge form appeared! It was a hideous abomination with clawed arms, a conical spire in place of legs, a circular maw, and two huge protrusions that suggested wings. On a stalk in the center was perched a single golden eye, thrust forward. (0/0)

"What the hell is that thing?" gasped Stan. "Zero Attack and zero Defense?"

"Not for long," said Vladimir. "Relinquished, your target is Magician's Valkyria! Absorption force!"

Relinquished's single eye glowed, and a light appeared on Valkyria's mid-section…

She screamed, and was sucked into the beast's maw!

Stan almost screamed himself…

Then he noticed that the stats of Relinquished itself changed…

(1,600/1,800)

…exactly what Valkyria had!

"Surprised?" asked Vladimir. "Relinquished can assimilate opposing Monsters, and its Attack and Defense become that of the victim."

Stan growled as he drew a card…

"Skilled Dark Magician, kill that thing!" he shouted.

Skilled Dark Magician aimed his staff…

And then Relinquished folded his wings, and Magician's Valkyria's body appeared, held prisoner on one of them!

The Magician fired, and she shattered!

"It isn't so easy, Stan," said Vladimir. "Attack Relinquished, and you'll only destroy the assimilated Monster. And while that attack cost me 300 Life Points, it cost you just as much!"

Vladimir's Life Points fell to 3,950, and Stan's fell to 2,150.

"I can't do anything else…" muttered Stan.

"In that case," said Vladimir, drawing, "Relinquished, now target Skilled Dark Magician!"

Relinquished cast its evil spell again, and swallowed the Spellcaster!

(1,900/1,700)

"And now since you're defenseless," continued Vladimir, "Relinquished, pilfered power attack!"

The abomination shot a beam from its single eye, and Stan was thrown backwards yet again!

Sorcerer of Dark Magic caught him yet again.

"That hurt!" shouted Stan, as his Life Points tumbled to 250.

"To end, I'll place a card facedown," said Vladimir, placing the card he had just drawn into a slot.

A facedown card appeared.

Stan slowly got up and drew.

_This has to be his Soul Card,_ he thought. _Envy, huh? This creature is helpless without aid from others… It has to be!_

_I think I know how to defeat it… I have to have two Monsters on the field at once, one of which can destroy the assimilated Monster, and the other to attack the big guy itself…_

_But attacking while it has an assimilated Monster might finish me off! What can I do?_

He discarded a card.

"I'll discard my Dust Tornado, to use my Deckmaster ability, and bring back Mystical Elf in Defense Mode!"

Mystical Elf appeared. (800/2,000)

_That will buy me one round at least, he thought._

"Very well," said Vladimir, drawing, "now too…"

He looked at the card. His eyes opened.

"Well, time to take this duel even further…" he said.

"Further?" gasped Stan in fear.

"Yes," answered Vladimir, "by making an upgrade on my Monster…"

"Upgrade?" gasped Stan, in terror.

He placed a card down on his Disk.

"I summon Thousand Eyes Idol…"

A weird creature appeared. A thousand eyes might have been exaggerating, but it sure had a lot of them all over its green, bulbous body. (0/0)

"What does that do?" gulped Stan.

"On its own, nothing," answered Vladimir. "But I can use Polymerization to combine it with Relinquished to form something even stronger!"

He played the card, and the two Monsters vanished into the vortex…

And then, a beast even more hideous emerged. It was the same general shape as Relinquished, but bigger, uglier, with a fanged mouth, two glowing red eyes to each side of the central one, and gruesome bumps all over it… (0/0)

"Oh… my… God…" muttered Stan.

"He can't help you now," said Vladimir. "And although I lost Skilled Dark Magician, Thousand-Eyes Restrict can do the same thing as Relinquished…"

The beast's fanged mouth opened, and for the first time Stan ever saw, Mystical Elf screamed! She was sucked into the creature's maw!

(800/2,000)

"Of course, since this is a Fusion Monster, I can't attack right now," continued Vladimir, "but I can use its effect…"

He held out his hand.

"_Sengan Jubaku!"_ he shouted.

Then the "gruesome bumps" all over the thing opened, and Stan saw them for what they were… eyes. Hundreds of evil, glowing, beady eyes! They cast a horrible light over the whole arena!

"What's going on?" shouted Stan.

"It's a curse, Stan," said Vladimir. "Thousand-Eyes Restrict's thousand orbs cover the whole playing field in an aura of fear so terrifying that not even the bravest Monsters can oppose it! So long as this Monster is on the field, it is the only Monster that can attack!"

Stan looked in terror.

"Make your move…" sighed Vladimir.

_You won't be getting out of this one Stan,_ he thought.

He looked upwards.

_Well, mother, I hope you're satisfied…_

Stan made a small prayer, and drew a card…

He looked at his hand, then at the field.

"I'm using my Deckmaster ability… twice!" he said, discarding two cards. "I'll Special Summon Ebon Magician Curran, and The Illusory Gentleman from my Graveyard!"

The two Spellcasters appeared.

"Now, I'll sacrifice Curran, to summon Dark Magician Girl!" he shouted.

Curran vanished, and Dark Magician's cute apprentice appeared. (2,000/1,700)

Both Spellcasters drew back in horror from Thousand-Eyes Restrict…

"Perhaps you didn't hear me the first time," said Vladimir, nervously. "Due to the curse of Sengan Jubaku, they can't attack, and even if they could, you'd lose all your Life Points in the process."

"I don't need to attack," said Stan, "I'm taking down your monstrosity another way! I play…"

He played a Magic Card.

"…Magical Dimension!"

Vladimir's arm went to his Disk… He was about to activate his Trap Card…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

It is amazing how much can happen within the span of one second…

Just one second.

Stan did not know the nature of the facedown card Vladimir had placed, and before the second began, Vladimir had every intention of triggering it…

If he did, Stan would lose on Vladimir's next turn… One attack against The Illusory Gentleman would cost both of them 700 Life Points, more than Stan had.

If he didn't, Stan would win… Vladimir knew what Magical Dimension could do.

But during the span of that one second, Vladimir weighed the two options…

What would happen if he triggered that Trap?

Stan would be banished… That was what his mother wanted… His mother would be proud of him then…

But did he really want that?

What would happen after?

He was the last Spawn left… More Shadow Games would surely follow. His record wouldn't stop at twenty. More duelists would fall, and he'd be the one responsible. His mother might even tell him to dispose of Francesca and Andy after this… They were exhausted right now; they had no chance.

The darkness inside him would grow until his soul was an empty shell… Just like that of his mother's…

And what if he didn't trigger it? What then?

He wouldn't be coming back from this place, but maybe at long last, it would be a release from his mother…

…a small chance to find salvation in the solitude… Penance for his crimes…

…and a final chance to prove, at least to her, that he could _not_ be controlled.

All this he considered in the span of one second…

…one second to make the hardest choice he had ever had to make…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"…Magical Dimension!" shouted Stan.

Vladimir lowered his hand…

The facedown card did not activate…

"To activate this card," stated Stan, "I need a Spellcaster on the field, and I have two… Then I can sacrifice one Monster to summon any Spellcaster from my hand!"

The Illusory Gentleman vanished, and Dark Magician appeared! (2,500/2,100)

"And then," he continued, "I can destroy one Monster!"

Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl clashed their staffs together, and a mighty spell lit up the void!

Thousand-Eyes Restrict groaned, and exploded into tiny pieces!

Vladimir bowed his head.

"Finish it," he muttered.

"Go!" shouted Stan. "Double dark magic attack!"

The two Spellcasters fired their powerful spells at Vladimir…

He strained against the onslaught, and then fell to his knees…

…a small grin appeared on his face…

His Life Points hit zero.

He didn't look up at Stan.

"I'm beaten…" he said. "Go…"

"Wait…" said Stan.

A portal started to appear behind him…

"I said go!" ordered Vladimir.

The Spawn looked up, and his eyes glowed red. He made a push with his hand, and Stan flew backwards…

…through the portal.

Vladimir looked for a while where his opponent had been.

He took the Trap Card out of the Disk.

He looked at the Magic Jammer…

He sighed, and placed it and the rest of his cards in the discard slot…

Then he hurled the Disk itself into the void.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

At the very front of the Thousand Year Door.

The Relinquished card appeared in Merlee's hand.

_Strange,_ he thought. _Vladimir chose what he thought was eternal imprisonment rather than continue to serve his mother…_

_This is all the proof I need to do what I must do…_

_I know what the Queen's next move will be… and it is time I intervened personally. _

_The Spawn are still alive. I hear their cries of anguish and fear through the void. And the Queen is not through with them yet. Her opinion of them has changed, and she will use them as practical slaves from this point on… But I will change that._

_There is still hope for you, Vladimir… There is still hope for all six of you._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Stan fell through the portal, back into the dark dungeon.

"STAN!" shouted Francesca.

"Ugh…" muttered Stan.

"What happened?" asked Andy.

Stan slowly got up.

"Suffice to say… I won…" he muttered.

He paused.

"Still, something just wasn't right about that whole exchange…"

He paused again.

"Well, I'll figure it out later. Now let's get out this dungeon…"

He sighed in exhaustion, and opened the next door.

It didn't lead to a way out.

It led to some type of computer room. A large computer with a huge screen stood in front of a keyboard, drives, cabinets, and other paraphernalia.

"A computer?" asked Andy. "What on earth…"

Then the computer came to life.

"Hello?" said a voice. "Is someone there?"

"Huh?" said all three of them at once.

"Is anybody there?" asked the voice, with a sense of urgency.

There was a pause.

"Is that you Josephine?" said the voice, angrily.

"Uh, there's no Josephine here…" muttered Francesca.

"Wait, I know you three…" said the voice. "Quick, you have to let me out!"

"Let you out?" asked Stan, going up to the computer. "From where?"

"I'm in the computer!" said the voice. "The Shadow Queen locked me in here!"

"Okay, this is weird…" muttered Andy.

"I can help you, really!" pleaded the voice. "Just get me out of this thing…"

They looked around.

"How?" they all asked.

"See that thing next to the keyboard that looks like a credit card scan?" said the voice. "You need to scan a Dark Spellcaster with at least eight stars!"

Stan looked at his deck.

"Well, I have one…" he said. "But how do we know you won't hurt us?"

"Look," said the voice, "wouldn't a prisoner of the Shadow Queen want to help you?"

Stan paused.

"I can't argue with that…" he said.

He took his Dark Magician of Chaos out of his deck, and scanned it through the scanner.

Slowly, like something out of _Star Trek_, a small form materialized in front of them.

They didn't expect this. The figure in front of them was a boy who couldn't have been more than ten years old. He wore a spotlessly clean, white, schoolboy's outfit – the kind worn by rich kids – and his hair was dyed aquamarine.

He stood up and looked at them.

"Thanks…" he said.

"You're welcome…" said Fran in surprise. "Excuse me for asking the obvious… but… who are you?"

The boy sighed.

"My name is Noah," he said. "Noah Kaiba…"

**0**

**0**

**0**

**GIL GARTH (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Fiend  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level: **4  
**ATK: **1,800  
**DEF: **1,200

**Card Description:** This half-Fiend/half-mechanical monstrosity was created using the technology of the Dark World. It has no soul, and shows no emotions as it kills its victims.

_Note: "Gil Garth" is a Japanese promotional card that has not yet been released in the United States. It was used by Marik in the anime episode "The Darkness Returns (Part One)"._

**0**

**0**

**0**

"**Sorcerer of Dark Magic":** Spellcaster/Dark, Level 8, (3,200/2,800)

Deckmaster SA: "Reincarnation": Discard a card from your hand to Special Summon one SPELLCASTER-Type Monster of four stars or less from your Graveyard. If a Monster Special Summoned in this way is sent to the Graveyard, it is removed from play.

**0**

**0**

**0**

"**Jinzo":** Machine/Dark, Level 6, (2,400/1,500)

Deckmaster SA: "Trap Nullification": Your opponent cannot activate Trap Cards. So long as the Deckmaster is not summoned to the field, you can activate Trap Cards of your own normally.

_Note: Leichter used Jinzo as his Deckmaster in the multi-part anime episode "Settling the Score". All creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**First, some words of explanation:**_

_**If you are wondering what the heck "Sengan Jubaku" means, it's Japanese for "Thousand Eyes Curse." In the original Manga, during Pegasus's duel with Yugi, that was the command he gave for Thousand-Eyes Restrict to use its effect.**_

**_Anyway, our mystery guest has shown his face – the inventor of the Deckmaster system, Noah Kaiba!_**

_**But with him comes a lot of questions…**_

_**How did he survive the destruction of his father's virtual world? What is he doing here? And what does he want? **_

_**And most importantly… Is he friend… Or foe?**_

_**Coming up next, see the answers to these questions, and also…**_

_**The origin of the Shadow Queen!**_

**_It all comes out in a chapter called "Shadows Lengthen", coming soon…_**


	56. Shadow's Lengthen

_**I am known as the Shadow Queen…**_

_**But as much as many would believe, that isn't always what I was. **_

_**Every powerful being has a beginning. Some are born into power and wealth, as the Queen of England was. **_

_**People of power like this are often boring. People who earn power are more interesting. Those who start at the bottom and work their way up.**_

_**Abraham Lincoln was born into a family so poor, they couldn't afford paper. He never went to college, or even high school. But he clawed his way up from poverty to become a wise and powerful man who saved America from destruction.**_

_**Americans admire him today, but he wasn't well-liked in his time, even by many on his side of the conflict. No American President had a harder and more difficult presidency than him. He was faced with a nation that had turned against itself. He did his job while cannon fire could be heard in the distance from the White House.**_

_**And he accepted the difficulties. He took them in stride. One story says that a political opponent once called him two-faced. His response was: "If I had two faces, do you think I'd wear THIS one?"**_

_**The way I achieved my crown was easier than Lincoln's task, and unlike him, I have survived attempts by assassins. Many times.**_

_**But the opponent I am facing has reminded me of my origins…**_

_**And reminiscing about the past can be dangerous in my line of work…**_

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER FIFTY-SIX**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Shadows Lengthen**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

Stan, Francesca, and Andy wanted answers…

Fortunately, the strange child was full of them.

As he led them through the twisting dungeon, the boy with the same last name as one the greatest duelists in the world told a bizarre story, which seemed too incredible to believe.

They were frightened by one aspect…

…what cause would he have to lie?

"So what are you, Noah?" asked Stan. "A ghost of some sort?"

Noah sighed.

"Essentially, I'm pure mental energy," he replied. "Thoughts made solid. My true body is gone, and getting a new one is a pipe dream that will likely never happen…"

"And you dueled Kaiba _and_ Yugi?" asked Fran.

Noah sighed again. He nodded.

"And I caused them a lot of anguish they didn't deserve," he answered. "When the virtual world was destroyed, I thought I'd be… deleted, something I deserved. Something I would have accepted as a punishment up to the part that it happened."

"How did you survive?" asked Andy.

"Someone was watching over me," replied Noah. "I got 'lucky', sort of…"

They turned a corridor.

"A virus was implanted in the system that neither I nor my father knew about. It was magical in nature, and normal firewalls and anti-virus programs aren't designed to combat magical glitches.

"All during the time Yugi and his allies were fighting for their lives in that nightmare, the Shadow Queen was spying on them and me.

"I don't know what her eventual goals were to that matter, but when I programmed my father's satellite to attack the base, she acted. At the exact instant the reality was erased, she used something along the lines of a wireless modem and a storage system with a near infinite capacity to download me into the Palace of Shadow. I still don't know how I'm able to live outside a computer in this form…

"Magic… who knows?

"Anyway, she was brief and to the point when we met. I had invented the Deckmaster system, and I implemented it using technology. She wanted to adapt the system using her magic, and needed my help."

He grimaced.

"I refused, of course. I had caused enough people enough pain. But she didn't need me to be willing. She simply locked me in shackles and painfully downloaded the information right out of my mind…"

"That's horrible…" muttered Francesca.

Noah opened a door. They entered a circular chamber.

"Is there any way we can help you?" asked Stan.

"You should be asking how I can help you," replied Noah with a grin. "I've caused enough pain, so I want to do something to make up for it now… I want to atone for my sins…

"I'm going to take care of the Queen myself…I'm going to duel her."

They gasped.

"Noah, wait!" urged Francesca. "The Queen might well be too powerful to defeat! We don't even know what she's capable of in a duel!"

Noah looked in her eyes.

"That's my intention, Francesca," he replied. "My chances may be slim… But you'll at least see this happen. Even if I lose, you have to pay close attention. You might see her strategy and figure out a weak spot in it."

"There's no telling what she might do to you if you lose…" warned Stan.

Noah let out another sigh.

"You people have no idea what's at stake," he answered. "If she gets free, the Armies of Shadow will march all over the world, with little to oppose them! It will start a whole Age of Darkness that would make previous attempts at domination look tame…

"You can't worry about me. By all rights, I should have been dead nine years ago. There's really nothing left for me in my life. I have nothing to lose whatsoever. But by helping you…"

He paused.

"…maybe I can face death knowing that I helped make a difference."

They watched him as he walked to the center of the room.

"I know you're watching," he said. "I escaped… Aren't you going to try to chain me up again?"

There was dead silence for a minute.

"I'm waiting, Josephine!" he shouted, tapping his foot.

"Josephine?" asked Stan. "Who's Josephine?"

The three teenagers looked at each other.

Creepy shadows started to lengthen in the room…

"I told you, Noah…" snarled the Shadow Queen's voice. "You are _not_ to call me that!"

"How about if I just call you a bitch instead?" asked Noah. "Is that better?"

From out of the darkness, the coldly beautiful form of the Shadow Queen appeared. Her eyes glowed with red light…

Stan, Andy, and Francesca had seen her three times before, but now she was much more frightening. An aura of fear that crept into them seemed to radiate from her body.

The Queen herself was beautiful in the way a thunderstorm was beautiful. Her figure and bone structure was perfect, and her skin was porcelain white without the slightest blemish. Her black, low-cut dress was frilled and fancy, seemingly revealing too much and not enough at the same time. A necklace of emeralds graced her neck, and a golden crown set with a single large diamond was set upon her waist-length, golden hair.

"Uh…" muttered Andy.

"Why don't we let Noah handle this?" said Francesca with a shudder.

The Queen drifted up to Noah, and he looked her in the eye.

"I'm not afraid of you, Josephine," he said. "When you've been through as much as I have, that evil sorceress getup just doesn't cut it…"

"Uh, Noah…" muttered Stan. "Maybe you're forgetting that she's a _real_ evil sorceress?"

She glared at them.

"You three be quiet…" she commanded.

The change started to come over Andy.

"Maybe we don't want to be quiet," he snapped. "You've been causing us grief for weeks now, and frankly, I've had about enough…

"And we only now find out that your name is Josephine? Why keep your real name hidden? It isn't like…"

The Queen glared at him, and he stopped.

She drifted over to them.

"Yes, that is my real name," she stated. "At least… I assume it is…"

"You _assume_ it is?" asked Andy. "You aren't even sure what your real name is? You have serious issues…"

The Queen chuckled.

She took a pocket watch out of her dress and looked at it.

"Well," she sighed. "The stuff I was cooking needs two more hours to simmer, so I suppose I can stay and chat a while this time…"

She sat down… On nothing!

It was like some invisible chair had been conjured up.

"Noah hacked into my system and read some private files before I could stop him," she stated. "Diary entries from over twelve-hundred years ago, which was the last time I went by that name…

"Want to know how I got the title of Shadow Queen, children? It's quite a story…"

_Yeah, keep talking…_ thought Andy. _The more we know, the better._

"Before becoming a queen, I was a princess," she continued. "The daughter of a minor king of a small nation that no longer exists. He had several concubines, and he never told me which one was my mother. He didn't want me to have a mother, and whichever member of his harem was her, she would have been doomed if she had told me…

"He forbade it, and she would have been sealed in the Shadow Realm if she disobeyed. See, he knew Shadow Magic, and he made everyone believe he was a master of it.

"I wanted to know it too, but he wouldn't teach me. But I was curious… I wanted the power he had. So when I was about your ages, I did research into forbidden knowledge…

"And I found a way to summon a demon who could grant such power."

She chuckled.

"You know how it usually goes in books and movies?" she asked. "A mortal wants wealth, power, or almost anything, so he summons this mighty creature, and signs a contract in his blood promising his soul upon death in exchange…

"That wasn't how it went this time. There are many types of demons, and some ask for different prices. This one didn't want souls. He wanted names."

"Names?" asked Stan. "Are you serious?"

The Queen chuckled again. Noah grinned.

"Crazy, right?" she asked. "That's what I thought at first. From what I could discern, these demons had no names of their own. Their race didn't even have a name. So they got mortals to give them theirs in unholy bargains.

"And when I spoke to this guy, I discovered that I had hit the proverbial jackpot. He thought that the name 'Josephine' was the best name he had _ever_ heard of, and he wanted it _badly_. Maybe it would have made him the envy of all these other nameless demons, I don't know.

"So he sweetened the pot. He would give me the power of Shadow, plus other incredible powers, and even immortality…

She laughed.

"He said he'd even make me beautiful as a bonus. I was really a Plain Jane back then… A short, fat little thing with bad hair…

"All I had to do was sign a contract saying that my name was now forever his.

"My initial response was that I would be stupid to refuse. So I agreed. And once he was done, I had incredible powers… But the name 'Josephine' was totally wiped from my memory. I had forgotten every single instance when I had been called that.

"It didn't occur to me at the time that it might have been a bad decision.

"See, I was prepared. I had _known_ that he'd want my name. So beforehand, I had written it down in dozens of places, and told all of my most loyal servants to tell me what it was when I was done…

"But every time I saw it written, every time someone called me by that name, it just didn't fit. I couldn't identify myself with it. It was like it just wasn't me anymore.

"And that's because, quite simply, it wasn't. The demon had stripped my name from my body, spirit, and soul. I wasn't a girl named Josephine anymore. The name simply wasn't mine. It was his.

"I tried to adjust… But it was impossible. When folks addressed me as Josephine, I didn't know who they were talking to! Try to imagine if everyone called the three of you 'Roger' repeatedly, and you might get a comparison."

There was a long pause. It was hard to make a comparison.

"But while I had no name, I had power. And I tested it out on my father. His powers were nothing compared to mine! I knew then that the reason he didn't teach me was because he was no master… He was an amateur at using Shadow."

"Your own father…" muttered Francesca in disgust.

"He was a rotten parent anyway," said the Queen.

"So I gave up trying to accept my old name, and took a title instead…

"The Shadow Queen."

"An interesting story," muttered Noah. "You should sell the movie rights! It would win an Oscar…"

The Queen got up and looked at him.

"Noah," she sighed. "You have long since outlived your usefulness, and I'm getting tired of your big mouth…"

"Why don't you duel me then?" dared Noah. "You've done nothing so far except have servants and your own children torture these poor kids and do your dirty work for you. I'd say you're a coward!"

The Queen's eyes flashed with evil light…

She crossed her arms.

"I'm no coward, Noah, but that's the pot calling the kettle black. Do you really think you stand a chance? Your own dueling history has been abysmal at best. In your duel against Kaiba, he would have beaten you if you hadn't used his brainwashed brother as a shield…"

Stan looked at Noah.

"Is that true, Noah?" he asked.

"Uhm…" muttered Noah, tugging his collar.

"Your duel against Yugi was even more pathetic," continued the Queen. "You started with over seven thousand Life Points, while Yugi started with four-hundred, with no cards in his hand, and a Deckmaster that was practically worthless to him…"

"WHAT?" shouted Andy.

"Uh heh…" muttered Noah.

"You even tried to horribly demoralize him by turning his allies to stone, one by one…" continued the Queen.

She paused.

"…and yet he beat you anyway," continued the Queen. "You're one of the biggest losers I have ever known…"

"Noah, please tell me she's lying…" begged Francesca. "That seems like the dirtiest trick I have ever heard…"

Noah bowed his head.

"I'm not proud of what I did…" he moaned. "Yeah, I cheated, I stacked the odds completely in my favor…"

He glared at the Shadow Queen.

"But if you want me to prove that _I'm_ not a coward, Josephine, I'll take you on at equal terms!

"No cheating, no lies, just the two of us, 8,000 Life Points apiece, six cards to start, free choice of Deckmasters, and NO excuses!

"And you can prove to these kids that you aren't a coward either…"

The Queen closed her eyes and chuckled.

"Well sure," she muttered. "I could use some amusement…"

She waved her left arm, and a fiendish-looking Duel Disk appeared on it.

Then a deck of cards appeared in her right hand and she started to shuffle.

Noah gestured, and a regular Duel Disk appeared on his own hand. Light formed on the deck tray, and a deck appeared.

They stood facing each other.

"Here we go," whispered Stan. "Remember, look for a Monster that suggests Gluttony. Defeating that is the key to defeating her…"

Then the necklace on the Queen's chest glowed, and darkness started to cover the room.

"Oh no!" gasped Francesca. "This is another Shadow Game!"

"Hear her Noah?" chuckled the Queen. "You may have absorbed libraries worth of information during your time in solitude, but the Shadows are one subject which you know nothing about! You claim you're not a coward, but you'll be scared enough by the time your last Life Points fall away!"

The counters each set to 8,000.

"Let's just get on with it…" demanded Noah.

"Uh, uh!" scolded the Queen. "Don't forget your Deckmaster, Noah…"

"I didn't forget!" snapped Noah. "Or have you forgotten who invented this system?"

He took a card from his deck.

"I'll use the same one I used against Yugi," he said, "a guy called _Shinato, King of a Higher Plane_!"

In a huge flash, a gargantuan form arose behind Noah! The lord of all Fairies appeared, glowing with radiant light!

"Whoa…" muttered Stan. "Didn't see _that_ one coming…"

"Well, I see where the 'Higher' part comes in," chuckled the Shadow Queen taking a card out of her dress. "Anyway, I'll see your King and raise you a Queen. My Deckmaster will be… Cosmo Queen!"

Another blinding flash formed behind her. Another giant form, as big as Shinato, rose up. It was a dark lady in a fancy gown with a huge, bizarre headpiece.

"Nice hat…" muttered Andy.

"So," declared the Shadow Queen. "It will be one immortal cosmic entity against another, and we'll soon see which is the better Deckmaster…"

"Oh please…" muttered Noah. "I know exactly what she can do, and her Deckmaster ability is far too situational for you to make use of it. Now let's duel!"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Merlee carefully walked down the hallways of the Palace.

Then he felt something…

"No!" he muttered. "The Queen has started a duel personally! I didn't expect this… So soon…"

He concentrated.

"Thank goodness…" he thought. "My protégés are only spectators… But… who is the victim?

"I have to watch this and see…"

He held his head in deep concentration…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"I'll start this!" exclaimed the Queen, making her first draw.

"Let's see…" she sighed, looking over her cards. "So many choices, but I'm going to have to go with putting this guy in Attack Mode… Come on out, Archfiend Soldier!"

She placed a card on her Disk, and the infernal soldier with curved horns wearing a tattered cape appeared. (1,900/1,500)

"Oh, wow, a Fiend," sighed Andy. "Like _that's_ a surprise…"

"Yeah," said Noah, drawing, "well, he's going to be trashed anyway…"

He placed a card down on his Disk.

"I summon the powerful Susa Soldier in Attack Mode!" he shouted.

Lightning sparked, and a swordsman in East Oriental armor with a bronze sword appeared. (2,000/1,600)

"And now," he continued, "here's a move you might not be expecting… I summon my Deckmaster to the field!"

Shinato slowly floated above Noah, and alighted beside the much smaller Monster… (3,300/3,000)

"Is he freakin' _crazy_?" gasped Andy. "That guy is powerful, but he's not indestructible!"

"I know what I'm doing!" said Noah. "Susa Soldier, destroy that Fiend!"

Susa Soldier slammed his sword to the ground, and lightning shot forth! Archfiend Soldier was torn apart.

The Queen chuckled, as her Life Points fell slightly, to 7,950.

"Of course, he only does half the expected damage," said Noah, "but every little bit helps, and thanks to my Deckmaster's ability of Life Transfer, any damage you take as a result of a battle is added to my total!"

His Life Points rose to 8,050.

"Wow… he sure knows how to pick them…" said Stan.

"I widened the gap by 100 points," said Noah with a grin, "and now I'm going to widen it by another 6,600! Shinato, attack directly! Divine ring!"

Shinato gestured…

"Oh, this is gonna be good!" laughed Fran, excitedly.

Six orbs bearing kanji symbols appeared around Shinato's hands… They started to spin…

…and he threw them!

The Queen calmly took a card from her hand and slipped it into her discard slot…

And just before the blast hit, a wall of little, furry puffballs rose up and blocked it in a huge explosion!

Noah frowned. Then he smirked.

"_Very_ clever," he chuckled. "You know that discarding a Kuriboh can fend off the attacks of the most powerful Monsters. But you can only have so many Kuribohs, and this is just getting started!

"And since Susa Soldier is a Spirit, he returns to my hand as I end my turn!"

Susa Soldier vanished.

"No, please, have mercy," sighed the Queen, sarcastically, as she drew a card.

"Uh, Fran?" muttered Andy. "Maybe I'm missing something, but if I were facing an opponent who had a Monster with two-thousand Attack Points, and one with over _three_ thousand, I'd be a bit more worried than she is right now…"

The Queen placed a card down on her Disk and a facedown Monster appeared.

"That will do for now," she said.

"Very well!" said Noah, drawing. "Here comes Susa Soldier again!"

He played the card, and the Spirit appeared again. (2,000/1,600)

"Take out her facedown Monster!" he shouted.

Susa Soldier swung his sword, and lightning flashed towards the facedown card…

And a dark creature in a black robe, holding two blades appeared.

"A Night Assailant!" screamed Francesca.

"No!" screamed Stan. "If Shinato is destroyed, Noah loses!"

"You got that right," chuckled the Queen. "Night Assailant, destroy Shinato!"

Night Assailant's blades glowed.

"Oh, I don't think so!" replied Noah. "Shinato, activate Reversal!"

As Night Assailant fired a beam of energy, the King of a Higher Plane vanished…

And then reappeared behind Noah.

"Huh?" said Andy.

Noah chuckled.

"I may have summoned my Deckmaster to the field," he explained, "but I didn't intend to keep him there for long. Unlike most Monsters, Shinato has _two_ Deckmaster abilities! See, if he's about to be destroyed by a card effect, like what just almost happened I can instantly return him to the sidelines. Of course, now I can't summon him again for the rest of the duel, but it was worth it…"

Night Assailant shattered.

"And my turn isn't over yet," continued Noah, playing a card. "I play Spring of Rebirth!"

A huge spring, with a tall stone in the center, topped with an angelic statue, appeared behind him.

"The text on this card doesn't mention Spirits," he continued, "but it works great with them, because now, every time a Monster returns to my hand, I gain 500 Life Points.

"Okay," he said, stabbing his thumb down, "I'm ending my turn NOW!"

Susa Soldier vanished, and the Spring glowed. Noah's Life Points went up to 8,550.

"Boy, this guy's good…" said Stan.

"My move!" stated the Queen.

She drew.

And then she chuckled.

"I summon a Monster from the darkest depths of the underworld…" she stated, as a chilling wind started to blow through the room. "See the terror of… Shadowknight Archfiend!"

She played the card, and the wind picked up. Two glowing eyes appeared, and a frightening-looking knight in armor appeared. He had wings on his back, a blood-red sword, and a huge claw for his left hand. (2,000/1,600)

Francesca gulped.

"An Archfiend…" she said with a shudder.

"Those guys are to normal Fiends what Fiends are to other Monsters!" gasped Andy.

"Puh-lease!" exclaimed Noah. "That guy doesn't scare me! I happen to know that in order to even have him on the field, you have to pay Life Points every turn!"

The Queen chuckled.

"If you knew so much about Archfiends, Noah," she said, "you'd know I wouldn't summon one unless I also had this card…"

A Field Slot opened on her Disk, and she placed a card into it…

"I cast Pandemonium!" she shouted.

A circle of flames surrounded them and everyone watching! Demonic gargoyles rose up, the floor became paved with a ribbed pattern, and a pool of lava formed between them!

"What the…?" muttered Stan.

"When this card is active," explained the Queen, "one of its effects prevents me from paying any Life Points to use Archfiends!

"And since you're defenseless… Shadowknight, attack him directly with four-square fury!"

Shadowknight flew forward and slashed at Noah with his blade! Noah stumbled back, and his Life Points fell to 7,550.

"Fortunately for you," said the Queen, "Shadowknight is so powerful, he doesn't waste his full energy on insignificant worms like you, so like your Susa Soldier, he only does half the damage you'd expect.

"Now I'll finish my turn by placing a card facedown…"

A facedown card appeared behind Shadowknight.

Noah drew.

"Speaking of Susa Soldier…" he said.

He played the card, and Susa Soldier appeared a third time. (2,000/1,600)

The Queen laughed out loud.

"Both our Monsters have equal Attack Points!" she laughed. "You attack with him, they'll both die!"

"Mine won't!" answered Noah, playing a card. "I play… Kishido Spirit!"

A Magic Card appeared in front of him.

"Now, any Monster I summon can battle a Monster with equal Attack Points, without being destroyed in the process," he explained.

"Susa Soldier, attack her Shadowknight!"

Susa Soldier raised his sword…

"Not so fast, Noah!" shouted the Queen. "I activate… Archfiend's Curse!"

Her facedown card lifted.

"This diabolic Trap can only be used when I have an Archfiend on the field," she explained, "and then I must pay 1,000 Life Points…"

Her Life Points fell to 6,950.

"But now, all Monsters on your side of the field have their Attack Scores cut in half!"

Susa Soldier's Attack fell to 1,000! As his blast shot forward, Shadowknight knocked it aside with a backhand! Susa Soldier was propelled backwards and shattered!

Noah's Life Points fell to 7,050.

"Fine," muttered Noah. "I'll set one card facedown, and end my turn…"

A facedown card appeared in front of him.

The Queen drew.

"I play… Pot of Greed," she said, playing the card.

The jar appeared, and handed her two cards.

"Well," she chuckled, looking at them, "prepare to meet one of my Knight's lieges… I summon Infernalqueen Archfiend in Attack Mode!"

She played another card. Flames erupted next to Shadowknight, and the hideous Queen of the Archfiends appeared! (900/1,500)

"That's just what I wanted you to do, Josephine!" laughed Noah. "I activate my Trap! Earthshaker!"

His Trap Card lifted.

"Let me explain," he stated. "You have two Monsters, a Wind Monster, and a Fire Monster. This Trap will destroy one, but which… that's for _you_ to decide…."

The Queen chuckled.

"A simple matter…" she replied. "I choose my Wind Monster!"

"Earthshaker, demolish her Shadowknight!" shouted Noah.

The whole chamber shook, and Shadowknight screamed. He was blasted to pieces.

"I don't get it…" muttered Fran. "She chose to spare Infernalqueen, when Shadowknight was more than twice as strong…"

"No he wasn't," answered Stan. "Infernalqueen has a powerful special ability. During each of her standby phases, she can increase the Attack of any Archfiend by 1,000 for one round."

"And that's not all," added the Queen. "If an Archfiend is destroyed outside of battle, like Shadowknight just was, Pandemonium lets me search my deck for another one and add it to my hand…"

A card slipped out of her deck, and she took it.

"Naturally, this one can't be as powerful as Shadowknight was, but it will do.

"Now, Infernalqueen, attack with cross-the-board capture!"

The Archfiend erupted in flames, and sped towards Noah, swiping with a fiery claw!

He groaned, and his Life Points fell to 6,150.

"He's losing…" muttered Andy.

"That's enough for one turn, I think," stated the Queen.

Noah drew a card.

He played two cards. A facedown Monster appeared, followed by a facedown card.

"That's all for me," he said.

"Heh, heh," chuckled the Queen. "Not much, huh?"

She drew a card.

"First I'll use Infernalqueen's ability on herself!" she continued.

Infernalqueen erupted in flames, and her Attack rose to 1,900.

"And since I have one Archfiend on the field, I can summon one of the most powerful ones… the King of the Archfiends…"

She played a card.

"Terrorking Archfiend!"

With a roar, a new Archfiend appeared. He wad wings, a bony carapace, spiky protrusions all over his body, and wore a cape that suggested fiendish royalty. He held a diabolic weapon that was a cross between an axe and a sword. (2,000/1,500)

"This is getting serious…" said Andy.

"And I'm not done…" continued the Queen. "I play a powerful Magic Card… It's called Court of the Ninth Circle!"

She played the card.

"What does that do?" asked Noah.

"Court of the Ninth Circle can only be played when Terrorking and Infernalqueen are both on the field," she answered, "and it lets me Special Summon any Archfiend of four stars or less from my hand or deck to the field.

"The hardest part now is deciding which one…"

A card slipped out of her deck.

"I do believe that Vilepawn Archfiend will do," she said, playing the card.

The ground rumbled. A skeletal Fiend with a rapier in his right hand and a large claw for his left crawled out of the floor. (1,200/200)

"By the way," added the Shadow Queen, "you now aren't allowed to attack any other Archfiend until you get rid of him!

"Infernalqueen, attack his facedown Monster!"

Infernalqueen shot forth a blast of fire…

And a woman appeared on the card. She had hair tied in exotic braids, wore a white halter and skirt, and had strange tattoos on her arms and legs.

The odd Spellcaster shattered, and Noah laughed.

"Sorry, Josephine, but that was Otohime!" he exclaimed. "And since you flipped her, I can change one of your Monsters to Defense Mode! Like your Terrorking!"

"Sure!" laughed the Queen. "Switch my King to Defense Mode! With only 1,500 Defense Points, he'd be easy prey…

"If you can…"

Six orbs rose out of the lava and arranged in a circle.

"See," she said, as glowing numbers appeared on them, "when an Archfiend is targeted by a card effect, the laws of chance intervene, and give it a chance to resist. If this roulette wheel lands on a two or a five, Otohime's effect will fail!

"Archfiend roulette, go!"

A flame appeared on the one, and started to spin around the numbers.

"Don't worry, Noah!" shouted Fran. "You've got more than a fifty percent chance!"

The flame spun…

And it landed on the three.

"Darn," muttered the Queen, as Terrorking knelt in Defense.

"And by the way," added Noah, "if you think you're gonna attack me with Vilepawn, think again! Because you destroyed Otohime, I can activate this Trap…"

His facedown card activated.

"Vessel of Illusion!" he stated. "When a Spirit is destroyed, this lets me conjure up a Spirit Token! Defense Mode!"

A creature similar to Otohime appeared, kneeling in Defense. (0/0)

"Vilepawn, smash that token!" shouted the Queen.

Vilepawn flew forward, and swung his sword. The Spirit faded into mist.

"Finally, I'll place a card facedown, and that will be all," said the Queen.

Another facedown card appeared.

Infernalqueen's Attack Score returned to 900.

"You may be wondering why I chose to use these Monsters against you Noah," chuckled the Queen. "See, I'm not without compassion. Archfiends are a lot like chess pieces, and I know how much your dad _loved_ chess…"

"Don't do me any favors for Gozaburo's sake!" shouted Noah, making a draw. "That monster locked me up alone for eight years and then _used_ me for his own insane goals! You say _your_ father was a rotten parent, well, you never met _mine_!"

He added the card to his hand.

"Now I'm going to clear the field of all your abominations," he said. "I summon the dreaded Asura Priest!"

He played a card, and a strange creature appeared. He looked like some Hindu deity, with three faces and six arms. His hair was tied in a ponytail, and he wore a kilt. (1,700/1,200)

"Asura Priest can attack as many Monsters as I want him to," stated Noah, "so all three of your Archfiends are going to be gone after this attack!

"Asura Priest, attack the Vilepawn with daggers of demise!"

Six daggers appeared in Asura's hands… He threw them at the Vilepawn…

"Oh they will, will they?" asked the Queen. "I activate… Bark of Dark Ruler!"

Her Trap Card lifted, and the monstrous form of Dark Ruler Ha Des appeared behind her!

"Doopliss used that against me!" gasped Francesca.

"Then you know how it works," continued the Queen. "I'll spend 600 Life Points to weaken Asura Priest by the same amount!"

Her Life Points fell to 6,350, and the Spirit's Attack Score fell to 1,100…

Vilepawn swung his sword, and the daggers were deflected, skewering their owner! Asura Priest groaned and shattered.

Noah growled as his Life Points fell to 6,050.

"I'll end my turn by placing a card facedown…" he said, placing a card into a slot.

A facedown card appeared.

"That card better be a good one…" muttered Stan.

The Queen drew a card.

"This time I'll use Infernalqueen's effect on Terrorking," she stated.

Infernalqueen gestured, and flames shrouded Terrorking. His Attack rose to 3,000!

"Now I'll switch him back to Attack Mode," she continued.

Terrorking rose…

"Face it, Noah," said the Queen, "the combined Attack Score of my three Monsters is 5,100!

"This might sting a little…

"Terrorking, attack with locust storm barrage!"

Terrorking roared! His chest burst open, and a swarm of hideous flies blasted out!

"I don't think so!" shouted Noah. "You activated one of my deadliest Traps! Go, Chaos Barrier Field!"

His Trap Card lifted.

"Not only does this card protect me from all your attacks," laughed Noah, "but it forces your strongest Monster to attack your weakest!"

Infernalqueen vanished, and reappeared in front of Noah… She gasped before she was literally eaten alive by the swarm of locusts!

"You little brat!" shouted the Shadow Queen, as her Life Points fell to 4,150.

"Go, Noah!" shouted Francesca.

"Not my fault you didn't watch out for Traps," chuckled Noah. "And don't forget my Deckmaster… since you just lost 2,100 Life Points, I gain just as much!"

His Life Points rose to 8,150.

"Make your move…" cursed the Shadow Queen.

Noah drew a card.

"I'll play my own Pot of Greed!" he exclaimed, playing the card.

The jar appeared, and handed him two more cards.

_Perfect,_ he thought. _Now I can get rid of both her nightmares…_

"I summon Inaba White Rabbit!" he shouted, playing the card.

A strange form arose. It was a flaming basin, with a pole topped with odd pipes jutting out of the center. A small rabbit clutched the pole. (700/500)

The Queen chuckled.

"I figured as much," she said. "I know what that thing can do, Noah, it can attack directly. So attack me! Losing 700 Life Points won't hurt me that much…"

"That isn't my plan, Josephine," said Noah. "I have other plans for it…"

He played a card.

"I play Change of Heart! And my target will be… Vilepawn!"

"Hold on a minute, Noah…" said the Queen.

The flaming roulette wheel appeared again.

"Vilepawn still has a chance to resist your card," she warned. "If this lands on a six, your Change of Heart will mean nothing… Spin!"

The flame flew from one number to the other…

It landed on the four.

"Seems luck just isn't with you!" laughed Noah, as Vilepawn vanished and appeared on his side.

"And now I play another Magic Card… Squaring the Circle!"

An energy circle appeared around Inaba White Rabbit and Vilepawn Archfiend…

"This card lets me make an extra summon in one turn, so long as said summon requires a sacrifice, and I sacrifice at least one Spirit. So I'll sacrifice my Rabbit and your Vilepawn…"

The two Monsters vanished…

"And I'll summon Yamata Dragon!"

A huge creature appeared behind Noah. Andy remembered this one – he had used it against Tyson at the Glitz Pit. It was just as he remembered, with eight hideous heads on long necks. (2,600/3,100)

"Attack the Terrorking!" shouted Noah. "Eight-headed flame attack!"

Yamata Dragon blasted forth eight streams of fire, and Terrorking was incinerated!

The Queen's Life Points fell to 3,550.

"Terrorking is vanquished!" laughed Noah.

"Not yet, he isn't…" replied the Queen.

She discarded a card…

With a roar, Terrorking burst out of the ground!

"What?" asked Noah.

"That card I just discarded was a special Archfiend called Desrook Archfiend," explained the Queen. "When Terrorking is destroyed in _any_ way, I can discard it to Special Summon him right back from the Graveyard!"

"Yeah?" said Noah, "well, regardless, since you lost 600 Life Points regardless, I gain 600…"

His Life Points rose to 8,750.

"Also, Yamata Dragon has a special ability," he continued. "Since it damaged your Life Points, I get to draw until I'm holding five cards…"

Five cards flew off his deck, and he caught them.

"Now I'm ending my turn, which means Yamata Dragon returns to my hand…"

Yamata Dragon vanished.

"And don't forget my Spring of Rebirth!" he added.

The Spring glowed, and his Life Points rose to 9,250.

"Well, he's turned this around," said Andy, "but he really should have used that Change of Heart on Terrorking…"

"Noah wasn't taking chances," answered Stan. "He knew that Terrorking had a two-in-six chance to resist the Change of Heart, but Vilepawn's chance was only one-in-six. So he made the safer decision."

"My move…" chuckled the Queen.

She drew a card.

"First I'll summon the Darkbishop Archfiend, in Defense Mode…"

She played the card, and a spout of foul water sprung up next to Terrorking. A Fiend in an evil parody of a clergyman's robes and a papal crown appeared, holding a staff topped with a skull. (300/1,400)

"Next, I'll play Archfiend's Favor," she said, playing a Magic Card. "This useful card restores my Life Points by 500 for every Fiend on the field, so long as Pandemonium is active… And there are two."

Her Life Points rose to 4,550.

"And since your side is clear," she continued, "Terrorking, attack him directly!"

Terrorking howled again, and the swarm of locusts burst from his chest! Noah shielded himself as they flew into him.

"You think that hurt?" he mocked, as his Life Points fell to 7,250. "You're talking to a guy who took a direct attack from all three Blue-Eyes White Dragons _at once_!"

"Noah, you're really starting to scare me…" gulped Stan.

"Well, my move is over," said the Queen. "Let's see if you can defeat Terrorking this time…"

Noah drew a card.

"One card facedown, and a Monster in Defense Mode…" he stated.

Two facedown cards, one in his Monster Zone and one behind it, appeared.

"That will do…" he said.

"Then I'll draw…" said the Queen, drawing.

"I activate my Trap!" exclaimed Noah.

His Trap Card lifted.

"Ground Breaking," he continued. "When this card is activated, I can move one Spirit Monster from my Graveyard to my hand."

A card slipped out of his discard slot.

"You think that scares me?" asked the Queen. "I play Pot of Charity!"

She played the card.

"Hey, wait a minute…" said Andy. "To use that card, you have to remove a Light-Attribute Monster in your Graveyard from play! Where the heck are you going to find one in a deck full of Fiends?"

"Good question, Andy," replied the Queen. "In the entire game of Duel Monsters, there are only three Light Fiends. The second one was to be designed was a rather useless guy names Theban Nightmare. The third was that Ritual Monster my daughter used, Reshef the Dark Being…

"But the first was Desrook Archfiend!"

The card slipped out of her discard slot, and she drew three cards.

"Hmm…" she said, looking at them.

"Aw, disappointed?" asked Noah.

"Maybe," replied the Queen, "but my Terrorking is still on the field. Terrorking, attack!"

Terrorking shot forth his barrage of locusts at the facedown Monster…

And a strange woman appeared. She was dressed in an exotic dress, had dark hair, and had tattoos similar to Otohime's.

She screamed as she was devoured by the locusts.

"Ha!" laughed Noah. "You just flipped Tsukuyomi! Now her effect can…"

"Her effect can do nothing, Noah!" interrupted the Queen. "Terrorking Archfiend has a little bit of Dark Ruler Ha Des inside him, being a dark ruler himself. Any Monster he destroys has its effect negated. With him on my side, I don't have to worry about Magicians of Faith, Man-Eater Bugs, Cyber Jars, Mystic Tomatoes, and a five-page list of other Monsters with effects that can be triggered when they're destroyed!

"And it's your move…"

"Fine!" cursed Noah, drawing. "Then I'll just destroy him. I'll summon the guy I got from Ground Breaking… You remember Susa Soldier, right?"

He played the card, and Susa Soldier appeared again. (2,000/1,600)

"What good will he do you?" asked the Queen.

"Take a look…" said Noah with a smirk.

The Queen drew back…

"Your Kishido Spirit card never left the field!" she gasped.

"Exactly!" laughed Noah. "And since you have no Traps to protect your Terrorking, good luck blocking this!"

Susa Soldier slammed his sword down, and Terrorking Archfiend was torn apart!

The Shadow Queen chuckled.

"Clever," she said. "Pointless, but clever…"

She showed Noah a card in her hand…

"Another Desrook Archfiend?" he gasped.

"Uh huh…" she said, discarding it.

Terrorking Archfiend arose again, and this time, he was mad!

"Don't worry Noah!" shouted Fran. "She can only have three of those cards in her deck!"

_That's true,_ thought Noah, _but she still likely has one left, and for all I know, it's already in her hand…_

"I end my turn…" he said.

Susa Soldier returned to his hand, and the Spring glowed again. His Life Points rose to 7,750.

"My move…" chuckled the Queen.

She drew a card. Then she chose another one.

"I play… Heavy Storm!"

She played the card, and a fierce wind erupted around the arena! Pandemonium crumbled to dust, as did Noah's Spring of Rebirth and Kishido Spirit.

"I just took away your edge…" warned the Queen.

"Fool," answered Noah. "You had to destroy Pandemonium to do that! So you destroyed your own 'edge'!"

"Noah, you may have the memory capacity of a thousand hard drives," scolded the Queen, "but you still have the common sense and naiveté of a ten-year-old little boy…"

She flicked her Field Slot open again and placed a card into it.

With the same flaming display, Pandemonium arose again!

"You _don't_ build an Archfiend deck without including _three_ copies of that card!" she continued.

"And it's still my turn…"

She switched cards on her Disk.

"I sacrifice my Darkbishop…"

Darkbishop was consumed in flames…

"…to summon the Skull Archfiend of Lightning!"

Lightning struck the spot next to Terrorking, and an even more fiendish version of Yugi Mouto's Summoned Skull appeared with a roar! (2,500/1,200)

"Terrorking Archfiend, attack Noah directly!"

The locust swarm erupted out of Terrorking, and Noah gasped as it hit him.

"Is that all you've got?" he panted, as his Life Points fell to 5,750.

"Oh, shut your mouth," said the Queen with a smirk. "Or better yet, why don't I have my Skull shut it for you? Skull Archfiend of Lightning, demon lightning attack!"

The Archfiend shot forth a barrage of lightning bolts, and Noah screamed as he was hit by them…

He fell to his knees, and his Life Points fell to 3,250.

"NOAH!" screamed Francesca.

"I'll live…" he muttered.

"Not for much longer…" chuckled the Queen.

"My move…" gasped Noah, getting up.

He drew a card.

"I play… Next World…"

He played a card.

A fancy carpet appeared on the floor of the arena, and Skull Archfiend of Lightning's picture was in the center!

"Huh?" asked the Shadow Queen.

"This Magic Card lets me summon a Spirit with the same number of stars as one of your Monsters, with no sacrifice required," explained Noah, "in this case, six."

"So I summon… Dark Dust Spirit!"

A hideous-looking Zombie with blood-red, wrinkled skin and long, white hair appeared. (2,200/1,800)

"When this Spirit is summoned," gloated Noah, "it destroys every face-up Monster on the field except itself!"

Dark Dust Spirit exhaled a gout of toxic dust, and Terrorking and Skull Archfiend of Lightning were eroded into nothing!

"Nice try, Noah, but you won't be getting a free shot!" cursed the Queen. "I'll discard my final Desrook!"

She discarded a card.

"And this time I'll bring back my Terrorking in Defense Mode!"

Terrorking reappeared, and shielded himself.

"Fine," said Noah. "Don't forget, Dark Dust Spirit can still attack!"

The Spirit flew at Terrorking and made a savage swipe! The King of the Archfiends shattered!

"Now I'll play a card facedown, and end my turn," said Noah.

A facedown card appeared, and Dark Dust Spirit vanished.

The Shadow Queen drew a card.

"I play Monster Reborn!" she exclaimed.

She played the card, and Skull Archfiend of Lightning returned!

"Attack him directly!" shouted the Queen.

The Skull powered up his lightning bolts.

"Not this time, Josephine!" shouted Noah. "I activate Magic Cylinder!"

His Trap Card lifted, and the two cylinders appeared in front of him.

"This will throw your Archfiend's attack right back at you!"

"Oh, will it?" said the Shadow Queen with a laugh.

The flaming roulette wheel appeared again.

"This time my chances are an even fifty-fifty!" she gloated. "If this lands on a one, three, or six, your Magic Cylinder will be destroyed, and my Skull will be free to attack you!"

The flaming ball spun…

And it finally landed…

Resting on the two.

Andy, Stan, and Francesca cheered as Noah grinned.

Skull Archfiend of Lightning shot his attack. The lightning was caught in one cylinder, and then shot out the other! The Shadow Queen cringed as she was hit by her own attack!

Her Life Points fell to 2,050.

"Seems at games of chance, you stink!" laughed Noah.

"Could Noah actually win?" asked Stan.

The Shadow Queen's eyes glowed red again.

And then she smiled… A smile that seemed both pleasant and sinister at the same time…

"Well Noah," she said, sweetly, "maybe I've underestimated you… You're holding your own… And you can really duel…

"Tell you what… I'll make you an offer… If you forfeit the duel this minute, I'll upgrade your status from slave to favored servant… My children just aren't making the grade anymore.

"Heck, I could even create a new body for you… One that matches your true age. My magic has few limits. You must admit, being cursed with the inability to grow up must have been maddening all those years.

"Who knows? With a little training, you could be the new Heir of Shadow!"

Noah stared at her.

"Noah, don't do it!" shouted Francesca. "You'll be selling your soul!"

"She's only bargaining because she's losing!" yelled Stan.

"I'm quite aware of all that, people," said Noah, making a draw. "Josephine, does the phrase 'go suck a lemon' mean anything to you?"

"You can't say I didn't offer…" muttered the Queen.

"I play Graceful Charity!" exclaimed Noah.

He played the card, and the angel flew out of his deck with three cards.

Noah looked at the powerful Monster and the two Magic Cards.

_Now I have all I need to bring her to her knees…_ he thought.

He handed her Yamata Dragon and Dark Dust Spirit.

"Yugi inspired me to put this card in my deck," he said, playing a card. "Swords of Revealing Light!"

The cage of Swords crashed down around the Shadow Queen.

"Big deal!" cursed the Queen.

"I'll place a Monster in Defense Mode, and that will be my turn," continued Noah.

A facedown Monster appeared.

"Fine," sighed the Queen, making a draw. "In that case, I'll pass for my turn…"

Noah drew.

"Another Monster in Defense Mode," he said, placing a card facedown.

A second hidden Monster appeared.

"Your turn again," he said.

The Queen drew.

"Then I pass again…" she said. "One round to go…"

"That's all I need," chuckled Noah, drawing a card. "I sacrifice my two facedown small fries…"

The two facedown Monsters evaporated.

"…and I'll summon the King of the Spirits… Hino-Kagu-Tsuchi!"

A flaming pit appeared in the floor, and a gargantuan form arose! It was a giant with flames for hair, wearing a kilt, with a bare chest, and decorated with the same tattoos that Otohime and Tsukuyomi had. (2,800/2,900)

"Ho boy…" muttered the Queen.

"Hino-Kagu-Tsuchi," ordered Noah, "attack Skull Archfiend of Lightning with hellish flame fist!"

The giant Spirit roared! Flames appeared on its hands, and it socked Skull Archfiend of Lightning, blasting it out of existence!

The Queen's Life Points fell to 1,750.

"Since you lost 300 Life Points, I gain them," chuckled Noah, as his Life Points went up to 3,550. "And that's not all… You now have to discard your whole hand before you draw on your next turn…

"But it's still _my_ turn, and I'm not done! I play a Magic Card…

He played a card.

"Dimensionhole!"

A black hole appeared over Hino-Kagu-Tsuchi, and it was sucked into it.

"This Magic Card removes my Monster from play until my next turn," he explained.

"Why would you do that?" asked the Queen.

"I have my reasons…" answered Noah.

Noah turned and winked at his three allies.

"Now move," he said, "and your next draw had better be a something that can block an attack, or you lose!"

The Shadow Queen frowned. She discarded her hand, and drew one card.

"I place a Monster in Defense Mode…" she stated, placing it on her Disk.

A facedown Monster appeared.

The Swords of Revealing Light vanished.

"Good, said Noah," making a draw. "And now you'll see what Dimensionhole can do…"

The black hole opened, and Hino-Kagu-Tsuchi fell out.

"See, a Spirit only returns to your hand on the round it is summoned. Since I _didn't_ technically summon it at all this turn, it _won't_ return to my hand anymore! Nifty trick, huh?"

"That is one killer strategy…" gasped Francesca. "He managed to keep a Monster on the field with 2,800 Attack Points that can make her discard her whole hand if it deals a single point of damage… This guy is _good_."

"And now I summon another Inaba White Rabbit!" shouted Noah.

A second Rabbit appeared on its strange basin. (700/500)

"Go!" he shouted. "Attack directly!"

Inaba White Rabbit rammed its pole into the basin and then shot out like a rocket! It slammed into the Queen's back and she stumbled forward.

Her Life Points fell to 1,050, and his rose to 4,250.

"Hino-Kagu-Tsuchi, take care of her facedown Monster!" yelled Noah.

The huge Spirit lunged towards the Monster, and another Vilepawn appeared before shattering.

"I end my turn," chuckled Noah, as Inaba White Rabbit vanished.

The Shadow Queen panted…

"I draw one card…" said the Queen.

She looked at the card, and smirked.

"I play Spoiled Brat…" she chuckled.

"Huh? What does that do?" asked Noah.

A card bearing the image of Ebon Magician Curran throwing a tantrum appeared on the field.

"It's a very rare and powerful card," answered the Shadow Queen. "I can now take both my Pot of Greed and my Pot of Charity from my Graveyard and use them again. Of course, I then have to remove them and this card from play…"

Five cards flew off of her deck.

"…but now I get to draw five cards, so I see no problem…"

She looked at the cards and chuckled.

"And I drew just the right cards, Noah…" she said. "You see, most people think that Terrorking and Infernalqueen rule Pandemonium. But only the two monarchs themselves know that they are actually puppets that answer to a shadowy figure who rules from behind their thrones, in secret. Would you like to meet him?"

"Even if you have such a powerful Monster, how will you summon it?" asked Noah. "You have no Monsters on the field to sacrifice!"

The Shadow Queen chuckled.

"It isn't a Monster that's summoned that way…" she snickered.

She placed a card down…

"I summon Warrior of Zera…" she chuckled.

A tall Warrior appeared. He wore a green vest, blue pants, and a green helmet with red horns. He carried a sword with a hilt shaped like a skull. (1,600/1,600)

"And now, since Pandemonium is on the field, I can sacrifice him, to Special Summon forth the greatest Monster in this deck…"

She switched cards on her deck, and a transformation started to take place…

Darkness shrouded Warrior of Zera, and a huge, demonic form arose. He had brown flesh, with green, bony plating over his head, huge green claws, and large red horns. Huge green wings grew from his back. He had trousers similar to Warrior of Zera's, but his legs were goat-like.

He let out a fierce roar!

"I give you the _true_ master of Pandemonium…" chuckled the Shadow Queen. "**_Mazera DeVille_**!"

(2,800/2,300)

She chuckled. The three teens cringed in fear…

"Or maybe I should name him 'Josephine'," she added. "This guy looks almost _exactly_ how I remember that demon who I sold my name to in exchange for my powers!

"Are you getting this?"

"Holding onto every word…" gulped Noah.

"Then watch…" said the Queen.

Three flaming daggers appeared in Mazera's hand, and he hurled them! Three cards in Noah's hand caught on fire!

Noah gasped.

"Just by summoning him," explained the Queen, "I can send three cards in your hand straight to the Graveyard!"

Noah grimaced, and discarded the cards.

"Fine," he said. "But your big, bad Fiend is just as strong as Hino-Kagu-Tsuchi! A battle will end in a draw!"

"No it won't," said the Queen, playing a card. "Because I'm arming him with Axe of Despair!"

A huge, ugly axe appeared in Mazera's hand, and his Attack Score went up to 3,800!

"No…" gasped Francesca.

"Mazera DeVille…" commanded the Queen, "attack that Monster whose name I can't pronounce with demon axe slash!"

Mazera flew forward and made a savage slice, cutting the huge Spirit down the middle!

Hino-Kagu-Tsuchi was vanquished.

Noah's Life Points fell to 3,250.

"I'll place a card facedown, and end my turn," continued the Queen, playing a card.

It appeared.

"Uh…" muttered Noah, slowly drawing.

He placed a card on his Disk.

"I place a Monster in Defense Mode…" he said.

The facedown Monster appeared, and he bowed his head.

The Shadow Queen drew a card.

"I activate my facedown card," she chuckled.

The card lifted.

"Archfiend's Roar," she said. "To activate this Trap, I have to pay 500 Life Points…"

Her Life Points fell to 550.

"But it's worth it, because in exchange, I get to Special Summon an Archfiend from my Graveyard for one round. And I choose my Terrorking!"

Terrorking arose again, madder than ever! (2,000/1,500)

"Terrorking, take out his last line of Defense," she ordered.

The locust storm blasted forward, and Inaba White Rabbit was destroyed.

"Well, Noah…" laughed the Queen. "Any last words?"

"Yes, three," replied Noah. "Go… to… Hell!"

"Go to Hell?" laughed the Shadow Queen. "Heh, heh, heh… Why Noah…

"I've _been_ there…

"Mazera DeVille… finish him…"

The huge Fiend flew at Noah.

To Stan, Andy, and Francesca's horror, he slashed at Noah with his axe, and his Life Points fell to nothing.

Noah fell to the floor in a crumpled heap. Pandemonium and the two Deckmasters vanished.

The Shadow Queen's eyes glowed, and she drifted towards Noah.

"Look at you," she muttered. "Pathetic. All you are is a corrupt file infecting my system… And if there's one thing my system doesn't need, it's a virus!"

Her voice turned sarcastic.

"But thank you so much for bringing up the past… Bringing back memories just encourages me to bury them…"

She raised her hand, and a bolt of darkness struck Noah! He screamed, and then shattered, just as his Monsters had!

The Queen pocketed a card as the three teens ran up to her.

"What did you do to him?" demanded Stan.

"What did I do to him?" asked the Queen with a chuckle.

She started rebuilding her deck.

"You three tell me what happens to someone who loses a Shadow Game!"

"You unholy, evil…" cursed Andy.

"But here," muttered the Queen, tossing the cards at them. "Take these as a souvenir. I don't really need them…"

They were surprised to say the least.

Stan bent over and looked at them.

"This is your deck…" he muttered. "Why would you…"

"That isn't my deck!" she laughed. "Don't be ridiculous. That was a practice deck… I only use my real deck against someone who's worthy of facing it… And that little brat certainly wasn't!"

A door appeared, and she opened it.

"Why don't you bring it out right now?" asked Andy, angrily. "I may be tired, but I can handle you!"

"Andy, choose your battles wisely…" warned Stan.

They followed her through the door into a vast cavern.

"You think you're so hot!" said Andy. "He'd have beaten you good if you hadn't been lucky enough to draw that Spoiled Brat card!"

"I'd love to stay and chat some more," sighed the Queen, ignoring the remark, "but unfortunately, I'd better check up on that project that's simmering in my private sanctum…"

"You aren't getting away from me that easily!" shouted Andy, running after her. "You think you can avoid us forever? We know the curse you're under! You have no way out of this place!"

The Queen chuckled.

She waved her hand, and a Monster Card appeared in it.

Labyrinth Wall.

"True," she laughed, "I have no way out… But for you, the ways _in_ are pretty difficult to find too!"

She placed the card on her Disk, and suddenly, the stone walls of a huge labyrinth erupted from the floor, surrounding the three teens!

"Find your way through that, and then we'll talk," her voice said. "And just so you don't have too easy a time… Look up…"

They looked up, and two cards appeared far above them…

Imperial Order, and Skill Drain.

They sighed and sat down.

"Noah's plan failed…" muttered Francesca. "We didn't see her real deck, so we have no idea what her true strategy is… Or what her Soul Card is…"

"Did you guys notice something?" asked Stan.

They looked at him.

"All through that duel… Her Deckmaster… Cosmo Queen…"

He paused.

"She didn't do a thing…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Merlee sighed.

"Noah tried his best, and he sincerely wanted to help," he mused. "There is only one thing I can do…"

He gestured with his hand, and Noah's Shinato card appeared in it.

"Even with this in a position where it could _not_ be destroyed, he was overwhelmed…" he muttered.

"If my protégés succeed, perhaps I can use this bring his suffering to an end… maybe after so long, I can help him find peace…

"But I must make haste. My protégés must be triumphant before that can ever happen, and I estimate that they will be attacked again in a matter of hours…

"But this is an attack that I will put a stop to…"

He rushed down the hallway.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**ARCHFIEND'S FAVOR (Magic Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Magic  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description:** Image of a man and a woman bowing before Terrorking Archfiend and Infernalqueen Archfiend. You can activate this card if "Pandemonium" is active. Increase your Life Points by 500 for every FIEND-Type Monster on the field.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**ARCHFIEND'S CURSE (Trap Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Trap  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description:** Image of Infernalqueen Archfiend casting a fiery spell on victims fleeing in terror. You can activate this card when you have at least one Archfiend Monster face-up on your side of the field. Reduce the ATK of all face-up Monsters on your opponent's side of the field by half.

_Note: "Archfiend's Favor" and "Archfiend's Curse" first appeared in "The Mandate of Heaven"._

**0**

**0**

**0**

**COURT OF THE NINTH CIRCLE (Magic Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Magic  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description:** Image of Terrorking Archfiend and Infernalqueen Archfiend on thrones made of skulls holding the end of chains that hold a captive Dark Magician Girl. You can activate this card when you have at least one "Terrorking Archfiend" and at least one "Infernalqueen Archfiend" face-up on your side of the field. Special Summon one Archfiend Monster of four stars or lower from your hand or deck.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**CHAOS BARRIER FIELD (Trap Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Trap  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description:** Image of a silhouette of a man in front of a white circle and a red circle. You can activate this card when you have no Monsters on your side of the field, your opponent has more than one, and your opponent declares an attack. Redirect the attack of your opponent's Monster with the highest ATK against the one with the lowest ATK, and negate all other attacks.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**NEXT WORLD (Magic Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Magic  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description:** Image of an angelic deity holding a glowing orb in her hands. Normal Summon one Spirit Monster from your hand that has the same number of level stars as one of your opponent's Monsters (no Tribute is needed for Monsters of Level Five or greater). This counts as your Normal Summon for this turn.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**GROUND BREAKING (Trap Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Trap  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description:** Image of a shrine made of fragile crystal. Add one Spirit Monster from your Graveyard to your hand.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**VESSEL OF ILLUSION (Trap Card) **

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Trap  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description:** Image of a beautiful fountain, overflowing with water. You can activate this card when one of your Spirit Monsters is destroyed in battle. Summon one "Spirit Token" to your side of the field in Defense Mode. (Spellcaster/Light/1 star/0 ATK/0 DEF)

_Note: The previous four cards were used by Noah in the two-part anime episode "Noah's Final Threat". All creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0**

**0**

**0**

**SQUARING THE CIRCLE (Magic Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Magic  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description:** Image of a summoning circle inside a rune-covered square. Make an extra summon for your turn, so long the extra summon is a Tribute summon, and at least one of the Monsters you use as a Tribute is a Spirit Monster.

_Note: "Squaring the Circle" was first used in "The Mandate of Heaven"._

**0**

**0**

**0**

**SPOILED BRAT (Magic Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Magic  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description:** Image of Ebon Magician Curran throwing a tantrum. You can activate this card when you have two Magic Cards in your Graveyard that allow you to draw outside your Draw Phase. Use both of these cards again, negating any costs. Then remove them and this card from play.

_Note: "Spoiled Brat" was created by King Dragun for his fanfic "Yu-Gi-Oh: Sister of Anansi". All creative credit goes to him._

**0**

**0**

**0**

"**Shinato, King of a Higher Plane":** Fairy/Light/Ritual, Level 8, (3,300/3,000)

Deckmaster SA: This Monster has _two_ Deckmaster Abilities:

- "Life Transfer": Any battle damage inflicted upon your opponent is added to your Life Point total.

- "Reversal": If your Deckmaster is on the field and is about to be destroyed by a card effect, you can return the Deckmaster to its position off the field. If you use this ability, you cannot summon the Deckmaster for the remainder of the duel.

**0**

**0**

**0**

"**Cosmo Queen":** Spellcaster/Dark, Level 8, (2,900/2,450)

Deckmaster SA: ...?

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**Coming up next:**_

_**A chapter so secretive, I will not reveal anything about it except the title!**_

_**And here it is:**_

"_**The Remnant Returns".**_

_**What can it mean?**_

_**Wait and see!**_


	57. The Remnant Returns

_Before I start, I want to tell everyone, I took some liberties with one powerful card, so please don't bring that up. I know how it really works._

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**One thousand years ago, the Shadow Queen's armies of darkness marched over the world, enslaving and subjugating all in their path… Until she was stopped by three saviors, three powerful Heroes.**_

_**That you already know.**_

_**But there's a piece of the puzzle you never learned… **_

_**What motivated the Three Heroes to take up arms and become the world's saviors? Who brought them together? What was the driving force behind these three great warriors?**_

_**If left alone, they would not have come together. Certainly, someone or something must have helped them find each other and convinced them that they were able to perform such a daunting task, or they would not have dared oppose the Shadow Queen. After all, her Graveyard was full of prisoners who had tried and failed. **_

_**Who or what stood behind the Three Heroes?**_

_**It's a story that only a few know…**_

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER FIFTY-SEVEN**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**The Remnant Returns**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

Still exhausted, the three teens hurried down the corridors of the winding Labyrinth, with Fran's Amazoness Swords Woman ahead of them.

"Right!" said Fran, as they approached an intersection they had yet to mark.

Swords Woman made a slash on the right side of the wall with her blade, and they turned right.

They'd been doing this for half an hour. Each time they'd come to an intersection, Fran would tell her to mark one side, they'd go that way, and when they'd come to a place they'd been, they'd take the other way.

But still, they were getting nowhere fast.

They stopped to catch their breaths.

"Boy…" muttered Andy. "It's like this stupid maze goes on forever!"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The Queen poured blue liquid into a cauldron.

"That's because it _does_, Andy," she said with a grin. "From the inside, the Labyrinth Wall is infinite. You'll have to get out some other way. You can if you stop to think about it.

"But it should slow you down long enough for me to finish this…"

The red liquid in the cauldron turned orange, then yellow, then green, then blue, then purple…

…then murky black…

_Have to recite this just right…_ she thought_. If I mispronounce even one syllable, I could wind up with six corpses… And that would be a waste… well, sort of…_

"Ah quan lah trep soo!" she chanted.

The liquid started to bubble.

"Mah goun rah nep tarh!"

The liquid caught on fire, and a dark portal started to form in the center of the room.

"_Dasta laste mah cahn eranus!"_

The room went dark, and the cauldron exploded in a burst of foul slime! The portal crackled with dark energy, and several beakers and test tubes on the walls shattered to pieces!

When everything settled down, the whole room was a wreck, and six shivering, prone forms were on the floor in the center.

She crossed her arms and looked at them.

"Pathetic…" she muttered.

The first one to look up was Vladimir.

"Mom?" he said in fear. "You…"

He turned and saw his five siblings.

"You brought us back? But how?"

"Anyone who can send people to the Shadow Realm can also recover people from the place," answered the Queen. "It took me a colossal amount of magical energy that I would have _really_ rather have spent on other things and gave me a bad migraine in the process, so you six fools should consider yourselves _very_ lucky that I decided to be nice.

"Now, we're going to try this again, and…"

"No!" begged Melissa. "We don't want to!"

"They're too strong!" pleaded Tyson. "They're better at Shadow Games than we are! The blood of the Three Heroes is in them!"

"I'm not giving you all a choice!" scolded the Queen. "Since you all are incapable of doing this on your own and they're almost at the Heart of the Palace, we're going to use the Amalgam Spell!"

"NOOO!" screamed Maria in panic.

"Mother, please reconsider!" begged Leopold. "Our bodies will be consumed if you use that spell, and…"

"They won't be consumed, Leopold," said the Queen. "I'll be able to keep them in magical stasis."

She glared at them.

"However," she warned, "you only will get them back if you can defeat those brats. Fail this time, and I'll just lock you up in shackles until I decide I have some other use for this plan."

They all moaned.

"Succeed," said the Queen, "and we might just consider forgiveness… But no guarantees."

She took a card out of her dress and picked up her Duel Disk.

"Now all of you sit still and be quiet," she warned. "If you move or talk while this is working, your chances of surviving go down from sixty percent to about thirty percent…"

"We only have a sixty percent chance?" gasped Kurtis.

"Kurtis, sit still, and be quiet…" ordered Vladimir.

The Shadow Queen played the card…

And a strange spell started to take effect…

"Powers of Light…" said the Queen.

Melissa closed her eyes, and a spiritual form of radiance floated out of her body.

"Wind…" she continued.

Kurtis closed his eyes, and a blue, airy form floated out of him.

"Fire…"

Tyson followed. A flaming spirit floated out of him.

"Earth…"

Leopold did the same, and a spirit that seemed both immaterial and solid at the same time floated from his body.

"Water…"

Maria closed her eyes. A completely fluid form rose from her.

"And Darkness…"

A pitch-black shadow rose out of Vladimir's body…

And then, the physical bodies of the six Spawn melted away.

"Combine…" said the Queen.

The six spiritual forms coalesced…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The three teens were too tired to run anymore. They stopped at a four-way intersection.

"There's got to be another way out of here…" muttered Francesca.

"Wait…" said Stan. "Recall Swords Woman."

Fran shuffled the card back into her deck, and the Amazon vanished.

"This is a Labyrinth Wall," said Stan. "It's another one of the Queen's living Monsters. We can't find our way though it… We have to destroy it."

"That might be hard," said Andy, pointing upward. "The Queen set up an Imperial Order and a Skill Drain Trap, so destroying it with Magic Cards and Monster effects won't work."

"True," stated Stan, taking five cards from his deck, "but we can destroy it if we summon someone strong enough to defeat its 3,000-point Defense. And with those two Traps up there, there's only one possibility…

"So, first I'll summon Magician's Valkyria and the Illusory Gentleman."

He placed two cards down on his Disk, and the two Spellcasters appeared. (1,600/1,800), (1,500/1,600)

"Next," he continued, "I'll sacrifice Valkyria to summon Chaos Command Magician, and then sacrifice the Gentleman to summon Dark Magician Girl…"

The two Spellcasters vanished, and the two stronger Spellcasters appeared. (2,400/1,900), (2,000/1,700)

"And then," he continued, "I'll sacrifice them both… to summon Sorcerer of Dark Magic!"

The two Spellcasters vanished, and the powerful black Spellcaster appeared! (3,200/2,800)

"All right!" he shouted. "Smash down these walls! Celestial Blast!"

Sorcerer of Dark Magic fired a mighty spell from his staff, and the Labyrinth Wall was smashed to rubble!

"All right!" shouted Andy.

They saw an exit in the far end of the vast cavern.

"Hey, Shadow Queen!" laughed Andy, looking at the two Traps. "You should have put a Mask of Restrict up there! If you had, we'd have been trapped forever!"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The Shadow Queen laughed.

"You missed the whole point, Andy!" she laughed. "I only wanted to slow you down! And I succeeded admirably!

"As soon as you reach the access to the Heart, my newest duelist will challenge the three of you. Those that defeat her will progress to the finals. Those that can't…

"My Graveyard is waiting…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The three teens entered a very long and wide hallway.

It was ten feet wide, with blood-red carpeting, with stone walls lit with torches.

Far down, about a thousand feet, were huge doors.

They started down the hallway…

As they reached the halfway point, a mystical circle appeared on the floor…

Then a whirlwind erupted from it, followed by a column of fire, followed by a column of rock, followed by a waterspout…

Then a beautiful woman appeared where the energy gouts had been. She wore a decorated blue robe and a fancy headdress. She had strawberry blonde hair, and carried a Duel Disk on her arm.

"Now what?" sighed Stan.

"Hiya folks!" said the woman in a familiar voice. "Long time no see!"

"That's Melissa's voice!" gasped Andy.

The figure laughed in another voice.

"True, but she isn't alone here!" laughed Kurtis's voice.

The voice switched to Tyson.

"Today's special is, six for the price of one!" he laughed.

"We're all working as a team now," said Leopold's voice. "You know what they say… The whole is greater than the sum of its parts!"

"You're all going to get six times the pain this time!" cackled Maria's voice.

"Can we can the melodramatics and get on with this?" growled Vladimir's voice.

The other five chuckled.

"No Shadow Games this time," chuckled Tyson, "but we can still defeat you on our mother's behalf. So who'd like to go down first?"

The three of them looked at each other.

Impossible… They were far too tired to take them on now…

And then a voice came from nowhere…

"I believe that honor belongs to me," it said.

A form appeared between them and the woman.

"MERLEE?" they shouted at once.

The old man crossed his arms, one of which bore a Duel Disk, and stared at the six children who were somehow sharing one body…

"Merlee?" asked Kurtis. "Wait, mom mentioned him… He was mom's deadliest enemy one thousand years ago!"

There was a pause.

"He was the one who recruited the Three Heroes and convinced them to take her down!"

"Yes," said Merlee. "I helped take down the Queen once, and I've been helping their heirs now… Call it payback…"

"Payback?" asked Maria. "What did she ever do to you?"

"What _didn't_ she do?" shouted Merlee, angrily.

"Merlee…" muttered Francesca. "You can't…"

"I'll handle them, Francesca," interrupted Merlee. "You three take it easy…"

He looked at the Spawn.

"It's a sad story…" started Merlee. "One that most people have forgotten…

"Eleven hundred years ago, I was just a child, who lived in a small city-state that history never learned about. We were a society of intellectuals who studied philosophy, science, and art…

"We did… until the armies of the Shadow Queen came…

"She thought that, because of our pacifistic nature, we were worthless. She called us weak. That we weren't even worth enslaving. All she could use from us was what wealth and knowledge we had. So she simply ordered everyone in the city executed…"

Stan, Andy, and Francesca gasped.

"Nine-thousand innocents died horribly that day…" he continued. "One thousand more managed to flee, and the Queen didn't bother to pursue. But it was winter, and the survivors quickly succumbed to hunger and the cold…

"Slowly, they starved and froze to death, until only one child was left… That child found a strange shrine in the wilderness… He wandered inside, hoping that it would provide warmth from the cold. He didn't find it, and he fell asleep, not expecting to ever wake up…

"In his dreams, he came face-to-face with the deity whom the shrine was once dedicated to… The God of Kings and the Sun, Re-Horakhty…

"Are you getting this, or should I go slower?"

"Hanging onto every word…" muttered Leopold.

"The God of Kings sympathized with the child, and said he would help him. He used his divine power to save his life, and would grant him immortality, as well as the potential to learn powerful magic…

"Even Shadow Magic…

"The boy made his way to a civilization where the Shadow Queen had not yet reached, and for the next hundred years, kept one step ahead of her. As he grew into a man, he studied knowledge that most men would not dare to delve into…

"And eventually, he discovered three individuals who he believed could defeat the Shadow Queen. He convinced them to take up arms to oppose her together…

"But even after they had, the survivor's job was not done, and wouldn't be until the Queen was defeated forever…"

He pointed at the creature.

"Shadow Spawn, I am that survivor… The last remnant of a civilization that your mother butchered because she thought we were weak…

"And if you want to defeat these children, you will have to defeat me first!"

Maria laughed.

"You aren't worth our time, old man!" she cackled. "Why should we waste our energy with you?"

"Because I have some things you need…" answered Merlee.

He took six cards out of a pouch by his side.

He showed them to them – Reshef the Dark Being, Cyber Harpie Lady, Infernal Incinerator, Sengenjin, Crab Turtle, and Relinquished.

They were silenced.

"I'll make you six a deal," he stated. "Duel me instead of these kids. If you win, you get these cards back. But if I win, you have to surrender to me…"

"And what would that entail?" asked Leopold, getting suspicious.

Inside the creature's head, Melissa pulled him aside.

"Leo, Leo, chill!" she laughed. "It isn't as if we actually have to keep our word… Besides, we can kick the adult diapers off this guy! He'll be a pushover!"

"Let's be careful nonetheless," warned Vladimir. "Merlee might well be crafty…"

"You worry too much, Vlad…" chuckled Tyson. "We'll beat him in three rounds!"

They turned to Merlee.

"Okay, Merl," laughed Melissa, "we'll duel you… this shouldn't take long…

"Anyway, you need a Deckmaster…"

"I'm quite aware of that," said Merlee. "And I've got the perfect Monster…"

He held a card above his head…

A _little_ Monster shaped like a white square with a face, stubby limbs, little wings, and a red question mark on his head appeared.

"My Deckmaster is Mokey Mokey!" he exclaimed.

"Mokey Mokey," said the little Fairy.

"HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA!" laughed Tyson. "And what exactly does that little marshmallow do?"

"I believe it was you who told Stan, Tyson," said Merlee, "that there is no rule that says I have to tell you what my Deckmaster can do!"

"Wait a second…" said Stan, looking through his spare cards. "When I found my Sweet Treat card, that guy was in a pile with a lot of other cards…"

He pulled out another Mokey Mokey card and read the flavor text:

_An outcast angel. Nobody knows what he is thinking at all. Sometimes he gets mad and that is dreadful._

"That text isn't entirely true," noted Merlee. "Some people know what he's thinking. I certainly do!"

"Well, let us tell you about our Deckmaster!" laughed Melissa. "See, we're all sharing the body of a Ritual Monster called Elemental Mistress Doriado. And while she is technically a Monster of Light…"

"She is also considered a Monster of Wind," said Kurtis.

"Fire," continued Tyson.

"Earth," said Leopold.

"AND Water at once!" finished Maria.

"And her Deckmaster ability is quite simple," stated Vladimir. "She can influence the field even when she hasn't been summoned to it."

"Then enough talk," said Merlee, activating his Disk. "It's time to duel!"

The Spawn activated their own Disk, and the Life Point counters each set to 8,000.

"We're all behind you, Merlee!" shouted Francesca.

"Be careful!" warned Stan. "These guys are dangerous!"

"I know what 'm doing…" answered Merlee.

"Yeah, right…" chuckled Maria.

"I'll make the first move…" said Merlee, drawing a sixth card.

"And for my first move, I'll activate a Continuous Magic Card… the powerful Heart of the Underdog!"

The card appeared on his side of the field.

"What this card does will come to light on my next turn," he stated. "Next I'll place one card facedown on the field…"

He played a card, and it appeared facedown.

"And finally, I'll summon Kozaky in Attack Mode."

A cackle sounded over the field, and a fiendish mad scientist appeared in front of him. (400/400)

"And that will end my turn," he said.

"HA!" laughed Tyson. "You call THAT a Monster?"

"Don't mock Kozaky," scolded Merlee. "He's a scientist, an intellectual, and a hard worker, just like my people were."

"Touching," said Tyson. "Well, we'll show you a real Monster…"

They drew a card.

"You see, Doriado has six servants, and to each of them, she bestowed two elemental gifts… And we'll summon one now… Element Valkyrie in Attack Mode!"

They placed a card down, and a beautiful woman in a skimpy one-piece, gloves, boots, a blue cape, and a winged helmet, carrying a flaming spear appeared.

"Element Valkyrie was given the Gift of Fire and the Gift of Water," continued Tyson. "So when there's a Fire Monster on the field, she gains 500 Attack Points, and when there's a Water Monster on the field, she can't be brainwashed.

"And remember, Doriado is considered a Monster of five Attributes, and she can influence the field even now, so Valkyrie receives both of those benefits!"

(1,500/1,200) –) (2,000/1,200)

"Element Valkyrie," shouted Tyson, "attack that sorry excuse for a Monster with scalding steam blast!"

The Valkyrie twirled her spear, and shot a blast of steam at the mad scientist. Kozaky covered his face…

"I activate my Trap Card!" shouted Merlee. "Silver Dollar!"

A Trap bearing the image of two silver coins lifted up and the blast was halted inches from Kozaky!

Merlee grinned.

"This Trap Card can negate one attack against one of my Monsters, so long as the Monster that's being attacked has 1,000 Attack Points or less."

"He is crafty…" muttered Vladimir.

"Fine…" said Tyson. "It's your move…"

"Then it's time to see what Heart of the Underdog can do," exclaimed Merlee. "See, during my Draw Phase, if a card I draw is a Normal Monster, I'm allowed to draw again, so long as show you the Monster…"

He drew.

"And I just drew Clown Zombie!"

He drew again.

"Goblin Calligrapher!"

He drew a third time.

"Gigobyte!"

A fourth time…

"Skull Servant!"

He drew yet again…

He looked at the reptilian Monster on the card.

"Well…" he said, "this card doesn't fit the profile, so I have to stop drawing there…"

"Finally…" muttered Kurtis.

"That's a powerful card…" muttered Andy.

"Yeah, but he used it to draw a bunch of weaklings…" answered Stan.

"Next, I'll summon the Clown Zombie I just drew…" continued Merlee, "in Attack Mode…"

He placed the card down, and a hideous, decayed clown balancing on a ball appeared. (1,350/0)

"Well," chuckled Melissa. "That's better than the other guy, but he still stinks!"

"Really?" said Merlee. "Well, he's going to destroy your Valkyrie, because I also have a Magic Card…"

He played a card.

"Thousand Energy," he said. "When I play this card, all Normal two-star Monsters on my side of the field, like Clown Zombie, gain 1,000 Attack Points."

Clown Zombie glowed, and rose to 2,350 Attack Points!

"Clown Zombie," ordered Merlee, "kill Element Valkyrie with acrobatic daggers attack!"

Clown Zombie cackled. Three glowing knives appeared in his hand… He leapt up, landed on the ball on his other hand, and threw them! Element Valkyrie screamed as they flew into her breast! She fell over and shattered.

The Spawn's shared body looked in disbelief…

"Kozaky, you attack too…" ordered Merlee.

The Fiend laughed, and produced a smoking test tube. He hurled it, and Doriado staggered backwards slightly.

Their Life Points fell to 7,250.

"Finally, I'll place one card facedown on the field," stated Merlee, playing a card.

A facedown card appeared behind Kozaky.

"Now I'll end my turn," he said. "Unfortunately, since I played Thousand Energy, that means Clown Zombie goes to the Graveyard…"

Clown Zombie shattered.

Inside Doriado's head, the Spawn were a little upset.

"He'll be a pushover, huh?" asked Kurtis, sarcastically.

"Hey, he may have won the first round," said Leopold, "but it takes more than that to win a duel… Now let's draw…"

They drew a card.

"Now we summon another of Doriado's servants," said Leopold, "a fiendish fighter known as Element Soldier!"

They put a card down, and a knight in bronze armor holding a long blade appeared. (1,500/1,200)

"This creature was given the Gifts of Earth and Water," said Leopold. "You already know what the Gift of Water entails… The Gift of Earth lets him negate the effect of any Monster that he destroys.

"Element Soldier, attack with mire sludge blast!"

Element Soldier swung his blade, and a stream of slimy mud shot forward, blowing Kozaky to pieces!

Merlee shielded himself as his Life Points fell to 6,900.

He placed a card on his Disk.

"I summon Ruklamba the Spirit King!" he exclaimed.

A frightening-looking lizard-man with long, black hair, sharp teeth, and a long tail appeared on Merlee's side of the field. (1,000/2,000)

"Hey!" shouted Maria. "It's still our turn!"

"True," nodded Merlee, "but due to one of Ruklamba's special effects, when I lose 1,000 or more Life Points in a single attack, I can summon him to the field immediately!"

Maria growled.

"I think I see the Spawn's strategy," said Francesca, "I've seen this before…"

"Huh?" asked Andy.

"It's called an Alchemy Deck," explained Francesca. "All of their Monsters gain multiple benefits from having Doriado on the field.

"The problem with this strategy is, Doriado is a Ritual Monster, so she's hard to summon… And she's weak, so she's hard to keep on the field.

"But since Doriado is their Deckmaster and can influence the field from the sidelines, her presence was helping them from the start, and she can't be gotten rid of. That makes the strategy hard to defeat…"

Meanwhile, the Spawn were discussing this new development.

"Vladimir," said Tyson. "What is the story with this Ruklamba? You're the expert on Dark Monsters…"

"I have no idea, Tyson!" replied Vladimir. "But I did see that that thing is an eight-star Monster…"

"An eight-star Monster with only 1,000 Attack Points?" said Maria, startled. "Most eight-stars are three times as strong!"

"Indeed…" muttered Vladimir. "So its effect is likely… deadly…"

"All right, Merlee…" said Leopold, slowly. "We end our turn…"

"Then it's time for Heart of the Underdog to work again!" said Merlee, making a draw.

"And I drew Souls of the Forgotten!"

He drew again.

"Another Kozaky!"

He drew again.

"And this card doesn't do the trick…" he said, adding it to his hand.

"First, I'll place one card facedown on the field," he said, playing a card.

A card appeared next to the other one.

"Next I'll activate Ruklamba's other special ability," he stated. "See, by offering it as a sacrifice, I can Special Summon as many Monsters as I can, so long as the lump sum of their Attack Scores does not total more than 2,000.

"So say goodbye to Ruklamba…"

Ruklamba the Spirit King shattered into pixels.

"And say hello to Skull Servant, Gigobyte, Goblin Calligrapher, Petit Moth, and another Kozaky!"

Five Monsters materialized on the field! First came a small skeleton clad in rags (300/200). Then there was a tiny, cute-looking lizard man (350/300). Next came a little Fiend with purple skin and a horn on his forehead, holding a quill pen behind his ear (400/400). He was followed by a large silkworm with colored markings. (300/200). Finally, another Kozaky appeared. (400/400)

"Ho boy, it's a battalion of weaklings…" muttered Maria.

"All my Monsters are physically weak," answered Merlee. "Your mother called my people weaklings! This is my way of proving that creatures who are physically weak are not as worthless as she thought!"

"Fine," laughed Maria, as they drew a card. "Well just take them all out like bite-sized candies!

"We play Pot of Greed!"

The jar handed them two cards.

"Perfect!" chuckled Kurtis. "Since we're getting sick of you making extra draws, we're going to blow away that Heart of the Underdog card with Mystical Space Typhoon!"

They played the card, and the fierce wind blasted the Magic Card to pieces!

They took another card.

"And now we're going to summon Doriado's most powerful servant! We summon Element Dragon!"

They played the card, and a Dragon with orange skin and a mane of red hair appeared. (1,500/1,200) –) (2,000/1,200)

"Not only does this guy have the Gift of Fire," laughed Kurtis, "but he has the Gift of Wind, which means so long as there's a Wind Monster on the field, he can attack a second time, so long as he destroys one Monster first!"

"Merlee…" gasped Francesca.

"Element Dragon…" ordered Kurtis, "attack the Petit Moth with blazing breeze!"

Flames appeared in the Dragon's jaws…

"I activate Gravity Bind!" shouted Merlee, as his Trap Card lifted.

A wave of energy covered the whole field.

"Now," he said, "all Monsters of four stars or more can't attack!"

Doriado sneered.

"Fine, we end our turn then…" muttered Kurtis.

"Then I'll draw…" said Merlee.

He drew.

"And I'll activate my other facedown card… One of my personal favorites…"

A Magic Card lifted.

"The Law of the Normal?" gasped Melissa. "What the heck does _that_ do?"

"This Magic Card can only be played when I have five Normal Monsters of one or two stars on my side of the field," explained Merlee. "Since I do, all Monsters on your side of the field that don't fit that criteria are wiped out!"

The five minor-league Monsters' eyes glowed, and they fired burning beams! Element Soldier and Element Dragon howled, and shattered into pixels!

"And now that you have nothing to protect yourselves," said Merlee, "get them, boys!"

Doriado screamed with six voices as the five Monsters all made a flying tackle, hitting her with a barrage of punches and ramming attacks. She fell on her behind!

The Spawn fell to 5,500 Life Points.

"Old man…" said Leopold, "we're really starting to get angry…"

"You ever read the Bible, Shadow Spawn?" asked Merlee.

Doriado stared at him.

"Didn't think so," he continued. "I'm fond of a certain passage from Mathew 5:5, where Christ says 'Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the Earth'."

"That may be true," growled Maria, "but until then, the strong will give the meek a hard time!"

"In one ear and out the other," said Merlee, shaking his head. "Well, my turn is now over."

"Oh, I get it!" said Stan. "I know Merlee's strategy now!"

"Oh?" asked Andy.

"Professionals call it a 'Human Wave' deck," said Stan. "People who think it doesn't work call it a 'Weenie Rush Deck'. In any case, it consists of using one- and two-star Monsters with no effects and Spells and Traps made especially for them. It can be quite effective in the hands of an expert."

The Spawn drew a card.

They gave it some careful consideration.

"We'll place one card facedown," Maria, fitting a card into a slot.

A facedown card appeared.

"Next, we'll summon Element Magician in Attack Mode."

In a swirl of what looked like sea spray, a woman dressed in flimsy clothing and streamers with her hair tied in a Princess Leia do appeared, dancing a pirouette. (1,500/1,200)

"This princess was given the Gift of Water and the Gift of Wind," stated Maria.

"She still can't attack me with my Gravity Bind," answered Merlee.

"So we'll end our turn," said Maria.

Merlee drew.

"We activate our Trap!" shouted Kurtis. "Go, Fuh-Rin-Ka-Zan!"

The Trap activated, and an armored samurai appeared, kneeling in the center of the field.

"Wait just a minute!" shouted Francesca. "I know that Trap! You need four Monsters to activate it!"

"No we don't!" laughed Kurtis. "We only need a Monster of Fire, one of Wind, one of Water, and one of Earth! And remember, Doriado fills all four requirements!

"Now we have a choice to make; while we could wipe out all your Monsters, that wouldn't do much good with that annoying Gravity Bind Trap still there, so we're going to use the one that lets us destroy all your Magic and Trap Cards!"

A fierce wind erupted over the field, and Gravity Bind shattered!

The samurai vanished.

"Very well," said Merlee, shrugging. "I'll move all my Monsters into Defense Mode…"

The five Monsters backed up.

"I'll end my turn."

"Perfect!" laughed Kurtis as they drew a card. "Element Magician, wipe out his Kozaky AND his Gigobyte with tempest spray!"

Element Magician chanted, and fired a blast of freezing mist, eradicating Kozaky. Then she fired another blast with her other hand, blowing Gigobyte away.

"Now we'll place a card facedown, and we'll end our turn," said Kurtis, as a facedown card appeared behind Element Magician.

"Very well…" said Merlee, drawing.

He added the card to his hand.

"I'll first move my three Monsters back… to Attack Mode!" he stated.

Skull Servant, Petit Moth, and Goblin Calligrapher got up.

"And next I'll play a powerful Magic Card… The incredible Triangle Power!"

He played the card.

Andy remembered this card… Vladimir himself had used it against him using his Skull Servant Deck!

"When this card is played," continued Merlee, "as Vladimir no doubt knows, all Normal one-star Monsters on my side of the field gain 2,000 Attack Points!"

The three Monsters were surrounded by a glowing energy triangle. Skull Servant rose to 2,300 Attack, Goblin Calligrapher rose to 2,400, and Petit Moth rose to 2,300…

Element Magician gasped in fear…

"Skull Servant, attack the Magician!" shouted Merlee.

Skull Servant flew forward and slashed at Element Magician with its claw! She screamed and shattered.

The Spawn fell to 4,700 Life Points.

"This is it!" shouted Stan. "If these next two attacks hit, Merlee will win!"

"Goblin Calligrapher!" yelled Merlee. "Show them that the pen is truly mightier than the sword!"

The Fiend cackled, and took the pen from behind his ear… It grew to the size of a lance. He charged point-first…

"Ergh, activate Trap Card!" shouted Melissa.

The Trap lifted as the Goblin stabbed them with his pen…

Doriado grinned, as Nutrient Z revealed itself.

"You aren't the only one with clever Traps, dad!" she laughed. "Thanks to this, we gained 4,000 Life Points before your attack hit!"

Their Life Points went up to 8,700, and then down to 6,300.

"Don't forget that my Petit Moth still has an attack…" muttered Merlee. "And he intends to use it!"

Petit Moth flew at them and rammed into Doriado's gut, knocking them down. Their Life Points fell to 4,000.

"And my turn is far from over," continued Merlee. "Next I'll play the Magic Card called Enchanting Fitting Room…"

He played the card.

"To play this, I must pay 800 Life Points…" he explained.

His Life Points fell to 6,100.

"And now I get to pick up the top four cards of my deck, and if any of them are Normal Monsters of three stars or lower, I get to Special Summon them. Anything else I reshuffle back into my deck."

Four cards appeared in front of him.

"Well, Heavy Storm and Nobleman of Crossout are certainly not Monsters," he said, as they vanished. "But Firegrass and Kagemusha of the Blue Flame are. And I'll put them in Defense Mode."

He placed two cards on his Disk, and two Monsters appeared. The first one was a weird patch of weeds with a grimacing face. (700/600). The second was a bare-chested Warrior with his hair tied in a ponytail, holding a short sword and a staff. (800/400)

"My turn is over," said Merlee, as he returned the other two cards to his deck. "Unfortunately, since I played Triangle Power, that means the three Monsters who benefited from it go to the Graveyard."

Skull Servant, Goblin Calligrapher, and Petit Moth shattered.

"All right, our move!" shouted Maria.

They looked at their card and frowned.

"You seem disappointed with your draw…" said Merlee.

They placed a card down.

"We summon the dreaded Element Doom in Attack Mode," stated Vladimir.

A hideous Fiend that looked like a cross between a snake and a bat with large wings appeared. (1,500/1,200)

"This creature possesses the Gift of Earth and the Gift of Wind," continued Vladimir, "and I'm sure you realize what that means by now. Element Doom, wipe out both his Monsters with diabolic sandstorm!"

The Fiend shot two blasts of sand and grit from its maw, and Merlee's two Monsters were wiped out.

"We'll place a card facedown, and that will do it for now…" said Vladimir.

A facedown card appeared.

"Fine," replied Merlee.

He drew a card.

"Activate, Fuh-Rin-Ka-Zan!" shouted Maria.

"Another one?" gasped Francesca, as the Trap lifted.

"This time, we're going to use the effect that lets us draw two cards…" she continued.

Two cards flew off their deck.

They seethed as they looked at them.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Inside Doriado's head, an argument started.

"Where is it?" cursed Maria. "We are having the worst luck!"

"Don't blame me!" shouted Tyson. "If we had included my Forge of Hephaestus card in this deck, we could have brought it out instantly!"

"If my memory serves me correctly, Tyson," chuckled Leopold, "that silly Trap let Stan draw his Sorcerer of Dark Magic, and blow your best Monster to Kingdom Come!"

"Whose idea was it to put that stupid Monster in this deck anyway?" asked Vladimir.

They all looked at Melissa.

"It was a good idea!" she shouted. "Once we draw it, he's history!"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Merlee took a card from his hand.

"I play the Magic Card, Level Limit Area B!" he exclaimed, playing the card.

The card appeared, and Element Doom curled up in Defense Mode.

"Now, all Monsters of four stars or more must move to Defense Mode and stay there," he continued. "I'll end my turn with that…"

What was clearly Maria's voice growled.

"We'll summon Element Saurus in Defense Mode then," said Tyson.

They played a card, and a mean-looking dinosaur with smoke pouring out of its nostrils appeared. It sat in Defense Mode. (1,500/1,200) –) (2,000/1,200)

Merlee drew a card.

"I'll keep you guessing by placing two more cards facedown…" he stated.

Two facedown cards appeared.

"And I'll end my turn."

"ARGH!" shouted Maria inside their head. "Two strong Monsters on our side, none on his side, and we can't touch him!"

"Shut up, Maria!" shouted Leopold, who was getting frustrated himself.

They drew a card.

"I activate a Trap Card!" shouted Merlee. "Go, Ojama Trio!"

His Trap lifted, and then shattered…

Three ugly imps appeared on the Spawn's side of the field. One was green, had one eye, and a lolling tongue. One was yellow and had eyes on stalks. The third was black and bulky. (0/1,000 x3)

"What are these things?" shouted Melissa. "They're creeping me out!"

"What kind of a Master of Light Monsters are you, Melissa?" asked Merlee. "You don't recognize the Ojamas? This Trap creates three Ojama Tokens on your side of the field, preventing you from summoning any more Monsters. Getting rid of them will be difficult, because they can't be sacrificed to summon Monsters… And as you can see, attacking me with them would be pointless."

"Fine…" growled Melissa. "We'll pass for this turn…"

Merlee drew a card.

"I first play Emergency Provisions," he said, "and use it to send Level Limit Area B and my other card to the Graveyard."

He played the card. A large mouth appeared, and swallowed the two cards. His Life Points went up to 8,100.

"And by the way," he stated, "the 'other card' was a special Magic Card called Ojamagic. When this card is sent from the field or my hand to the Graveyard, I get to pull the three real Ojamas from my deck…"

Three cards slipped out of his deck.

"…so now I have Ojama Green, Ojama Yellow, and Ojama Black.

"Next I'll place two more cards facedown on the field, and end my turn…"

Two cards appeared in front of him.

"Are you sure?" asked Tyson.

"Positive…" said Merlee.

The Spawn chuckled as they drew a card.

"Then we'll move our two Monsters to attack Mode…" chuckled Tyson.

Element Doom and Element Saurus rose up into attack position.

"Element Doom, diabolic sandstorm!" shouted Leopold.

The Fiend blasted its sandstorm, and Merlee cringed as it hit him…

"MERLEE!" screamed Francesca.

"Element Saurus," yelled Tyson, "magma blast!"

Element Saurus shot a gout of burning lava from its jaws, striking Merlee in the chest!

His Life Points fell to 4,600.

"Well, that's our turn, Merl, old girl…" snickered Melissa.

Merlee stared at them in anger. He drew a card.

"I play Card of Sanctity!" he exclaimed.

They were shocked.

They each drew until they held six cards.

"Incidentally," chuckled Merlee. "Did you perchance draw what you've been looking for this whole duel? Don't think I don't know what it is…"

They stared at him.

"I'll take that as a no," he chuckled, wagging his finger. "It must have hit the bottom of your deck…"

He played a card.

"I summon Souls of the Forgotten in Attack Mode…" he stated.

A collection of ghostly faces appeared. (900/200)

"Next I'll play another Thousand Energy," he stated, throwing a card into a slot. "You remember how this works…"

Souls of the Forgotten rose to an Attack of 1,900!

"Souls of the Forgotten, destroy Element Doom!" he shouted.

The ghostly Fiend let loose an unearthly moan, and Element Doom shattered!

The Spawn fell to 3,600 Life Points.

"And to finish my turn…" he said.

His facedown card lifted.

Polymerization.

"I'll use this to fuse together the three Ojamas in my hand…" he stated.

Three Monsters looking just like the three Tokens appeared on his side of the field… they swirled into a vortex of light…

And then a huge creature resembling a balloon with googly eyes, stubby limbs, and wearing a pair of trunks and a cape appeared! (0/3,000)

It crouched in Defense Mode.

"What is THAT?" gasped Kurtis.

"He's Ojama King!" laughed Merlee. "Quite a looker, isn't he?

"My turn is over…"

Souls of the Forgotten shattered.

The Spawn drew a card.

"We pass…" growled Tyson. "We can't do anything."

"In that case," said Merlee, making a draw, "I'll move my King into Attack Mode…"

Ojama King stood up.

"WHAT?" stuttered Tyson. "But he has zero Attack Points!"

"Not for long," answered Merlee.

His facedown card lifted.

"This is a Magic Card called Ojamuscle!" he stated. "When I play this card, all Ojama Monsters on the field except my King are destroyed…"

The three Ojama Tokens exploded!

"Oh, and I forgot to mention," added Merlee. "When an Ojama Token is destroyed, you lose 300 Life Points… for each."

Three small explosions burst on Doriado's chest. The Spawn fell to 2,700 Life Points.

"And Ojamuscle has a second effect," he continued. "Now my King gains 1,000 Attack Points for every Ojama that was just destroyed!"

Ojama King flexed his muscles and glowed, and his Attack Score rose to 3,000!

"Good grief…" muttered Andy.

"Ojama King…" ordered Merlee. "Flatten Element Saurus with Ojama belly-flop drop!"

Ojama King chuckled a throaty laugh. It leapt into the air, and super-flied the dinosaur, squashing it flat!

The Spawn cringed, as their Life Points fell to 1,700.

"OOHH!" shouted Maria. "YOU, mister, have just reached number one on our most-hated duelist list!"

"Why thank you, Maria," chuckled Merlee. "I do like to stand out…"

They drew a card.

"Heh, heh, heh…" chuckled five members of the Spawn. "HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA!"

"Knock it off!" scolded Vladimir.

"What's so funny?" asked Stan.

"Prepare to lose!" shouted Tyson. "We now remove Element Magician… and Element Doom from play…"

The Spellcaster and the Fiend appeared in front of them.

"They wouldn't…" gasped Andy.

"One soul to the Light…" stated Melissa, as the Magician vanished.

"One soul to the Darkness…" continued Vladimir, as the Fiend vanished.

"And the Gates of Chaos are blown wide open!" they all shouted at once, throwing a card on their Disk. "Come forth_, Black Luster Soldier – Envoy of the Beginning_!"

In an explosion of raw, primal energy, one of the most dreaded Monsters in all of Duel Monsters erupted onto the field with a roar! (3,000/2,500)

"NO!" screamed Francesca. "They can't!"

"We can and we have!" shouted Leopold. "Black Luster Soldier, obliterate Ojama King! Luster blade!"

The Soldier flew forward, sword first, and a flurry of blades shot forward! Ojama King burst in a puff of smoke!

The Spawn laughed evilly.

"You may as well give up…" they chuckled. "You have only one card in your hand, and we have someone who can eradicate anyone you summon!"

Merlee calmly drew a card.

"Well," he muttered, "I guess it's time…"

He paused.

"I summon my Deckmaster to the field…"

Mokey Mokey floated out in front of Merlee. (300/100)

"Mokey Mokey," it said.

The Spawn seemed like they were going to bust a gut laughing.

"You want to lose on purpose?" laughed Kurtis. "Summoning that pathetic excuse for a Deckmaster when we have our strongest Monster out…"

Merlee stared at them.

"You do realize, that if it's destroyed, you lose automatically," chuckled Kurtis, "and seeing that Black Luster Soldier is ten times stronger, that won't be hard…"

"Really?" asked Merlee. "Well, unless you have some way to attack or use that broken Monster's effect during _my_ turn, you're going to lose right now! Let me explain Mokey Mokey's powerful Deckmaster ability…

"It's called… Infinite Anger Burst…"

They looked at him strangely.

"Infinite… Anger… Burst?" asked Maria, getting nervous.

"During this whole duel," explained Merlee, "my Deckmaster stored 500 points of energy every time one of my one-star or two-star Normal Monsters was sent to the Graveyard…

"This gives him a special ability that can be harnessed _once._ Only once.

"Once per duel, for one attack, he can add those stored points to the Attack Score of a one-star Normal Monster.

"And since Mokey Mokey _himself_ is a one-star Normal Monster, and eleven qualifying Monsters have been sent to my Graveyard…"

Mokey Mokey started to get very angry… And his Attack Score started to skyrocket!

1,000… 2,000…. 3,000….

"ARGH!" screamed Melissa in panic. "When's it gonna stop?"

It finally stopped… at 5,800!

"Now then," scolded Merlee, "for a group of brats who were laughing at me just a minute ago, you don't seem to be laughing now!"

He raised his finger in the air.

"The anger of ten-thousand murdered souls is behind this next blow, Shadow Spawn!" he shouted. "You will fall now, your mother will follow, and my people will be avenged!

"Mokey Mokey, attack the Envoy of the Beginning with Infinite Anger Burst!"

"MOKEY MOKEY!" screamed the angry Mokey Mokey.

Mokey Mokey screamed in rage, and shot a stream of blazing energy from his eyes! An explosion tore apart the Warrior, and blew the merged body of the Spawn against the wall!

The duel was over…

Merlee walked up to their prone body. Tears were flowing down their cheeks.

"We lost…" sobbed Melissa. "We're done for… When mom gets our hands on us…"

Merlee took a crystal orb out of his cloak.

"She won't, Melissa," he said. "Remember our deal?"

He took the six Soul Cards out.

"Trust me," he said, "this is more merciful than the punishment that she now has planned for you…"

The six cards glowed, and then Doriado glowed…

She split into six multicolored orbs, and they were sucked into the crystal.

A bright light shone in the crystal as he pocketed it.

"You actually won…" said Andy in disbelief, as they walked up to him.

"Andy, my boy," said Merlee, "you're looking at a man who has over a thousand years more experience than they have. When we first met, I never told you I couldn't duel… I just said that I didn't have time at that point."

"Gee, Merlee…" muttered Stan. "What did you do to them?"

"I sent them to a small pocket dimension," he sighed. "They're forbidden to leave until I allow them too, but it's quite pleasant in there… sort of like a tropical paradise. They'll have a little time to think about this, and I assure you, they won't bother you again."

He paused.

"My friends," he stated, "I fear that this was the final time I could help you. Beyond those doors, the finals of the Monster Island Tournament await, but that is the very Heart of the Palace of Shadow. If I tried to sneak past there, the Queen's magic would be too strong… I could not keep concealed for even a second.

"I could duel her myself, but even if I won, that would accomplish nothing. Only if you, the true Heirs, can defeat her, will she truly be finished. Otherwise, losing a duel would mean nothing to her but humiliation. Tempting, but worthless. And my involvement from this point would only put you at risk.

"You must win the finals, and only then will the Queen concede to duel you herself… If you defeat her, this will at long last be over…

"The blessings of Re-Horakhty, the God of Kings is now upon you…

"Good luck…"

And then he vanished.

The three of them turned to the door.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The huge doors opened, and they found themselves in a large lounge. A table had been laden with a buffet of food and drink.

Five duelists whom they had all seen before were sitting on lush couches or helping themselves to the food.

Wanda Underwood was filling a plate at the table. Chico was next to her, trying to choose between two sodas.

Raven was sitting on a couch sipping from a cup. Her eyes went to Stan as he entered. Her eyes narrowed as his met hers.

On another couch, Kyle and Drake were scarfing down the Swedish meatballs.

"Looks like everyone's here…" muttered Andy.

"Hey guys!" laughed Wanda. "Help yourself! Sydney said it was all for us!"

"Really?" asked Stan, suspiciously. "And did you guys have any trouble getting here?"

"We've been fighting Monsters who could duel," muttered Chico. "I guess you had much of the same thing, huh?"

"And then some…" sighed Stan.

"So, how's our finalists?" asked a voice.

Sydney Meyers came in, smiling.

_Please, you don't fool us with that disguise…_ thought Francesca.

"I won't beat around the bush," chuckled Sydney, "you all worked hard to get here, and you're probably itching to compete in the finals…

"But everyone's tired, so we're going to have everyone sleep on it tonight. Tomorrow morning is the first round of the elimination matches, where you'll be paired at random.

"Eat up, and once you're done, the guest rooms are all ready!"

As hungry as they were, Stan, Andy, and Francesca couldn't say no to food.

"Stan," whispered Andy. "What happens if two of the three of us are paired up?"

"Then we'll just have to fight," muttered Stan, motioning to Sydney. "The ball's still in the Queen's court, and until she decides to face us, we can only play her little game."

A glimmer appeared in Sydney's eye as she turned to leave.

_Eat, drink, and be merry,_ she thought, _for soon, you die…_

**0**

**0**

**0**

**SILVER DOLLAR (Trap Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Trap  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description: **Image of two silver dollars, one with the heads up, one with the tails up. You can activate this card when your opponent declares an attack against one of your Monsters with 1,000 ATK or less. Negate the attack.

_Note: "Silver Dollar" was first used by Joey in the multi-part anime episode "Merger of the Big Five". All creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0**

**0**

**0**

**RUKLAMBA THE SPIRIT KING (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Fiend/Effect  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level: **8  
**ATK: **1,000  
**DEF: **2,000

**Card Description: **This strange creature is said to rule over evil spirits. If you lose 1,000 Life Points or more from one attack, you can Special Summon this Monster from your hand. Offer this Monster as a Tribute to Special Summon Monsters whose Attack Scores add up to 2,000 or less.

_Note: "Ruklamba the Spirit King" was used by Gansley in the multi-part anime episode "Isolated in Cyber Space". All creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0**

**0**

**0**

"**Elemental Mistress Doriado":** Spellcaster/Light/Ritual, Level 3, (1,200/1,400)

Deckmaster SA: "Alchemy": All cards on your side of the field receive the benefit from the Deckmaster's regular effect even when she has not been summoned.

**0**

**0**

**0**

"**Mokey Mokey":** Fairy/Light, Level 1, (300/100)

Deckmaster SA: "Infinite Anger Burst": Every time one of your one-star or two-star Normal Monsters is sent to your Graveyard, collect 500 "anger points". Once per duel, for the purposes of one attack, you can add all collected anger points to the ATK of one of your one-star Normal Monsters.

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**Coming up next: **_

_**You might remember that Raven dueled Stan before, and defeated him…**_

_**Well, in the first duel of the finals, the two come face to face again!**_

_**What will happen this time?**_

_**As the last arc of this fic begins, it's time for a "Rematch", coming soon…**_


	58. Rematch

_**We've reached the epicenter…**_

_**The lion's den…**_

_**The Heart of the Palace of Shadow.**_

_**Five other duelists who we've seen before stand between us and the Shadow Queen… They're likely clueless, but we have to beat them nonetheless.**_

_**This road has been a long time coming… It's been rough, and rocky…**_

_**But we've been hardened… We've been toughened…**_

_**And the beginning of the end is starting…**_

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER FIFTY-EIGHT**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Rematch**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

The woman who called herself Sydney Meyers walked down a hallway. She was pretty sure that all the victims were fast asleep, and comfortable by now. She'd let them sleep. Tomorrow would be a rough day.

She entered a very large room. It looked like a gladiatorial arena, with frightening gargoyles adorning the walls. A balcony was above the entrance where she had entered.

She took a deep breath, and the disguise melted away.

"Grodus…" called the Shadow Queen.

Grodus appeared before her.

"Yes, my liege," he said.

"It seems it has come down to this," said the Queen. "The Spawn were kidnapped, but no matter. They were failures anyway, and with me holding their physical bodies, there's little chance of them becoming a threat.

"Now, the final stage begins…

"Chico, Kyle, Drake, Wanda, and Raven have all proven themselves champion material. And they're holding in their decks incredibly rare cards that, unbeknownst to them, I provided for them…

"Which means, from a technical standpoint, they'll be dueling on my behalf."

"Which means," answered Grodus, "that if Stan, Andy, or Francesca lose to any of them, they've had it…"

"Exactly," answered the Queen. "Not even Merlee could warn them of this one, because even he didn't keep tabs on the other finalists."

"My liege," asked Grodus. "What are we to do if two of the three of them are paired against each other in the first round?"

The Queen chuckled.

"Then we let them duel!" she laughed. "It might even be funny!"

She paused.

"If that's the case, I'll duel whoever loses the match personally later on. However, although I doubt Sydney fools the three of them, we must remain in disguise to deceive the other finalists…"

"No problem…" answered Grodus.

He waved his scepter and cast a spell, and slowly began to change…

…and he transformed into a tall, handsome man in a referee's uniform with dark glasses and a moustache.

"Not bad…" said the Queen. "But you might want to rethink the moustache…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Breakfast was to be served in the lounge at eight…

At seven, Stan was looking over his deck.

He removed his Buster Blader, Neo Aqua Madoor, and Polymerization card…

…and then took three cards from his side deck and shuffled them into the deck.

_These should surprise even Fran and Andy,_ he thought.

Andy, meanwhile, only had one change to make.

He had never gotten much use out of Rare Metal Dragon, so he was trying to decide between it and a Trap Card he had gotten quite a while ago. He rarely dared use it, because he didn't truly have the right kind of deck…

Eventually, he shuffled it into his deck, and put the Dragon in his side deck.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Everyone was thinking something differently as they surrounded the table that was laden with Belgian waffles and sausage.

_I clawed up here tooth and nail,_ thought Raven, looking at her Don Zaloog card. _And now anyone who gets in my way is going to feel my sting!_

Wanda was pretty excited.

_My stupid brother could never dream of getting this far,_ she thought. _Well, I'm going to prove that I'm better than him in the only way I know how…_

_First round of the tournament, I'm going to use his own failed strategy, and show you DON'T have to cheat to succeed with it!_

Chico was nervous.

_I know that the evil I have to defeat is here somewhere,_ he thought. _But it isn't these seven finalists… I have to win…_

He took a strange-looking Monster from his deck.

_That Vampire Lady gave me a powerful tool, and it may be unorthodox… but I will use it…_

Drake was slowly shuffling his deck.

_The powers of Chaos have never been stronger,_ he thought. _With some luck and a great deal of strategy, I might just do this…_

Kyle was the most excited of all.

_Hard to believe,_ he thought_. No one is ever known to have pulled off this difficult combo before… And if I pull it off, I'll be the first…_

_Goosebumps…_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

When little remained of the food except greasy plates, Sydney and Grodus (in disguise) came in.

"Good morning contestants!" she said. "I'm sure you're all ready to begin, so we'll stop beating around the bush… Alphonse, if you would…"

The disguised henchman by her side took out a remote and clicked a button on it. A large contraption resembling a bingo machine with a statue of the Monster called Maximum Six lifted out of the floor. Eight colored balls were in it.

"Okay contestants," he announced. "I'll explain the rules. Whoever wins these quarterfinal rounds will compete in the semi finals… The two winners of those matches will compete in the final round. And the winner of the finals will be allowed to challenge the Palace of Shadow's Battlemaster, for the ultimate prize.

"Wonder who that could be…" whispered Andy.

"To determine who duels who in the quarter final matches," continued Alphonse, "we've filled this machine with orbs the same color as the Crystal Stars you now hold…"

He pressed a button, and Maximum Six picked up the orbs with his six arms and started to juggle them.

"He's a good juggler, but eventually, he'll drop two of them," continued Alphonse. "Whatever two duelists own the two Stars that correspond to the two colors of the orbs he drops will duel in the first match.

"To keep everyone from planning unfair strategies, the pairings for the next match will not be determined until a winner of the first match is decided.

"And here we go…"

All eight of the contestants watched the Warrior as he started to strain with the orbs…

And finally, two of them fell out of his hands. He caught the other six, and the two he had dropped fell out of a slot.

They were colored black and shiny blue.

"And the first matchup will be between the holders of the Sapphire Star and the Onyx Star!" exclaimed Alphonse. "Stan and Raven!"

Raven chuckled.

"Hear that, buster?" she laughed. "Now I get to kick your butt again! And I'm gonna kick it harder than last time!"

"I can hardly wait…" muttered Stan.

Inside, he was both worried and excited. He didn't know if he could beat Raven…

But on the other hand, he wanted to kick her ass good…

Two doors opened behind Sydney.

"Will the two duelists take the left door, please," she said. "Anyone who wishes to watch, please take the right door…"

Raven and Stan looked at each other and walked through the left door. Everyone else walked through the other.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Stan's two allies and the other four finalists arrived on the balcony overlooking the ominous arena. They watched as Raven and Stan walked into the center.

"Think Stan can do it this time?" asked Francesca.

"Well, it's iffy at best," answered Andy. "She really walloped him good the last time… But Stan can learn from his mistakes."

Sydney appeared at the far end, seated on a throne made from what appeared to be amber.

Alphonse stood between the two duelists.

"Before we begin," he said, "please present you Deckmasters."

"This is a no-brainer," said Stan, taking a card out of his deck. "I choose my friend… Dark Magician!"

He held the card aloft, and the powerful mage appeared behind him.

Raven chuckled as she took a card.

"Your Spellcaster may be dark," she said, "but I choose a creature that's darker still. He's an infernal footsoldier for the armies of Hades… Come on out, Chthonian Soldier!"

Her card flashed, and a bulky knight in black armor and a helmet holding a jagged sword appeared behind her.

"Then let the duel commence!" shouted Alphonse.

The Disks swung into position, and the Life Point counters each set to 8,000.

"Here we go…" muttered Andy.

Stan made his first draw.

"I'm throwing a Monster in Defense Mode, Raven!" he exclaimed. "Mystical Elf!"

He put a card down, and Mystical Elf appeared in her kneeling position. (800/2,000)

"That will do it for now…" he said.

"Whatever you say…" said Raven, drawing a card.

She looked them over.

"Since you put up a defensive Monster, I'll put up one of my own," she said. "I summon a Fiend known as Glasya, Duchess of Desire, also in Defense Mode!"

She played a card. A woman in a skimpy outfit with large, batlike wings, a forked tail, and horns appeared. She crouched in Defense. (800/2,000)

"Then I'll place four, count 'em, _four_ cards facedown…" she said, as four facedown cards appeared behind Glasya.

"And finally, I'll activate Mirage of Nightmare!"

A Magic Card appeared in the last slot in her Magic/Trap Zone.

"How's that?" she chuckled.

"Clever…" said Stan.

He drew a card.

_I'd give anything for my Heavy Storm right now,_ he thought, _but unfortunately, I don't have it…_

"Hold it, Stan!" interrupted Raven. "Before you do anything else, my Mirage card lets me draw until I have four cards in my hand…"

Four cards flew off of her deck, and she caught them.

"Uh, actually, I knew that," answered Stan. "I also know that when your turn comes around, you're going to have to discard four of them."

"No I won't…" said Raven with a grin.

She gestured, and one of her facedown cards lifted.

"Thanks to Emergency Provisions, I can send Mirage of Nightmare to the Graveyard, and gain 1,000 Life Points in the process!"

A large mouth appeared and swallowed the Mirage of Nightmare card. Her Life Points went up to 9,000.

"How about that, Stan?" she chuckled. "I was able to refresh my hand, ditch Mirage, and pad my points all in the same move!"

"Clever…" muttered Stan.

Raven looked at her hand and grinned.

_Yes,_ she thought, looking at Gorg the Strong_. I was worried about him… He was the only one my Deckmaster couldn't help me with…_

Stan placed a card down.

"I summon The Illusory Gentleman in Attack Mode!" he stated.

The cyclopsed, colorfully dressed Spellcaster appeared. (1,500/1,600)

"And that will be my turn," he said.

"Good," chuckled Raven, making a draw.

She looked at the card for a minute.

"Now let me show you what my Deckmaster can do…" she started. "See, Chthonian Soldiers are Warriors of Darkness… And thus, by spending only 500 Life Points, he lets me search my deck for a Warrior-Type Monster of the Dark Attribute, so long as its Attack Score is 1,500 or less…"

Chthonian Soldier glowed with a dark aura.

A card slipped out of her deck as her Life Points fell to 8,500.

"Talk about a powerful ability…" muttered Francesca.

"What do you mean?" asked Kyle.

"Raven uses the Dark Scorpions," answered Andy, "and that effect will enable her to search for any of them except Gorg…"

_Indeed,_ thought Raven. _But Gorg is already here, and now with the addition of Don Zaloog himself, my strategy is coming closer to being complete._

"I won't actually play a card this turn," said Raven. "I'll turn it over to you…"

Stan drew a card.

_I still have nothing that can destroy her facedown cards, and nothing that can break Glasya's Defense…_ he thought. _So I'll just add to my forces…_

"Neo the Magic Swordsman, in Attack Mode!" he exclaimed.

He placed a card down, and Neo appeared, holding his glowing sword aloft. (1,700/1,000)

"And that will be my turn," he stated.

"Very well…" said Raven drawing a card.

She smirked as she drew a card.

"I summon Sangan in Defense Mode," she stated, placing a card on her Disk.

The spherical, three-eyed Fiend appeared. (1,000/600)

"Then I'll use my Deckmaster ability again," she continued.

Chthonian Soldier glowed again. Her Life Points fell to 8,000, and another card slipped out of her deck.

_Welcome to the party, Cliff,_ she thought.

"Now, I'll end my turn there," she said. "And I'll… oops! Seems I have too many cards in my hand!"

She discarded a card.

"Didn't really need that anyway," she chuckled.

Stan frowned as he drew.

_Not bad…_ he thought.

"I sacrifice the Illusory Gentleman," he exclaimed.

The Spellcaster vanished in a mote of sparkles.

"…to summon Dark Magician Girl!"

In a flurry of hearts, Dark Magician Girl flew into view. She winked to the onlookers. (2,000/1,700)

"Heh, heh," chuckled Raven. "Sorry, Stan, but your magical fairy can't beat Glasya's Defense!"

"Not yet, maybe…" said Stan. "And I'm not dumb enough to attack Sangan right now either. But it's just a matter of time.

"Next, I'll place one card facedown…"

A facedown card appeared behind Mystical Elf.

"And it's your turn…"

"Indeed!" laughed Raven, drawing.

She looked at the card and added it to her hand.

"I'll use my Deckmaster's ability a third time!" she exclaimed.

Her Life Points fell to 7,500, and another card slipped out of her deck.

She looked at Meanae the Thorn's card.

"Now I activate one of my facedown cards!" she shouted. "The Magic Card… Exile of the Wicked!"

The card lifted.

"What?" said Stan, startled. "That card destroys all Fiends on the field, and…"

Glasya gave a look of shock…

"True," said Raven, "the only Fiends on the field are mine. But Glasya has served her purpose, so now it's time to say farewell…"

A group of ghostly spirits flew out of the card, and attacked both Glasya and Sangan! They gasped, and were blown to pixels!

"And," continued Raven. "Since I just sent Sangan to the Graveyard, its effect activates…"

Another card slipped out of her deck.

She looked at Chick the Yellow's card.

"And my turn is just starting, Stan," she said. "Now that I've cleared the field of my defense, it's time to go on the offense!"

She threw a card on her Disk.

"I summon the king of all thieves, the one, the only, Don Zaloog!"

A tall figure leapt up, and did a flip. The leather-clad bandit with an eyepatch holding a dagger and a rapier struck a pose. (1,400/1,500)

"And just how is he supposed to get past Dark Magician Girl?" asked Stan. "He can't even get past my other two Monsters!"

Raven chuckled.

"Don Zaloog is more than a thief, Stan," she chuckled. "He's the leader of a group of thieves. Thus, I have a powerful Magic Card that can only be played when he's on the field…"

One of her two remaining facedown cards lifted.

"Mustering of the Dark Scorpions!"

Stan looked at the card.

"That… doesn't sound good…" he muttered.

"It isn't," she answered. "For you. You see, when this card is played when Don is on the field, I can Special Summon all original members of the team that I have in my hand.

"And Stan… I have all four of them!

"Since I already have the Boss, let's meet the Bandit, Chick the Yellow!"

She placed a card down, and the teenage, blonde-haired thief holding a wooden mallet appeared. (1,000/1,000)

"Next, the Beauty, Meanae the Thorn!"

The raven-haired female member of the team appeared, holding her whip aloft. (1,000/1,800)

"After that, the Brains, Cliff the Trap Remover!"

The brown-haired, bespectacled safecracker appeared, holding a long knife. (1,200/1,000)

"And finally, the Bronze, Gorg the Strong!"

The hulking, bald, muscleman of the team appeared, holding his iron mace. (1,800/1,500)

"Oo-kay…" answered Stan. "That's… impressive. But I'll tell you this: Quantity is not quality. None of them can beat Dark Magician Girl…"

"They don't need to!" answered Raven. "Gorg, attack Neo!"

Gorg raised his mace and flew forward! He clobbered the Magic Swordsman, and he shattered!

Stan's Life Points fell to 7,900.

"See," continued Raven, "when a Dark Scorpion damages your Life Points, I can choose to enact one of two effects… And one of Gorg's effects can now spin one of your cards on the field to the top of your deck!"

Dark Magician Girl vanished, and her card materialized on the top of Stan's deck.

"My turn is over," said Raven, crossing her arms. "So draw your card, not that we both don't know who it is…"

"Fine…" muttered Stan, drawing.

He drew the card.

"I activate my last facedown card!" shouted Raven.

A Trap flipped up.

"It's a powerful Trap, Stan…" she said, "Dark Scorpion Combination!"

The five thieves looked at Stan with evil grins that he did _not_ like…

"This Trap can only be activated when all five original Dark Scorpions are on the field," she explained, "and when it is, they all can attack you directly, dealing 400 Life Points worth of damage per attack!"

"Oh… great…" muttered Stan.

"Don Zaloog, attack with double slash!" shouted Raven.

The leader of the Dark Scorpions leapt up, and slashed at Stan with his rapier and dagger.

"Chick, attack with mallet mash!" she shouted.

Chick the Yellow leapt up and slugged Stan with his mallet.

"Cliff, attack with scorpion slash!"

Cliff the Trap Remover skidded up to him and stabbed him in the gut with his blade!

"Meanae, attack with thorn whip!"

Meanae the Thorn leapt into the air and made a downward slash with her whip, striking Stan in the chest. He staggered back.

"And finally," exclaimed Raven. "Gorg, attack with whammer hammer!"

Moving with remarkable speed for someone his size, Gorg the Strong clobbered Stan with his mace, and Stan fell backwards!

Stan's Life Points plummeted to 5,900.

Inside, the Shadow Queen chuckled.

_Wonderful,_ she thought. _The one opponent he couldn't beat is about to do it again, and this time, it will be for good. Perhaps after this is settled, I'll offer Raven a chance to serve me on a permanent basis… I'm sure she'd like that better than a trip to the Graveyard…_

Stan caught his breath and got up…

"It will take more than that to make me stay down, Raven…" he muttered.

"Don't forget," said Raven, "you now have five effects to worry about…

"Let's start with Gorg… I think this time, I'll use his effect that makes you discard the top card from your deck…"

The top card from Stan's deck flew into his discard slot.

"Then there's Chick. Now I can see the top card of your deck without you seeing it, and either put it on the top or bottom of the deck.

An image of Dark Magician of Chaos's card appeared behind Stan.

"Uh huh…" muttered Raven. "Think I'll keep that on top…

"Next we get to Cliff, who can destroy your facedown card…"

The facedown card in front of Stan blasted to pieces.

"Then there's Don," she continued. "Now I can make you discard one card from your hand, or two from your deck. And I think I'll go for your deck…"

Two more cards flew off of Stan's deck and into the discard slot.

"And finally, Meanae," she continued. "Now I can add one card with the words 'Dark Scorpion' in it to my hand from my deck or Graveyard…"

A card slipped out of her deck.

"…and this one will do."

"If that's all," said Stan, angrily, "I'd like to finish my turn!"

He took his Dark Magician Girl card.

"I sacrifice my Mystical Elf to…"

He paused.

He gave Raven a hard look.

"Uhm…" he said.

He paused again.

"On second thought," he said, "just forget you heard that. I think after all that, I'll just pass for my turn."

Everyone was shocked, including Raven.

"What is Stan doing?" asked Wanda. "He could have summoned Dark Magician Girl and hurt her badly!"

"Something's not right…" agreed Drake.

Raven slowly drew.

"Uh, uhm…" she said, looking at the card. "I'll pass as well…"

_You almost had me there, Raven,_ thought Stan, drawing a card, _but your strange strategy gave it away…_

_See, I figured it out… You could have just used Gorg's effect to spin Mystical Elf back to my deck, but you didn't…_

_Also, you could have used Don's effect to make me discard a card from my hand, but you didn't…_

_Why?_

_Because if you done the first, I'd have no Monsters to use as a sacrifice, and if you had done the second, I might have lost Dark Magician Girl._

_You want me to summon Dark Magician Girl again!_

_And I know why…_

_The card you used Meanae's effect to search for is that dangerous Warrior, Dark Scorpion Tornas the Joker. You plan to summon him and kamikaze him against my Dark Magician Girl, which would increase the Attack of all your other Dark Scorpions to 3,000, ensuring your victory…_

But so long as I don't destroy any of your Monsters and only keep Mystical Elf in Defense Mode, whose Defense none of your Warriors can defeat, you simply can't!

"I play… Pot of Greed!" he exclaimed.

The jar appeared, and handed him two cards.

He gave them a look.

"Next, I'll place a card facedown, and end my turn!"

A facedown card appeared.

Raven was clearly upset as she drew a card.

"Oh, look at this, Stan!" she said, sarcastically. "I just drew Chick the Yellow's favorite Magic Card! It's called Secret Pass to the Treasures!"

She played the card.

"Know why it's his favorite?" she asked. "Because this card lets a Monster with 1,000 Attack Points or less attack you directly, and he fits the bill perfectly!

"Chick, attack!"

Chick leapt over Mystical Elf and socked Stan with his mallet again!

Stan gasped as his Life Points fell to 4,900.

"And now I'll use Chick's other effect!" shouted Raven. "It lets me send one card on your side of the field back to your hand! Like Mystical Elf!"

Mystical Elf vanished.

"He's defenseless!" she shouted. "Get him everyone!"

The other four Dark Scorpions raised their weapons…

"Not so fast, Raven!" shouted Stan. "I activate… A Rival Appears!"

His Trap Card lifted.

"What?" gasped Raven.

"Now I can Special Summon a Monster from my hand who has the same number of stars as one you have on the field," explained Stan. "You sent Mystical Elf back to my hand, she has four stars, two of your Warriors have four stars, so she comes right back, in Defense Mode!"

Mystical Elf reappeared.

"Boy, that was a close one…" muttered Andy.

"Yeah, but Stan has to do something soon…" added Francesca.

"Make your move…" growled Raven.

"I will…" said Stan.

He drew.

"And now to take down your whole line!" he exclaimed. "I play… Magical Academy!"

He played a Magic Card, and a card bearing the image of scholarly wizards appeared.

"Here's how it works," explained Stan. "First I have to discard two cards and recall one Monster on the field to my hand…"

He made two discards, and Mystical Elf vanished.

"And now, I get to Special Summon a Spellcaster from my hand!"

Dark Magician Girl appeared in a flash of light!

"But that's not all," he continued. "She gains 500 Attack Points and her star level is increased by two!"

(2,000/1,700) –) (2,500/1,700)

"Big deal!" responded Raven.

"It is a big deal!" chuckled Stan, playing a card. "You see, because she's now an eight-star Spellcaster, I can use her to play… Diffusion-Wave Motion!"

The card appeared.

"At the cost of 1,000 Life Points," he said, as his Life Points fell to 3,900, "she can attack every Monster on your side of the field at once!"

Dark Magician Girl aimed her scepter, and the five Dark Scorpions gasped…

"WHAT?" gasped Raven. "You can't! I've been in control of this duel since the start!"

"Don't tell me what I can't do…" growled Stan.

"GO! Dark burning attack!"

Dark Magician Girl let loose a mighty blast, and _six_ screams pierced the huge arena! The five Warriors were blown to bits, and Raven was thrown back ten feet!

"Ooh…" she muttered.

Her Life Points tumbled to 1,400.

She groaned as she staggered to her feet.

_How could I go from top of the heap to down in the dumps in one turn?_ she thought. _I was ready to wipe him out, but he wiped out all five of them, and now I have a Super-Girl to deal with!_

She slowly drew a card.

"I play… Graceful Charity…" she said.

She played the card, and the angel flew out of her deck with three cards.

Her eyes popped open!

_It's the card that the Agent of Judgment gave me!_ she thought. _And I have just what I need to summon him! I'll win this duel yet!_

_I'll just discard these…_

She handed the angel Tornas and another Mustering card. She flew into her discard slot.

"First I'll play the Magic Card, Seventh Inning!" she said, playing the card.

An umpire appeared in the middle of the field, and held up seven fingers.

"You remember how this works, right Stan?" she asked. "It takes the difference in our Life Points, divides it in half, and then adds that amount to both our Life Points."

"I remember," said Stan. "But unlike last time, I benefit from it too! We both gain 1,250 Life Points!"

His Life Points rose to 5,150, and hers rose to 2,650.

"Next," she said, "I'll summon Mystic Tomato!"

She played a card, and the silly-looking Plant Monster with a lolling tongue appeared. (1,400/1,100)

"Next, I'll return Don Zaloog to the field by playing Monster Reborn…"

She played the card, and the master of thieves reappeared. (1,400/1,500)

"But like you," she continued, "neither will be staying for long… I sacrifice both of them…"

The two Monsters vanished.

"…to Special Summon… _The Thief in the Shadows_!"

The creature that appeared was strange to discern. It could best be described as an inky, amorphous cloud of darkness. Two glowing red eyes appeared out of it. It gave the impression that the actual creature was hidden in the strange darkness… (2,800/2,800)

_Well, it's about time…_ thought the Shadow Queen.

"Why can't I see him?" asked Stan.

Raven grinned.

"Stan, Stan, Stan…" she laughed. "No one ever _saw_ The Thief in the Shadows. The greatest thief in history not only was never caught, he was never identified!

"No one knew who he was or where he came from; but you couldn't deny that a thief who could manipulate the darkness itself was stealing riches that most thieves only dreamed of. He stole from nobility, royalty, and sometimes even the gods… Millions

"And his ability to steal grew… He learned how to steal more than material things. He could steal emotions like joy or anger; he could steal dreams from a sleeper. He could even steal rainbows and the voices of songbirds.

"No one is certain how – or even whether – he met his end. Some say he sought the richest treasure in the world, but died at the hands of its guardian. Others say he stole the secret of immortality, and now lives in a hidden lair full of traps, surrounded by dozens of kingdoms worth of treasures. Still others say that the God of Thieves recruited him as his apprentice and heir.

"But the only way to call him forth again is by offering the soul of another master thief. In game terms, he can only be Special Summoned by sacrificing two Monsters, at least one of which must be a Dark Scorpion.

"But enough chit-chat… Attack Dark Magician Girl! Shadow rush!"

The dark shadow rushed forward… Dark Magician Girl gasped as she was consumed by it!

Stan's Life Points fell to 4,850.

"Oh, and wait until you see his special ability!" added Raven. "When he damages your Life Points, I get to take the top card from your deck and add it to my hand!"

The top card from Stan's deck flew off towards Raven, and she caught it!

"What?" she said, looking at it. "Sibling Rivalry? Talk about worthless!"

"Ah well," she said, adding it to her hand. "It's your move now…"

"How is Stan going to beat that thing?" asked Andy. "The only Monster he has who can match it is Sorcerer of Dark Magic, and Raven will never give him time to summon him!"

"Don't give up hope yet…" assured Francesca.

Stan drew a card.

"I'll summon Mystical Elf again in Defense Mode," he said.

Mystical Elf appeared again. (800/2,000)

"That's all I can do," he said.

Raven drew a card.

"I'll place one card facedown…" she said.

Two facedown cards appeared.

"And then I'll move my Monster… into Defense Mode!"

Somewhere in the inky cloud, the creature must have knelt, because it got shorter.

"Confused?" asked Raven. "You'll see what I'm up to soon. It's your move."

_Weird,_ thought Stan, drawing a card. _But that guy is just as good at defending as he is at attacking…_

He looked at the card he had drawn and almost hit himself.

_ARGH!_ he thought. _Since I took Buster Blader out of my deck, I should have taken THIS guy out too!_

_Oh well, at least I can use him to defend…_

"I summon Skilled White Magician in Defense Mode!" he exclaimed.

He played the card, and the robed Spellcaster of Light appeared, kneeling and holding his staff on his lap. (1,700/1,900)

"That will do for now…" he said.

"Good," said Raven, making a draw.

"Now I'll activate my Trap… Non Aggression Area!"

Her Trap Card lifted.

"I just need to discard one useless card…" she continued.

She discarded Sibling Rivalry.

"And as a result, you are forbidden from summoning a Monster on your next turn!"

"Super…" replied Stan.

"Next, the reason I moved The Thief in the Shadows into Defense Mode was so I could play this Magic Card," she continued. "Curse of Fiend!"

She played the card.

"This card moves all Monsters on the field from defense to offense, and vice-versa!" she exclaimed. "So all our Monsters move to Attack Mode!"

Stan gasped as both Mystical Elf and Skilled White Magician stood up, as did Raven's Monster.

"Attack Mystical Elf!" she shouted.

The Thief in the Shadows flew forward, and Mystical Elf gasped as she was consumed by darkness.

Stan's Life Points fell to 2,850.

"And don't forget his effect!" laughed Raven.

Another card flew off of Stan's deck. Raven caught it.

"Uhm…" she said, looking at it.

She paused.

"Gee, I don't think I've ever heard of this Monster before," she said. "Vivian the Shadow Siren?"

Andy and Francesca gasped…

And Stan opened his eyes wide.

"Raven, hold it a minute!" he exclaimed.

"Hold on…" she said, reading the card text. "Well, this is useful…"

"Raven, listen to me!" warned Stan. "I'm telling you this as one duelist to another… Do NOT use that card!"

Raven gave a sinister grin.

"Why not, Stan?" she said. "It's a great beatstick, and it has a great effect! I'd be dumb not to!"

"Raven, you don't know what you're doing!" shouted Stan. "If you use that card, you'll be sorry!"

"Aw, what's wrong Stan?" she said, sarcastically. "Can't bear to see one of your rarest cards used against you?

"Well, since I haven't summoned yet for my turn…"

"Raven, do NOT summon that Monster!" shouted Stan. "You don't know what you're doing!"

"I summon Vivian the Shadow Siren in Attack Mode!" exclaimed Raven.

She placed the card down, and Vivian appeared next to the Thief in the Shadows. (1,800/1,000)

Vivian looked a little confused…

And then, just as Stan had feared, she looked a little pissed…

"Your move…" said Raven. "Don't forget, you can't summon a Monster…"

Stan sighed as he drew.

"I'll move Skilled White Magician to Defense Mode," he stated. "And that will be my turn."

Skilled White Magician knelt in Defense.

_I couldn't have planned this better!_ thought the Shadow Queen, getting excited. _Stan's about to be attacked by his own Companion! What tragic irony!_

_Heh, and that pathetic display of begging… You'd think he'd have more pride._

Raven drew a card.

"Go, my Shadow Thief!" she shouted. "Attack Skilled White Magician!"

The Thief darted forward, and the mage was destroyed.

"And now, Vivian…" she ordered, "direct attack!"

And then there was a long pause…

"Huh?" said Raven. "I said attack! Why won't you…"

She never finished the sentence…

Vivian turned around 180 degrees, and shot a plume of flame at her! Raven screamed from the surprise attack, and fell on her rump!

And her Life Points fell to 850.

"Huh?" said Kyle.

"Huh?" said Drake.

"Hmm…" said Chico.

"What on earth…" gasped Raven in fear. "I ordered it to attack… And I was attacked! How?"

"Hmph!" grunted Vivian, crossing her arms.

"I tried to warn you, Raven…" said Stan.

"Didn't your mentor ever warn you, that there are some things that are just too dangerous to steal?

"I mean, what would happen if you managed to steal the IMona Lisa/I? What the Hell would you do with it? Take it to the local fence and hop the next car to jail?

"That card you have on your Disk isn't just a card. It contains a living soul that's bonded to me in a way you'd never understand. Vivian would never harm me, and she certainly won't obey anyone who tries to oppose me!

"And by the way, I truly doubt she'll use her ability to protect any of your Monsters…"

Vivian looked at Raven over her shoulder, and Raven drew back in fear…

_I have no way to get rid of it!_ she thought. _There are no Monsters left in my deck that need a sacrifice! What if it attacks me next round even if I don't tell it to do anything!_

"I… end my turn…" she said with a gulp.

Stan drew a card.

"All right!" he exclaimed. "I summon Magician's Valkyria in Attack Mode!"

With a flash of light, Valkyria appeared! (1,600/1,800)

"Next, I play… Shrink! I'll use it to cut the Attack Score of The Thief in the Shadows in half!"

The dark cloud shrank, and its Attack Score fell to 1,400.

"But I'm not done!" continued Stan. "I'm using my Deckmaster's ability, spending 1,000 Life Points to play Shrink again!"

The Thief shrank again, to 700 Attack.

"Magician's Valkyria, end this!" he shouted. "Attack The Thief in the Shadows with bright rainbow beam!"

Valkyria shot forth her multicolored ray of light, and the dark cloud burst!

Raven fell to her knees, as her Life Points fell to zero.

Alphonse raised his hand.

"Stan is the winner!" he announced.

Vivian and Valkyria and the two Deckmasters vanished.

Stan went up to Raven.

"I believe you have some things that belong to me…" he said.

"Just take it!" yelled Raven, pushing Vivian's card towards him. "I never want to see this creepy card again."

"_And_ the other card…" growled Stan.

"Uh, yeah…" said Raven with a shudder, taking Sibling Rivalry from her discard slot.

_Well,_ thought Stan. _I got through round one, and I must say, Raven got her just desserts. Let's just hope that the rest of the finals are this good…_

He looked at Sydney.

And once one of us has to deal with her, it will truly be a clash of the titans… 

The Shadow Queen rubbed her chin.

_Unfortunate,_ she thought. _But then, I really don't know how good magic works. Apparently, the Companion cards have even tighter restriction than the Enchanted Cards… They are truly living things…_

_Well, that was only the first duel… Many more remain…_

_And we'll soon see if Andy and Francesca have better luck._

**0**

**0**

**0**

**THE THIEF IN THE SHADOWS (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Fiend/Effect  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level: **8  
**ATK: **2,800  
**DEF: **2,800

**Card Description: **This mysterious creature was the greatest thief who ever lived. This Monster cannot be Normal Summoned or set. This Monster can only be Special Summoned by offering two Monsters as a Tribute, at least one of which must have the words "Dark Scorpion" in its name or be named "Don Zaloog" or "Cliff the Trap Remover". When this Monster damages your opponent's Life Points as a result of battle, take the top card from your opponent's deck and add it to your hand.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**MAGICAL ACADEMY (Magic Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Magic/Quickplay  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description: **Image of four scholarly wizards wearing mortarboards. Discard two cards from your hand. Return one Monster from the field to your hand. Special Summon one SPELLCASTER-Type Monster from your hand, increase its ATK by 500 and its star level by two. During the round this card is activated, the Special Summoned Monster is not affected by Magic or Trap Cards.

Note: "Magical Academy" was used by Yugi in the anime episode "A New Evil". All creative credit goes to the writers of that episode.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**"Chthonian Soldier": **Warrior/Dark, Level 4, (1,200/1,400)

Deckmaster SA: "Dark Call": Once per turn, you can pay 500 Life Points. Search your deck for one WARRIOR-Type Monster of the Dark Attrbute with 1,500 ATK or less, and add it to your hand. Then shuffle your deck.

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**Coming up next:**_

_**If you wanted to see a rematch between Andy and Chico, you're out of luck. In the next chapter, Chico goes up against Francesca, as the Amazons clash with the Gravekeepers in a chapter that I call "Culture Clash"!**_

_**Be here, because if you aren't…**_

_**We're starting without you.**_


	59. Culture Clash

_**When we first met Chico, we knew he had potential, even though Andy beat him. He wanted to defeat the evil on Monster Island as much as we did.**_

_**We asked him to join us, but he refused, saying he could do better alone. But before we parted company, he gave us some advice:**_

"_**No matter how bleak it seems, no matter what obstacles life throws you, don't lose hope. Have faith in your skills and your abilities, and mostly in yourself. **_

"_**You will prevail."**_

_**We took that to heart, and so far, we have prevailed. **_

_**I hate the fact that I have to duel him, but if what Merlee said is true, as noble as Chico's goals are, he simply can't defeat the Shadow Queen. Only Andy, Stan, or I can. **_

_**So, it's the Amazons versus the Gravekeepers…**_

_**Which is the better group?**_

_**Only time will tell…**_

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER FIFTY-NINE**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Culture Clash**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

Raven sat on a couch in the lounge and sulked.

_Maybe it's time to rethink my life, _she thought. _Maybe I should look into some college applications… strive for a real career…_

She took The Thief in the Shadows out of her deck.

_One thing's for sure, I'm getting rid of you! You're the one who stole that creepy Monster! My deck is better off without you!_

She grinned.

_And you'll be worth a fortune on eBay…_

"May I have your attention, please!" announced Alphonse.

Everyone turned towards him and the machine that contained Maximum Six.

"The duelists for the second duel of round one will now be chosen," he stated.

Maximum Six picked up the remaining six orbs, one in each hand, and again started to juggle them…

Everyone started to watch intently…

_Please don't let it be me and Francesca, _thought Andy. _Please, please, please…_

Maximum Six dropped two orbs and caught the other four.

The colors were yellow and gold.

"And, the two duelists are the holders of the Citrine Star and the Golden Star!" exclaimed Alphonse. "Francesca and Chico!"

Chico closed his eyes.

"Well, this should be interesting…" he said.

"Again," said Alphonse, "the two contestants follow me to the arena. Anyone who wishes to watch is welcome to."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The Shadow Queen watched as Chico and Francesca entered the arena.

_This should be interesting… _she thought. _Those cards I gave Chico aren't ones that can be simply be played at any time. It isn't just a matter of playing them, it's a matter of playing them right. It will take a lot of good draws, and a lot of strategy by Chico. But if he manages to use them right, Francesca won't stand a chance._

"So, what's the deal with Chico?" asked Kyle.

"He uses Gravekeepers," answered Andy. "I can tell from experience, they're _tough_… but only when their special Field Card, Necrovalley is on the field. Take away that, and they're weak."

"Let's begin!" announced Alphonse. "Contestants, present your Deckmasters!"

Chico drew a card from his deck.

"I choose Mystical Knight of Jackal!" he exclaimed.

In a flash of light, the jackal-headed Beast-Warrior appeared before him.

"I believe his ability will put a positive 'spin' on my strategy," he said with a smirk.

Fran, meanwhile, was having a harder time deciding.

_So many choices…_ she thought. _Maybe I'd best try someone new…_

She saw Yoshi's card.

He winked at her.

_Eh, why not?_

"I choose Yoshi the Loyal Steed!" she exclaimed.

She held the card aloft, and the small, scrappy Dinosaur leapt up behind her.

_Oh no!_ thought the Queen. _She's using one of those accused Companions! And even worse, it's one I don't know about Deckmaster-wise!_

"All right toots," urged Yoshi's voice. "Let's _get_ this guy, huh?"

"Wait a sec," said Fran. "How do we 'get' him?"

"I can help a lot!" answered Yoshi. "My Deckmaster ability is called Encouragement. Just discard one card, and I can increase the Attack Score of a Warrior or Spellcaster by 400 for one round. But if I do, I can't do it the next turn, so make it count!"

"Okay…" replied Fran.

"All right!" announced Alphonse. "It's time to duel!"

The Disks flipped into position, and the counters set to 8,000 apiece.

"Let's go!" exclaimed Francesca, making her first draw.

She threw a card on her Disk.

"And I'll summon Amazoness Swords Woman in Attack Mode!"

With a war cry, Swords Woman appeared. (1,500/1,600)

"Impressive," said Chico, making a draw.

He took a card from his hand.

"I play the Magic Card, Terraforming," he said, playing the card. "Now I can search my deck for any Field Magic Card."

A card slipped out of his deck.

"Here is comes…" said Andy.

"I'm not afraid of Necrovalley!" said Francesca.

Chico closed his eyes and smirked as he pulled a card out of his deck.

"I didn't use Terraforming to search for Necrovalley, Fran," he said. "In fact, I took all three of those cards out of my deck…"

Everyone looked shocked.

"WHAT?" exclaimed Stan. "What good are Gravekeepers without Necrovalley?"

"And what sort of Field Card _is_ that?" asked Andy.

Chico's Field slot opened, and he slid a card inside…

The walls of the arena started to change. It turned into a stone temple, bleached white, with hieroglyphics covering the walls. Behind Chico was a dais, on which was an arc made of black stone, flanked by two statues of Anubis. Paintings of the Egyptian gods surrounded the dais.

"Chico…" gasped Francesca. "Where are we?"

"This is Temple of Kings," answered Chico. "Within this five-thousand year old temple lie the greatest treasures of the great Pharaoh!

"And to ensure that those treasures are protected, both duelists cannot play, set, or activate more than two Magic and/or Trap Cards on one of his own turns."

Francesca looked at him.

"Why would you play a card that only hinders you?" she asked.

"It has another ability which will be revealed later," he answered. "In the meantime, I'll summon Gravekeeper's Spear Soldier in Attack Mode!"

He placed a card on his Disk, and the robed nomad holding a spear appeared. (1,500/1,000)

"It's a standoff…" said Francesca.

"For now, yes," answered Chico. "My turn is complete."

Francesca drew.

"I activate my Deckmaster ability!" she said, discarding a card. "Encouragement! Now my Swords Woman gains 400 Attack Points!"

Yoshi glowed, and Swords Woman grew to 1,900 Attack.

"Attack the Spear Soldier!" she shouted.

Swords Woman slashed through the Spear Soldier, and he shattered!

Chico's Life Points fell to 7,600.

"I activate my own Deckmaster's ability!" he shouted, as Mystical Knight of Jackal started to glow golden. "Self Spin! I'll pay 500 Life Points, and instead of going to my Graveyard, Gravekeeper's Spear Soldier goes to the top of my deck!"

His Life Points fell to 7,100, and the card materialized on his deck.

"Well, Fran's winning…" muttered Andy. "And he can't do that forever…"

"My turn's over," said Fran, as Swords Woman fell back to 1,500 Attack.

"My draw…" said Chico, drawing his card.

He placed the card on his Disk.

"I'll summon Gravekeeper's Spear Soldier again, and that will be all."

Spear Soldier reappeared. (1,500/1,000)

"Oo-kay…" said Fran, drawing a card.

_Can't use Yoshi's effect this turn…_ she thought.

"I summon Amazoness Blowpiper in Defense Mode!" she exclaimed.

She placed a card down, and Blowpiper appeared, crouching in Defense. (800/1,500)

_I'll use her effect next turn,_ she thought.

"And that's my turn," she said.

Chico drew a card.

"I sacrifice Gravekeeper's Spear Soldier…" he said.

Spear Soldier vanished into mists.

"…to summon Gravekeeper's Mummy!" he shouted.

A golden sarcophagus appeared on the field, and it slowly opened.

"Huh?" said Andy. "Gravekeeper's Mummy?"

The embalmed corpse, clad in rotted linens and golden jewelry, carrying a crook walked out. (2,000/0)

"A new one?" asked Fran.

"Indeed," said Chico. "Gravekeeper's Mummy, attack Swords Woman with Spell of Souls!"

Spiritual energy flowed around Gravekeeper's Mummy. He shot forth a blast of energy! Swords Woman screamed, and was eradicated!

Chico's Life Points fell to 6,600.

"That may have cost me some Life Points," he said, "but your Swords Woman has died…

"However, her punishment for opposing the Gravekeepers will not stop there…"

A dark mist rose next to Gravekeeper's Mummy, and a form appeared out of it…

It was Amazoness Swords Woman… but she was a Zombie! (500/500)

"What did you do to her?" screamed Fran.

"The Mummy has enslaved her soul, and turned her body into a Gravekeeper's Servant," answered Chico. "And now it's your move…"

"Well, that's unpleasant…" muttered Drake.

"Yeah…" added Raven. "And unless Francesca can summon something to beat that Mummy, it will just take more of her Amazons…"

"Francesca may be ahead on points," said Kyle, "but Chico clearly has the advantage."

Francesca drew.

"I have to pass for this turn…" she muttered.

"Fine," said Chico, drawing. "Gravekeeper's Mummy, attack her Blowpiper!"

Blowpiper screamed as she was blasted into nothing by the Mummy's spell.

"Now, slave, attack directly!"

The Amazon-turned-Zombie slashed at Francesca with her sword, and she winced.

Her Life Points fell to 7,500.

"And don't forget my Mummy's effect…" added Chico.

The dark mist rose again, and a Zombie Blowpiper appeared. (500/500)

"My turn is complete," he said.

Francesca drew a card.

"I play… Graceful Charity!" she announced.

She played the card, and the graceful angel flew out of her deck with three cards.

_Hey… I've got an idea…_ she thought.

She handed the angel two cards, and they flew into her Graveyard.

"I place one card facedown," she said, playing a card, "and also a Monster in Defense."

A facedown card and a facedown Monster appeared.

"And that's my turn," she said.

Chico drew.

"I summon Gravekeeper's Cannonholder in Attack Mode!" he exclaimed, playing a card.

A nomad holding an ancient cannon on his shoulder appeared. (1,400/1,200)

"With this Spellcaster on the field," he said, "I can sacrifice Gravekeeper Monsters, and hit you for direct damage equal to 700 for each."

"The only other Gravekeeper I see is that Mummy," answered Francesca.

"Heh, heh, heh," snickered Chico. "How soon we forget. Don't you remember what I called your transformed Amazons? They're Gravekeepers too now!"

The two Gravekeeper's Servants transformed into orbs of energy and were absorbed into the cannon…

Cannonholder fired two blasts, and Francesca staggered back!

Her Life Points fell to 6,100.

"Well?" asked Chico.

"Thanks…" muttered Fran, sarcastically. "Seeing them like that was upsetting me."

"Well, I'm just going to get another," stated Chico. "Gravekeeper's Mummy, attack the facedown Monster!"

The Mummy aimed his spell…

"I activate Waboku!" shouted Fran.

The Mummy shot forth his spell, and Getsu Fuhma appeared on the card. The three emissaries appeared to block the blow.

"No big deal," said Chico.

"Oh yeah?" asked Fran with a grin. "Take a look at your Mummy…"

Gravekeeper's Mummy groaned, and he started to sizzle and smoke…

Then he shattered into pixels!

"What?" said Chico in surprise.

Francesca grinned.

"Getsu Fuhma's family was murdered by creatures of darkness when she was young, Chico," she explained. "So when she became a Warrior, she swore an oath in her own blood to destroy these creatures, even if it meant dying herself. As a result, any Zombie or Fiend who battles her is automatically destroyed, and although my Waboku saved her, the battle still happened!"

"All right, Fran!" shouted Andy.

"Clever," muttered Chico. "I'll end with a facedown card."

A facedown card appeared in front of him.

Fran drew a card.

"I'll move Getsu Fuhma into Attack Mode," she stated.

Getsu stood up and held her sword in front of her.

"Next," she said, "I'll summon Amazoness Fighter in Attack Mode."

The muscular Amazon appeared. (1,500/1,300)

"Go, Getsu Fuhma!" she shouted. "Attack the Cannonholder! Whirlwind blade!"

Getsu leapt forward and made two slashes. Cannonholder's weapon flew from his hands with the first, and he was blown away with the second.

"Fighter," continued Fran, "you know what to do…"

Amazoness Fighter leapt at Chico and slugged him in the face. He gasped and fell over.

He groaned as his Life Points fell to 4,800.

He rubbed his eye as he got up.

"I hope you don't believe that one nasty haymaker is going to keep me down, Fran," he said. "Pretty soon, my secret weapon will come to light, and it won't be pretty."

He paused.

_Of course,_ he thought,_ I need three cards to use it, and I have twenty-nine cards left in my deck… The problem lies in drawing them all…_

The Queen looked at him intently. Chico looked back.

_That Sydney bugs me,_ he thought. _Vampire Lady affirmed that there was some great evil in this place, and I wouldn't be surprised if this emcee was working for him…_

_But until I find out one way or another…_

He drew a card.

"I activate my facedown card," he announced. "Rite of Spirit."

The card lifted up.

"Now I can raise one Gravekeeper from my Graveyard," he continued, "and I choose Spear Soldier."

Gravekeeper's Spear Soldier arose. (1,500/1,000)

"And now I'll sacrifice him, to summon Gravekeeper's Chief."

Spear Soldier vanished, and the leader of the Gravekeeper's appeared. (1,900/1,200)

"And just by summoning him," continued Chico, "I can raise another Gravekeeper, so you can probably guess who's coming back…"

With an aura of black energy, Gravekeeper's Mummy appeared again. (2,000/0)

"I seem to remember you saying that Getsu Fuhma destroys any Zombie whom she battles," said Chico. "Fortunately, the Mummy may be a Zombie, but his descendants are Spellcasters. Gravekeeper's Chief, attack Getsu Fuhma with mystic purge!"

A ball of glowing energy appeared in the Chief's hand, and he hurled it… Getsu Fuhma gasped and shattered to bits.

"Gravekeeper's Mummy, attack the Fighter!" commanded Chico.

The Mummy cast his powerful spell, and Fighter howled! She burst.

The same black mist appeared on Chico's side of the field, and a Zombie Fighter arose. (500/500)

Francesca's Life Points fell to 5,900.

"Okay, that's not good…" muttered Francesca.

Chico stared at her.

"Your move…" he said.

Francesca drew a card.

"All right Chico," she said, "I'll place one card facedown…"

A facedown card appeared.

"And then I'll summon Amazon Archer in Defense Mode."

Archer appeared, crouching and holding her bow in her lap.

Chico drew a card.

"Just as you did," he said, "I'll play Graceful Charity…"

The angel flew out of his deck with three cards.

_There it is,_ he thought. _One of the three remaining cards I need for my big combo… Still, without the other two, it's worthless…_

He handed her two cards to discard.

"I'll place two cards facedown," he stated.

Two facedown cards appeared.

"And now… Gravekeeper's Mummy, attack!"

The Mummy powered up his dark spell…

"Go!" shouted Fran. "Magical Mirror Force!"

Her Trap Card lifted… Chico gasped…

A shimmering shield appeared around Archer, and the blast ricocheted back, blasting the three Gravekeepers to bits!

"All right!" laughed Yoshi. "And you were thinking of taking that card out of your deck because it never worked! See how well it worked?"

"Well, its track record is pretty bad…" answered Fran.

"My turn is done…" said Chico.

Fran drew a card.

"You probably think I'm going to attack you with my Archer, Chico," said Fran. "Well, I would, but I'm cautious… There are those two facedown cards…"

She paused.

"I don't like them, so I'm not going to attack…

"But, with the card I just drew, I don't have to truly attack to get at your Life Points…"

She played the card. Her Scapegoat card appeared, and the four fluffy sheep popped out.

"See, Amazon Archer can shoot off 1,200 of your Life Points, so long as I sacrifice two Monsters… And right now, I have enough ammo for two shots!"

Chico's eyes opened wide…

"Archer, get 'im!" ordered Fran.

Archer propped herself on her knee, and the Scapegoats vanished…

She fired two arrows, striking Chico in the chest!

Sweat poured down his face, as his Life points fell to 2,400.

_Eh, maybe this was a bad idea…_ thought the Queen. _Almost all of Chico's Monsters are pretty bad without Necrovalley supporting them…_

_It's like Seto Kaiba often said, never base a whole strategy around one powerful card…_

_Of course, when such a philosophy comes from a guy whose deck has the only three copies of Blue Eyes White Dragonin the world, it loses a little…_

Chico drew a card.

"I play… Pot of Greed…" he stated.

He played the card, and the jar handed him two cards.

_There, the second card,_ he said. _And I can slow Francesca down a little too…_

"I'll place a card facedown, and that will end my turn…" he said.

A third facedown card appeared.

"That will be all…" he said.

"He's losing it…" said Wanda.

"I dunno…" answered Andy. "I think I might know what those three facedown cards might be…

"I've dueled this guy before…"

"I draw one card…" said Francesca.

She looked at her card.

"And I'll summon my second Fighter in Attack Mode!"

Another Fighter appeared.

"Now I'll…"

"I activate _all three_ of my Traps!" shouted Chico.

"All three?" gasped Fran, as they lifted up.

Purple smoke rose from the cards.

"Come forth my Embodiments of Apophis!" he exclaimed.

The three two headed, snaky-tailed, sword-wielding statues appeared, their eyes glowing with evil light. (1,600/1,800 x3)

"Bingo…" muttered Andy.

"A Trap that creates a Monster?" asked Raven in shock. "I've never heard of such a thing!"

"That card is a both a Trap _and_ a Monster," answered Andy. "It sounds strange, and it isn't exactly common, but they were a nasty surprise when I faced him."

"Oo-kay…" muttered Francesca. "Think I'll end my turn by playing this…"

She played a card and it appeared.

"Art Attack. It needs a few rounds to kick in, but I can wait…"

_Here it comes…_ she thought, as Chico drew a card.

"GO!" he shouted, as they slithered forward. "Cut down her Fighter!"

With one slash, Fighter was destroyed.

"And her Archer!"

Archer gasped and was destroyed.

"Now attack directly!"

Fran cringed as the last Embodiment slashed at her with its kopesh.

She caught her breath as her Life Points fell to 4,300.

"Eesh…" she muttered.

"I agree with ya, toots," said Yoshi. "Those guys are _ugly!_"

"I know…" muttered Fran, looking at the cards in her hand, "and I'd best draw something good right now, cause I'm fresh out of Monsters…."

She drew a card.

She grinned.

"I summon Amazoness Paladin!" she shouted.

She placed a card down, and the general of the Amazon Army appeared! (1,700/300) –) (1,800/300)

"Well, talk about lucky…" said Raven. "Drawing a beatstick just when she needed it."

"You got that right," said Francesca. "Paladin, send one of those creeps back to Apophis!"

Amazoness Paladin leapt up and slashed at one of the statues. Cracks appeared all over it, and it shattered into shards of onyx.

Chico's Life Points fell to 2,200.

"Well, your move," she said with a grin.

Chico drew a card.

"I'll move my two Monsters to Defense Mode," he said.

The Embodiments crouched, and covered themselves with their shields.

"That's all for me…" he said.

Francesca drew a card.

"Well Chico," she said with a smile, "I remembered that your snakes are still Traps, and they can be destroyed like Traps…"

She played a card, and Mystical Space Typhoon appeared.

"So say bye-bye to _that_ one!" she laughed.

A whirlwind shot forward, and one of the Trap-Monsters was consumed by it.

_At least it wasn't Heavy Storm…_ thought Chico.

"Next," she said, discarding a card, "I'll use my Deckmaster's ability… Encouragement!"

Yoshi glowed, and Paladin rose to 2,200 Attack Points.

"Paladin, take out the last one!"

Amazoness Paladin leapt forth and swung her sword, blasting the statue to scrap!

"Well, my turn is over…" she said.

_I've got to slow her down…_ thought Chico. _Without Necrovalley, none of my remaining Gravekeepers are strong enough to defeat Paladin… There's no guarantee I'll draw Monster Reborn or another Rite of Spirit, and if I call my Deckmaster to the field and he's defeated, this duel will be over…_

He drew…

"I play Swords of Revealing Light!" he exclaimed.

The card appeared, and the glowing Swords blasted forth from it!

"Well, that sucks…" muttered Fran, as the cage of Swords formed around her.

"Well, you won't be able to touch me for three of your turns," said Chico. "And I'll end my turn on that note…"

"Fine," said Fran, drawing. "But it has been three turns since Art Attack was played, so now it kicks in!"

Four cards flew out of her deck, and she threw them on her Disk.

"So, say hello to Amazoness Chain Master, another Amazoness Paladin, another Amazoness Swords Woman, and Warrior Dai Grepher!"

The four Warriors appeared.

"Now then," she said, playing a card, "I'll play Polymerization, combining one of my Paladins with Warrior Dai Grepher, forming Amazoness Queen!"

Paladin and Grepher stood back-to-back, and were consumed in an intense light…

The powerful, armored Queen flew out of the light, holding her twin scimitars! (2,500/1,700)

"I'll end my turn there…"

"I see…" said Chico, drawing.

_Hmm,_ he thought, looking at the Magic Card. _Playing this card is always a risky endeavor… But if I don't take the risk, I might lose… She has a Monster that's stronger even than the Mummy right now…_

"I play a Magic Card," he stated. "Different Dimension Capsule!"

As he played it, the black arc behind him vanished, and was replaced by a glowing blue sarcophagus.

Chico removed his deck.

"Now," he said, "I can take any card I desire from my deck and seal it in the Capsule, and in two turns, I can add it to my hand."

_Good thing I did,_ he thought, looking at the Monster Card. _It was the next to last card from the bottom of the deck…_

The image of a card appeared above the sarcophagus. It opened, revealing a dark void. The card was sucked inside, and the door slammed shut.

_Lovely,_ thought Francesca. _That card is likely the most powerful card in his deck, and I have a feeling I don't want to see it…_

"Chico has made a very chancy move," said Drake.

"Oh?" asked Kyle.

"Yes," said Drake. "It's true that Different Dimension Capsule can get any card from your deck, and help you get an important card…

"However, the risk lies in the Capsule itself. If Francesca manages to destroy it, the card inside is removed from play, and Chico will likely have no way to get it back."

"All right, my move!" shouted Fran.

She looked at the card.

"I sacrifice my Chain Master to summon Penumbral Soldier Lady!" she exclaimed.

She switched cards, and Chain Master vanished. She was replaced by the lovely Warrior of Darkness. (2,100/1,400)

"That's my turn," she said.

"Then I draw…" said Chico.

He looked at the card.

"And I will pass for this turn," he said.

"Okay…" muttered Fran, drawing.

She let out a squeal of joy.

"I can tell from how happy you are that you just drew a powerful Monster," said Chico.

"My most powerful!" answered Francesca. "And prepare to meet her! I sacrifice my Swords Woman and my Paladin to summon the goddess of the Amazons, Guardian Angel Joan!"

The two Amazons vanished, and the lovely Joan descended in a beam of light! (2,800/2,000)

"WHOA!" exclaimed Wanda. "Fran's side is stacked! And Chico's got nothing! On her next round, Fran will attack him with everything!"

"I gotta admit," said Raven with a smile, "whatever's in that Capsule will be small potatoes compared to those three…"

_That's what you think,_ Raven, thought the Queen. _Chico's next move requires perfect timing, but I do believe he'll pull it off._

"I'm ending my turn, Chico," said Fran, "and now your Swords are gone."

The Swords slowly faded.

"So, let's see what you've got."

"Indeed…" said Chico.

The Different Dimension Capsule burst into pieces, and was replaced by the black arc.

A card appeared in Chico's hand.

"Time to reveal a Monster unlike any you've ever seen," he said. "I play the Magic Card… Cup of Sealed Souls!"

He played the card, and a golden goblet appeared in the air to his right, with dark smoke flowing out of it.

"Next I play a second card… Seal of Serket!"

He played a second card, and a golden, rune covered seal with the image of a scorpion on it appeared to his left.

"When these two powerful spells are cast while inside Temple of Kings," he continued, "the almighty Guardian of the Temple is awakened!"

"Guardian?" gulped Francesca.

_Well, about time…_ thought the Queen.

Chico raised his hand.

"Guardian of the Temple, hear me!" he shouted.

The lights dimmed, and a red mist appeared behind him.

He threw a card on his Disk.

"Come forth… _Mystical Beast Serket_!"

An immense creature started to lumber forward. At first it was translucent, like a ghost, but then it solidified…

It resembled in outline a huge scorpion with a rust-red exoskeleton, but it had sharper claws, and a maw of razor-sharp teeth!

(2,500/2,000)

"Uh, has anyone ever heard of this thing?" asked Kyle.

"Not a clue…" muttered Wanda. "And you think I'd recognize a Monster that looked like a big bug…"

"Whew!" said Fran, in relief. "You had me worried for a minute there. That Fiend may look scary…"

"Fiend?" replied Chico. "Actually, it's a Fairy."

"Really?" laughed Francesca. "Well, it's a pretty ugly one…

"But while it's powerful, Joan will kill it in one shot!"

"True, Guardian Angel Joan has three-hundred more Attack Points," said Chico. "But I'm not attacking her yet!

"Serket, attack Penumbral Soldier Lady!"

Penumbral Soldier Lady screamed as the Mystical Beast bore down on her…

The thing lifted her up and stuffed her into its mouth, tearing her apart with its teeth!

"YUCK!" shouted Andy.

"I'm gonna be sick…" muttered Stan.

Francesca gave a cold stare, as her Life Points fell to 3,900.

"Penumbral Soldier Lady is gone," said Chico, "and since I can't tolerate waste, half of her Attack Points are now added to Serket's Attack Points!"

Serket's exoskeleton turned the same golden color of Penumbral Soldier Lady's armor, and his Attack Points grew to 3,550!

"Ho boy…" muttered Francesca.

"It's your move," said Chico.

Francesca drew a card.

She added it to her hand and looked at the three cards.

Recruitment Drive (no good), Amazoness Spellcaster (Serket would keep its bonus, so no good), and Dramatic Rescue (couldn't stop an attack, so no good).

"I'll move my Queen and Joan into Defense Mode," she said, turning the cards.

Both Monsters knelt in Defense.

"Very well," said Chico, drawing.

"Serket, devour Guardian Angel Joan!"

The creature lunged forward and grabbed Joan. To everyone's shock, she was eaten as well.

"No way…" muttered Andy.

"He beat her best card…" muttered Stan.

Feathered wings, colored red, grew on Serket's back, and its Attack Score rose to 4,950.

"Your move again…" he said.

"Good lord…" muttered Drake. "It's strong enough to defeat Obelisk the Tormentor now! Does Fran even have something that can stand up to it?"

"I hate to say this but… no…" muttered Andy.

Fran drew.

She growled.

_Gift of the Martyr?_ she thought. _One round too late!_

"I'll pass for this turn," she stated.

"I thought so…" said Chico, drawing a card.

"Serket, swallow Amazoness Queen!"

Fran looked away so she wouldn't have to see the Queen eaten.

Serket grew to a more humanoid form, and its claws became more arm-like and muscular. Its Attack Score rose to 6,200!

"Now it's even stronger than the Five God Dragon…" muttered Raven. "I think we have a winner."

_At last…_ thought the Shadow Queen. _Little Francesca might think that she's only seeing a powerful Monster right now, but she's actually seeing her doom looking her straight in the face. One more round should be all it will take._

_Of course, should Chico ever dare to challenge me, I'll be happy to oblige… I gave him that card, and I know exactly how to defeat it…_

"My turn is over," said Chico. "Ready to give up?"

Francesca slowly drew.

"I play Pot of Greed…" she muttered.

The jar handed her two cards.

_No good…_ she thought. _Monster Reborn can summon something to shield my Life Points, but what then? How long can I hold out?_

"Fran!" said Yoshi. "Don't give up! That other card you drew might be the key!"

"Huh?" asked Fran, looking at it.

"Serket may be powerful," said Yoshi, "but it must have a weakness. And I think that card may be able to exploit it!

"Think about it!"

Fran gave the card a long stare…

She fit the first card into a slot.

"I play… Monster Reborn!" she shouted.

The glowing ankh appeared in the air…

Amazoness Paladin appeared. (1,700/300) –) (1,800/300)

"A desperate move," said Chico. "Defending with her will only prolong the inevitable and make my Beast stronger."

"Take a closer look, Chico," said Fran with a smirk. "Paladin has been summoned… in Attack Mode!"

Everyone gasped.

"What is Fran thinking?" exclaimed Wanda. "Paladin won't be able to scratch that monstrosity!"

Serket drooled and stared at Paladin, anticipating another meal…

"You see, Chico," explained Francesca, "I've got a little theory about your big bug…"

"A theory?" asked Chico.

"Yeah," answered Francesca. "Here's the deal… If my theory is right, you lose this duel. If my theory is wrong, well, on your next turn, you can attack Paladin, and I'll lose…

"Here's the basis of my theory. This Temple of yours is a Field Card… And even a beginning duelist knows that only one Field can be active at once. Play a Field Card while one is active, and the active one is destroyed and displaced by the second."

"Your point being?" asked Chico.

Francesca opened her Field Slot.

"I play my own Field Card…" she exclaimed. "Themyscira!"

Temple of Kings crumbled into dust, and the lush rainforest arose! The ancient temples of the Amazons, surrounded by statues and waterfalls appeared.

"Now, let's see if I'm right…" said Francesca.

Then Mystical Beast Serket screamed! It crashed to the ground, and then shattered into pixels!

"What happened?" asked Raven.

"Francesca figured it out," said Andy with a smile. "Serket is the Guardian of the Temple. So she reasoned that, without the Temple, Serket can't exist. Remove the Temple of Kings, and Serket is gone."

"And I've done more than just destroy your Monster," said Francesca. "Themyscira increases the Attack and Defense of all my Amazons by 500 points!"

Paladin grew to (2,300/800).

Chico bowed his head.

"Fine," he sighed. "Then finish it…"

"Gladly," said Francesca. "Amazoness Paladin, attack directly!"

Paladin leapt up in the air and did a flip…

She brought her sword down hard on Chico, and he fell backwards as his Life Points were drained.

"Francesca is the winner!" shouted Alphonse.

_Pity…_ thought the Queen. _It seems Francesca figured it out…_

Chico groaned.

"Chico?" asked Francesca.

Chico staggered to his feet.

"Don't feel bad," she said, "it was pretty close…"

"Uh huh…" muttered Chico. "You certainly…"

Sydney walked up to them.

"Yes, an exciting duel," she said, "and let me be the first to congratulate…"

Chico's eyes locked with hers.

He gave her a long stare.

"Uhm…" said Sydney. "One hour intermission for lunch! Hot dogs and hamburgers will be served in the lounge!"

"Well…" muttered Chico. "I am hungry…"

_No doubt about it…_ he thought. _She's the evil that has poisoned this land. Evil emits from her like a bonfire… _

_Unfortunately, I can go no further officially in this tournament seeing as I lost…_

_But if whoever wins these finals cannot defeat her, I will challenge her unofficially. Until then, I'll do my best to support anyone who seems strong as a duelist…_

_Such as Andy. After all, before Francesca, he was the only one who could defeat me._

The Queen watched as they headed for the lounge.

_He's on to me,_ she thought_. I could confront him and cast him into the Graveyard right now…_

_But that might be unwise… The others would become suspicious if Chico vanished and I gave no reason. _

_Well, he won't be allowed to duel again, so he isn't much of a threat now, but should he become one, I'll do whatever it takes to eliminate him…_

Now we'll have to see what happens in the third match…

**0**

**0**

**0**

**TEMPLE OF KINGS (Magic Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Magic/Field  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description: **Image of a fancy Egyptian temple. When this card is active, both players cannot play, set, or activate more than two Magic and/or Trap cards during their own turns.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**CUP OF SEALED SOULS (Magic Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Magic  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description: **Image of a fancy, golden goblet with black smoke rising from the cup. You can only play this card while "Temple of Kings" is active. Playing this card allows you to then play "Seal of Serket" on the same round.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**SEAL OF SERKET (Magic Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Magic  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description: **Image of a circular seal inlaid with runes, with an image of a scorpion in the center. You cannot play this card without first playing "Cup of Sealed Souls" on the same round you intend to play this card. Special Summon "Mystical Beast Serket" from your hand.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**MYSTICAL BEAST SERKET (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Fairy/Effect  
**Attribute: **Earth  
**Level: **6  
**ATK: **2,500  
**DEF: **2,000

**Card Description: **This divine creature is the guardian of the Temple of Kings. This Monster cannot be Normal Summoned. This Monster cannot be Special Summoned except via the effect of "Seal of Serket". If "Temple of Kings" is not on the field, destroy this Monster. When this Monster destroys an opposing Monster as a result of battle, remove the destroyed Monster from play and add half of the destroyed Monster's ATK to this Monster's ATK.

_Note: The above versions of "Temple of Kings" and "Mystical Beast Serket" are anime versions of Japanese promotional cards that have not yet appeared in the United States (the real versions are not as powerful). "Cup of Sealed Souls" and "Seal of Serket" appeared only in the anime. All four cards were used by Odion in the multi-part anime episode, "Awakening of Evil"._

**0**

**0**

**0**

**Yoshi the Loyal Steed:** Dinosaur/Union/Earth, Level 4, (1,600/1,000)

Deckmaster SA: "Encouragement": Discard one card from your hand. Increase the ATK of one of your WARRIOR of SPELLCASTER-Type Monsters by 400 for the remainder of the round. You can use this effect once per turn, during your turn. You cannot use this effect two turns in a row.

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**Coming up next:**_

**_Wanda has made it farther than her brother could ever dream of, and now only Andy stands in her way. What will be the outcome of this duel, and what new secrets does her deck hold? Find out, in "Pest Problem", coming soon._**


	60. Pest Problem

_**The career of the duelist named Weevil Underwood was long, and to most who heard it, pathetic.**_

_**He started out good – the national champion of Japan, in fact. But rumors stated that he cheated his way to the top. Those rumors were confirmed soon after.**_

_**His road from the top to the bottom started at Duelist Kingdom. He had high hopes, but he lost his first duel to Yugi Mouto. Yugi was just an amateur at the time, so it was a humiliating end to his place in the greatest tournament to date.**_

_**He attempted to make a comeback in Battle City, but that tournament only brought him from decline into steeper decline. He was booted out by Joey Wheeler, a duelist whom most people believed to be a joke at the time.**_

_**So after that, Weevil himself became the joke. From riches to rags. From a top-ranked duelist to almost nothing. And he had no one to blame but himself.**_

_**I didn't even know he had a sister. I suppose it's natural that I didn't – if I was a member of his family, I'd stay hidden. He does, and I'm dueling her. She seems nicer than her brother was… I'd like her to succeed…**_

_**But my duty is clear – I have to win.**_

**_Only by progressing in the tournament can the Queen be defeated. Sorry Wanda, but you can't go any further than this…_**

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER SIXTY**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Pest Problem**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

In front of Chico were the remains of his second hamburger (he hadn't been able to finish it) and two empty potato chip bags.

He started to study his cards.

Eventually, he took Gravekeeper's Vassal, Dark Room of Nightmare, and Divine Wrath out of his deck, and replaced them with his three Necrovalley cards.

_I'll stand a fighting chance against… Sydney if my deck has both Necrovalley and Temple of Kings,_ he thought. _That is, if it comes to that. _

_I have a strong feeling Andy might be dueling next… We'll see how he does…_

He looked at Andy, then at Drake, Kyle, and Wanda.

_Wanda most likely has an Insect Deck, but there are many strategies she could use. I haven't seen any of Kyle or Drake's cards, but they must have been doing something right to get this far…_

Sydney and Alphonse entered.

Chico gave Sydney "the eye".

_Speak of the devil,_ he thought.

"Will the remaining four duelists please approach?" asked Alphonse.

Andy, Wanda, Drake, and Kyle went up to where the Maximum Six machine was. Andy still had half a hot dog in his hand.

"Only two more matches wait to be decided," said Alphonse. "Maximum Six will decide the match-ups, as well as who duels first."

The Warrior lifted the four remaining orbs, and started to juggle them.

Andy looked at the three other duelists. He considered.

All three of them were pretty powerful. Insect Monsters were rarely powerful in terms of Attack Points, but they had tricky effects.

Drake's chaos Monsters were dangerous customers. Gren Maju Da Eiza's power was limited only by the number of cards a duelist had in his deck, and how many he could remove from play.

Kyle was a tough customer too. That Ancient Gear Golem made Traps and Quickplay Magic Cards worthless against it, and also made defending futile… Not to mention the fact that it had 3,000 Attack Points, something that only two of his Monsters could beat on their own.

Maximum Six finally dropped two of the orbs, catching the other two. They were colored green and red.

"And the next duel will be between the holders of the Ruby Star and the Emerald Star!" exclaimed Alphonse. "Wanda Underwood and Andy Markova!"

Andy ate the rest of his hot dog slowly…

"Well!" laughed Wanda. "This should be fun!"

"Indeed," said Andy.

_Time to swat a few bugs…_ he thought.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Everyone except the two duelists met on the balcony.

"I'm a little worried," muttered Stan. "I dueled Wanda, and she's one tough cookie. She actually managed to bring out that Perfectly Ultimate Great Moth in our duel."

"Andy has a couple of Monsters that are even tougher than that," answered Francesca.

"I dunno," said Raven. "In a fight between Insects and Dragons, I think I'd give Dragons the edge."

"On the contrary," said Kyle, "using Insects usually requires an intelligent strategy, to make up for their apparent weakness. Wanda could use one of many different strategies, all of them deadly…"

Wanda and Andy were on the arena floor, shuffling each others decks. They each had a special card in their pockets…

_Wanda's job should be easier than Chico's,_ thought the Shadow Queen, as she watched. _Using the Monster I gave her is a simple matter of sacrificing one other Monster for it. And once it gets started, it's almost impossible to stop…_

The two duelists handed each other their decks back.

"Okay, people," said Alphonse. "I take it you've chosen your Deckmasters?"

Andy took the card from his pocket.

"A no-brainer," he said, holding it up.

Lord of Dragons appeared behind him!

"Interesting," said Wanda with a smile. "Well, meet mine…"

She took her card from her pocket and held it up…

And with a rumble, a huge tree sprouted from the ground behind her and grew into a mighty oak!

"A tree?" asked Andy. "That's your Deckmaster?"

"Take a closer look," said Wanda.

Andy looked at the huge plant…

Then he was shocked to see that the tree had a face!

"He's called Trent," explained Wanda, "and I'll tell you what he does. He's the immortal guardian of the forest, and when he's my Deckmaster, the whole field is considered to be under the benefit of an indestructible Forest Field, giving Insects, Plants, Beasts, and Beast-Warriors a 200-point bonus to their Attack and Defense.

"So, do you have any in your deck?"

"No," answered Andy, "but that isn't much of a bonus…"

"We'll see," said Wanda.

"Very well," stated Alphonse. "Let the duel begin!"

The Disks activated, and the Life Point counters each set to 8,000.

"YA!" shouted Wanda, drawing her first card.

_My hand's stacked already,_ she thought. _Now my strategy can begin, and my brother's shame can be broadcasted._

_Weevil is a drowning man, and I swear upon all that's holy, this duel will throw him an anchor!_

She placed a card on her Disk.

"I summon Vampiric Leech in Attack Mode!" she shouted.

An ugly looking leech with a toothy mouth appeared in front of her. (500/1,200) –) (700/1,400)

_What? Attack Mode?_ thought Andy. _Even with the two-hundred point boost, it's still pretty…_

His train of thought was interrupted when Wanda shouted, "ATTACK!"

Andy yelped as the Vampiric Leech flew forward and chomped on his arm!

He hadn't been expecting _that_!

He stared at her as his Life Points fell to 7,300. Wanda giggled.

"In case you haven't caught on yet," she said with a smirk, "this little guy can attack even on the first turn of the duel. Neat, huh?"

"Yeah, neat…" muttered Andy. "Like a canker sore…"

Wanda's expression turned serious.

"I first used this guy in a duel against my brother," she said, "and he was just as surprised. Then he was furious, mad that I had a powerful Insect that he didn't have. Then he got all sweet, almost to the point of being sickening, not that he isn't usually sickening, and tried to convince me to trade for it. Well, I wouldn't have traded it for his whole filthy deck…

"He never even washes his hands, after all…"

She took a card from her hand.

"Now I'll activate its other ability. Since it damaged your Life Points, I can discard one card to the grave in order to switch it to Defense Mode."

She discarded a card, and the Leech curled up.

"And it's your move."

Andy drew a card.

"If you think you can protect your Life Points that way, you're wrong," he said, "thanks to Lord of Dragons…"

He placed a card on his Disk.

"I summon Mirage Dragon!"

The radiant Dragon of Light appeared in a flash. (1,600/600)

"But don't let his name fool you… His Attack is no illusion! And so long as he's on the field, you aren't allowed to activate Traps during the Battle Phase.

"And I'm not done… I also use my Deckmaster's ability like I said I would…"

Lord of Dragons glowed, and his Life Points dropped to 6,800.

"…by paying 500 Life Points, I can summon another Dragon, so I'll also summon Luster Dragon #1!"

The large sapphire Dragon appeared. (1,900/1,600)

"Ho boy…" muttered Wanda.

"Mirage Dragon…" ordered Andy. "Take out Vampiric Leech with spectrum blast!"

Mirage Dragon blasted forth a beam of multicolored energy, and the Leech was blown to bits!

"Luster Dragon, attack directly! Sapphire flash blast!"

Luster Dragon breathed a beam of blazing blue energy! Wanda screamed as it hit her.

She fell to her knees as her Life Points fell to 6,100.

"Well, Andy has taken the lead," commented Chico.

"That hurt just watching it," said Raven.

"I don't know," answered Kyle. "Wanda might have something else planned. Playing that weak Effect Monster… It seemed a little too easy."

Wanda got up…

She drew.

And then she placed a card on her Disk.

"I'll defend myself with Prickle Fairy!" she said.

The Plant-spirit in her violet dress with thorny vines for limbs appeared, shielding herself in Defense. (300/2,000) –) (500/2,200)

"That will be my turn," said Wanda.

_2,200 Defense Points?_ thought Andy. _Okay, this will take some time to get around…_

He placed a card on his Disk.

"Grey Wing in Attack Mode," he said.

The large lizard with dragonfly wings appeared. (1,300/700)

He waved his arm to signal the end of his turn.

Wanda drew a card.

"I summon Insect Soldiers of the Sky in Defense Mode," she stated.

A large dragonfly appeared. (1,000/800) –) (1,200/1,000)

"This might be a good time to mention," said Wanda, "that so long as Prickle Fairy is on my side of the field, you aren't allowed to attack any of my Insects!"

"Impressive," said Andy, drawing a card.

"Okay, Wanda is definitely up to something," said Drake, scratching his chin.

"Huh?" asked Raven.

"Insect Soldiers of the Sky isn't the best Monster around," said Drake, "but it has an effect that Wanda could have utilized in this situation.

"See, it gains 1,000 Attack Points whenever it battles a Wind Monster, and both Grey Wing and Luster Dragon fit into that category. So if she Attacked them with it, she'd more-or-less be attacking with a Monster that had 2,000 Attack Points.

"So she could have destroyed either of them, and with Prickle Fairy out, there wouldn't have been much that Andy could have done to stop her. But instead… She's defending with it…

"Again, she's up to something…"

Andy looked strangely at the Insect…

He placed another card on his Disk.

"I summon Twin-Headed Behemoth in Attack Mode," he stated.

The fierce, two-headed Dragon appeared. (1,500/1,200)

"That's my move," he stated.

"All right…" said Wanda, drawing a card.

She looked at the card and smirked.

_There it is_, she thought, _the next part of my master strategy…_

She placed it on her Disk, and a facedown Monster appeared.

"That's my turn," she stated.

_Come on…_ thought Andy.

He drew.

_Yes!_

"I sacrifice Grey Wing…" he said.

Grey Wing burst.

"To summon Luster Dragon #2!"

The huge emerald Dragon arose! (2,400/1,400)

"Now, attack the Prickle Fairy!" he shouted. "Emerald flash blast!"

Luster Dragon shot a blast of green energy from his jaws, and Prickle Fairy was blown to bits!

"Well, you activated her other effect," said Wanda with a grin. "Now your Luster Dragon moves into Defense Mode."

Luster Dragon #2 crouched in Defense.

"Like it will matter," said Andy. "Now I'm going to clean up! Mirage Dragon, obliterate Insect Soldiers of the Sky!"

Mirage Dragon shot forth its spectrum blast, and the dragonfly was blown into bug-guts.

"Luster Dragon #1, make me just as proud!" he continued.

Luster Dragon #1 shot his breath weapon towards the facedown card…

…and a weird, creepy creature appeared on it.

"Parasite Paracide!" gasped Andy.

"That's right!" laughed Wanda, evilly. "And since you flipped it…"

The card flew towards Andy and struck his deck! Andy yelped!

"Heh, heh…" laughed Wanda. "That Parasite is crawling around somewhere in your deck right now, and as soon as you draw it, something… special will happen."

"Don't forget, my battle phase isn't over Wanda…" growled Andy. "Behemoth…"

Twin-Headed Behemoth shot twin gouts of flame! Wanda cringed as they struck her!

She gasped for breath as her Life Points fell to 4,600.

"And just because it's in my deck doesn't mean I'll draw it," added Andy. "I've still got a lot of deck to go through."

"Oh, really?" asked Wanda, drawing a card. "We'll see about that."

She added the card to her hand.

Then she played a Magic Card.

"I play… Insect Barrier."

"What does that do?" asked Andy, as the card appeared.

"It blocks any attack you make with an Insect Monster," she answered.

"What the…?" said Andy. "What good will that do you? I don't have any Insects in my deck."

"I'll show you," answered Wanda. "See, I not only put that Parasite in your deck, I had a way to ensure you'd draw it on your next turn, no matter where it landed…"

She played another Magic Card.

"I play… Jade Insect Whistle!"

A large, green whistle made of stone appeared above her, and let out a shrill noise.

"This card requires my opponent to move one Insect Monster in his deck to the top," she explained, "and since you just told me that there are no Insect Monsters in your deck, it's a safe bet that the _only_ Insect you have in there right now is that Parasite that I just put in there! Clever, huh?"

A card formed on the top of Andy's deck.

"Well, I'm ending my turn now…" said Wanda.

"Uh, people?" said Drake. "Anyone with weak stomachs might want to look away, cause this is gonna get ugly… And I mean _ugly_."

Andy hesitated… He drew his card…

And then there was a flash of light, as the slimy Parasite Paracide appeared in his last vacant spot, in Defense Mode! (500/300) –) (700/500)

"Heh, heh, heh," giggled Wanda. "Now that I've forced you to play it, it will infect every creature on your side of the field, including _you_."

Andy cringed as the thing stabbed him with a tentacle, and his Life Points fell to 5,800.

Then four more tentacles reached out, and jabbed into his four Dragons! They roared, and slimy tentacles and gruesome hairs sprouted from their flesh!

He didn't seem to notice that all four of his Dragons gained 200 Attack and Defense Points.

"All right!" shouted Andy, "you've had your fun! My Dragons may be infected, but they can still attack, and you have no Monsters to defend you!

"I'll move Luster Dragon #2 back to Attack Mode…"

The huge Dragon rose up…

"Luster Dragons, Mirage Dragon, Twin Headed Behemoth, get her!"

The four Dragons breathed rays of light and flames…

Wanda didn't flinch, as they bounced off an invisible shield.

"What?" asked Andy.

"Forget about Insect Barrier?" asked Wanda. "The parasitic infection changes the body chemistry of the hosts, so that all creatures and both scientific and magical devices recognize them as Insect Monsters. Thus, your Monsters are Insects for all intents and purposes, and my Magic Card was able to block their attack."

Andy was clearly angry…

"Boy, she's gonna get it if he _does_ manage to attack," said Fran, shaking her head. "You don't mess with Andy's Dragons!"

Andy looked at his hand.

_The only way I can think of to get rid of that Parasite would be to offer it as a sacrifice,_ he thought. _Unfortunately, I don't have any Monsters in my hand that need a sacrifice. Even if I drew Draconic Offering, it wouldn't work… I'd need a Dragon to use it!_

"I end my turn," he said.

"All right…" said Wanda, drawing, "here it comes…"

She played a Magic Card.

"I play… Monster Reborn!"

The holy ankh appeared, and glowed with energy…

And the immense form of Insect Queen appeared in front of Wanda! (2,200/2,400)

"What the Hell?" gasped Andy. "_She_ wasn't in your Graveyard!"

"Was she?" asked Wanda with a smirk.

Andy paused…

Then he remembered Wanda's first turn.

"_Since it damaged your Life Points, I can discard one card to the grave in order to switch it to Defense Mode."_

"Oh… yeah…" muttered Andy.

"And in addition to the bonus my Deckmaster gives her," said Wanda, "she gains 200 extra Attack Points for every Insect on the field, including herself, the ones infected by that Parasite, and the Parasite itself.

"Do the math…"

Insect Queen screeched…

"Let's see…" muttered Raven. "2,200 Attack, plus 200 from the Deckmaster, plus six Insects for 200 more points each… That's…"

"Don't strain anything, it's thirty-six hundred…" answered Francesca.

(3,600/2,600)

"Ho… boy…" muttered Andy.

_Well,_ thought the Shadow Queen_. I couldn't have planned it out better myself…_

_Perhaps I won't bury Wanda after this is over… Such a great strategist in Insect dueling could make a worthy henchman. I may need to brainwash her, but it will be worth it in the end…_

_Of course, she'd have to win first… And her strategy isn't completely foolproof. I can already think of a way where each deck that I have could foil it…_

"Now then," continued Wanda, "Since that was a Special Summon, I'll summon my Sinister Serpent…"

She played a card, and the small snake with a flared head appeared next to the Insect monarch.

"…and I'll feed it to my Queen so she can attack!"

Insect Queen drooled and grabbed the snake… She slowly chewed it…

"Gross…" muttered Raven.

"And now…" said Wanda, "Great Queen of Arthropods, attack Luster Dragon #2! Queen's Hell breath!"

Insect Queen screamed, and blasted a beam of burning energy! Andy cringed as Luster Dragon exploded!

His Life Points fell to 4,800.

"At least she lost one Insect…" he gasped.

"But she gained another…" answered Wanda.

Insect Queen squatted, and a gruesome egg came out of her abdomen. (100/100)

"See?" said Wanda. "Every time she destroys one of your Monsters, I get a mini-Monster called an Insect Token, so she doesn't lose anything!

"Well, I'm ending my turn now…"

"So now what?" asked Francesca. "She seems to have him in a lock!"

"His only chance is somehow getting rid of that Parasite," answered Stan. "Likely, Wanda won't destroy it until there's nothing left to destroy… But at that point, that beast will likely be unstoppable.

Andy drew a card.

"All right," he said. "I'll move my other Monsters to Defense Mode, and that will be all…"

Mirage Dragon, Luster Dragon, and Twin Headed Behemoth all crouched in Defense.

"Then I draw one card…" said Wanda.

She drew.

"…and, Sinister Serpent comes back to my hand too…"

The Serpent slipped out of her discard slot.

"Want to know why I'm using this strategy for this duel, Andy?" she asked offhand. "Frankly, I want to turn my brothers plunging decline into a total free-fall!"

"Say what?" asked Andy.

"You see," said Wanda, "he thought that a strategy combining Parasite Paracide with Insect Queen would win him Battle City, and gain him revenge on Yugi Mouto for humiliating him at Duelist Kingdom…

"And he thought he had the perfect way to draw Yugi out. He'd challenge Joey Wheeler, beat him soundly, knock him out of the tournament, and Yugi would get angry and come looking for him.

"But that stinkbug couldn't resist cheating. Rather than trust luck to use Parasite Paracide the proper way, he bribed a kid to sabotage Joey's deck and plant one in it! So forcing him to draw it was easy…

"But his plan was flawed, and Joey was a much better duelist than he had thought. Joey defeated him, and Weevil was the one who was thrown out of the tournament, losing his Insect Queen in the process.

"Heh… He had to liquidate his savings to get another one…

"Anyway Andy, to rub his nose in it in the worst way, I'm going to prove that this strategy can win _without_ having to cheat!

"And I've already improved upon it… First of all, I didn't bring Insect Queen out the way he did. He did it by destroying his own Pinch Hopper using an Eradicating Aerosol card, the height of stupidity. Insect duelists should _not_ have that card in their decks! In the end, Joey was able to snatch it with his Graverobber Trap and kill his Insect Queen! What an idiot!

Also, I'm not using Cockroach Knight like he did. That stupid card only messes with your draws. Sinister Serpent is much better. Weevil, of course, refused to put any Monster in his deck that wasn't an Insect. He was dumb, but I'm practical.

"And I'll show you another way I improved…"

She waved her hand over her Disk.

"I'm moving the first Insect Token to Defense Mode!"

The egg retracted.

"Weevil had such a fat head, he didn't think it was possible for Joey to attack him! So he left the Tokens in Attack Mode just to goad him! Then Joey summoned Gearfried the Iron Knight… Gearfried is immune to Parasite Paracide's infection, because… Well, because he's iron! Parasites can't infect metal!"

_And me without my Rare Metal Dragon… _thought Andy.

"That let Joey smash the Tokens and hurt him badly," said Wanda. "But since I'm smart and he's stupid, I _won't_ leave such weaklings in Attack Mode in the off chance that you find a way to attack."

"Wanda, I appreciate you trying to prove that you're superior to someone who's a cheater and a creep," said Andy. "And you do have a good way of doing it…

"But as clever as your strategy is, I will find a way to defeat it!"

"We'll see," answered Wanda. "I'll summon Sinister Serpent again!"

Sinister Serpent reappeared.

Again, Insect Queen grabbed it and devoured it…

"Attack his other Luster Dragon!" shouted Wanda.

Insect Queen shot forth her lethal breath, and Luster Dragon was blown to pieces.

Another egg appeared next to Insect Queen.

"All right!" shouted Andy. "My move!"

He drew a card.

"I play… Pot of Greed!" he announced.

He played the card, and the pot handed him two more cards.

_Stamping Destruction,_ he thought, looking at one of them. _I could destroy Insect Barrier with this, but I need a Dragon on the field to do it…_

_Darn…_

He fit a card into a slot.

"I'll place a facedown card and that will be my turn," he said.

The facedown card appeared.

"Your move…"

Wanda drew a card.

_Hey,_ she thought. _It's that card that Rose Spectre of Dunn gave me… Hmm, think I'll save it for later…_

She placed a card down, and Sinister Serpent appeared again.

Once again, Insect Queen stuffed it into her mouth…

"Attack his…" started Wanda.

"I activate… Threatening Roar!" shouted Andy.

His Trap Card sprung up, and the huge beast let out a roar, causing Insect Queen to cringe.

Wanda tapped her Disk.

"I'll move the second Token to Defense Mode, and that will be my turn."

"Well, he's saved his Monsters for that turn," said Stan.

"Yeah," muttered Francesca. "Now all we have to worry about is _next_ turn…"

Andy drew.

He looked at the card, and his eyes narrowed…

"You know…" he said, "I really _hate_ bugs…"

He placed a card on his Disk.

"I just drew a Monster that needs two sacrifices, and we'll start with _this_."

Parasite Paracide shattered into pixels!

"And Mirage Dragon has to go too, unfortunately…" he continued.

Mirage Dragon shattered.

"And I summon… Tyrant Dragon!"

With a bellowing roar, the huge Dragon of Fire arose! (2,900/2,500)

Wanda gasped…

"Well," said Andy, closing his eyes. "With that Parasite gone, my Behemoth is cured…"

The tentacles on Twin Headed Behemoth crumbled into dust, and he growled.

"And that means your Queen loses three Insects!"

Insect Queen's Attack Score sank to 3,000.

"She's still stronger than he is!" shot back Wanda.

"Not for long," said Andy. "I'll move Behemoth into Attack Mode…"

Behemoth rose up…

"And since he isn't an Insect anymore, your Insect Barrier is worthless. Twin-Headed Behemoth, destroy one of those eggs!"

Behemoth blasted his fiery breath forward, and one of the Insect Tokens exploded!

"Eee…" muttered Wanda.

"And by the way…" added Andy. "Tyrant Dragon can attack two Monsters on the same turn! Tyrant Dragon, smash the other one!"

Tyrant Dragon blew a burst of blazing fire forward, and the other egg was incinerated.

"And now for the boss-lady herself!" shouted Andy. "Tyrant Dragon, attack Insect Queen! Imperial inferno!"

The Dragon shot forth a practical furnace at the royal Insect! Insect Queen let out an unearthly howl as she caught on fire…

She slumped to the ground, and then burst into pixels!

"All right, Andy!" shouted Fran. "What a shot!"

Wanda's Life Points fell to 4,300.

The flames died down and vanished.

_Too bad, Wanda,_ thought the Queen_. I guess you should have known that a bad strategy remains bad, no matter how many improvements you make on it…_

"Your move…" said Andy.

Wanda drew a card.

She looked at the Magic Card.

She retrieved Sinister Serpent from her Graveyard.

"Well, uh…" she said. "Good job…

"But, defeat one strategy, and I can just come up with another…

"Let me ask you, Andy, you ever hear the stories about archaeologists discovering bugs inside Egyptian tombs that had survived for thousands of years?"

"What are you selling now?" asked Andy.

"Well," said Wanda, "the Monster I'm about to summon is just such a bug… It's a Monster Weevil never even heard of, and if I ever speak to him again, which isn't likely, I'm going to rub this in his face!

"Anyway, summoning it requires a sacrifice, and since I have no Monsters on my side…"

She played the card.

"…I play Soul Exchange!"

"That card…" said Raven. "It lets her sacrifice one of Andy's Monsters in place of one of hers…"

"Yes, and you can bet which one she's going to choose," answered Chico. "A clever case of killing two birds with one stone…"

"But what is she summoning?" asked Kyle.

Tyrant Dragon burst into pixels.

"I summon… Millennium Scorpion!" exclaimed Wanda.

A bizarre Monster appeared in front of her. It was a scorpion, but it appeared to be made of multicolored rock, with strange symbols all over it. (2,000/1,800) –) (2,200/2,000)

"Technically, scorpions are arachnids, not insects," continued Wanda, "but they grouped arachnid Monsters with Insects because… Well, they're all bugs.

"Also, scorpions tend to like deserts rather than forests, but since it _is_ an Insect Monster, my Deckmaster still strengthens it!

"Anyway, I can't attack this turn since I used Soul Exchange, so it's your move."

"Anyone ever hear of this thing?" asked Drake.

"No," said Kyle. "And you think I'd hear of a Monster with the word 'millennium' in it. I'm almost certain that thing has some sort of nasty effect built into it."

_That it does, Kyle,_ thought the Queen with a smile. _As Wanda had it set up, her Insect Queen had a limit to her strength – if there were ten Insects on the field, the maximum, her Attack Score would have been 4,400…_

_However, the limit on Millennium Scorpion's power…_

_Well, there really isn't one…_

Andy drew a card.

_No good…_ he thought.

"I'll move Behemoth to Defense again, and end my turn," he said.

Behemoth crouched in Defense.

"Very well," said Wanda, making a draw.

"Millennium Scorpion, attack the Behemoth! Stabbing sting!"

The Scorpion scurried forward… It grabbed Twin-Headed Behemoth with its claws, and then jabbed its stinger into it! Behemoth shattered.

"Well," said Andy, "when Behemoth goes belly-up, he comes back for another round…"

Behemoth appeared again. (1,000/1,000)

"Really?" said Wanda. "Well, my Scorpion got what it needed…"

Millennium Scorpion grew slightly, and its Attack Score increased to 2,700!

"Millennium Scorpion gains 500 Attack Points every time it destroys a Monster!" giggled Wanda. "Pretty soon, it will be stronger than anything you have!"

_She's right…_ thought Andy.

He looked at his deck.

_If I draw Monster Reborn, I can sacrifice Behemoth to bring Tyrant Dragon back… I don't know what else can do it…_

He drew…

_Hmm,_ he thought.

"I'll place a card facedown, and end my turn," he said.

"Lovely," said Wanda, drawing a card.

_Heh, heh, _she thought_. Perfect. Now this duel is as good as mine…_

She hit her Disk, and two cards slipped out.

"I remove Insect Soldiers of the Sky, and Vampiric Leech from play…"

The two Monsters appeared above her.

"What is she doing?" asked Raven. "Is this a summon of some type?"

"I have… no idea…" muttered Drake.

The two Insects shattered…

"And in return for that," said Wanda, placing a card down on her Disk, "I get to summon the almighty… _Doom Dozer_!"

A bellowing screech echoed over the field! A huge creature that looked like a centipede from Hell appeared, with huge mandibles, a blood red carapace, and bladed claws! (2,800/2,600) –) (3,000/2,800)

_WHAT THE?_ thought the Shadow Queen. _When the heck did she get THAT?_

"You're probably wondering where this guy came from," said Wanda, softly. "Well, I've had him for quite a while… but I just take him out for… special occasions."

She pointed.

"Millennium Scorpion! Destroy Behemoth!"

The Scorpion scurried forward.

"Enough!" shouted Andy. "Activate Shadow Spell!"

His Trap Card lifted. Millennium Scorpion roared as a mass of chains bound it, and its Attack Score fell to 2,000.

Wanda growled…

"Doom Dozer, you get it!" she shouted.

The huge centipede scurried forward, and crushed the Dragon with its mighty jaws.

"You were lucky it was in Defense Mode," said Wanda. "Make your move… I'll get rid of your Shadow Spell soon."

Andy drew a card.

"I play Graceful Charity…" he stated.

The angel flew out of his deck, and handed him three cards.

He thought for a minute…

He handed her Red Eyes, and Spirit Ryu.

"Now then," he said, "I'll play Premature Burial, to bring back the guy I just discarded!"

His Life Points fell to 4,000, as the mighty Red Eyes appeared.

"And now," he said, "I'll sacrifice him, to summon the great Red Eyes Darkness Dragon!"

He switched cards, and Red Eyes mutated, growing into the darker, fiercer version.

Images of Mirage Dragon, both Luster Dragons, Grey Wing, Tyrant Dragon, Twin-Headed Behemoth, Spirit Ryu, and Red Eyes himself appeared behind him as his Attack Points rose to 4,800.

"But before I attack," he said, "I'll play Stamping Destruction to destroy your Insect Barrier, and take a chunk out of your Life Points!"

He played the card, and Red Eyes slammed his foot down! A tremor shattered the card, and Wanda cringed as her Life Points fell to 3,800.

"Red Eyes Darkness Dragon…" he ordered. "Take out Doom Dozer! Diabolic fire blast!"

Red Eyes shot a blast of hellfire, and Doom Dozer was reduced to ashes.

Wanda's Life Points fell to 3,000.

"I'll place a card facedown, and it's your move," said Andy.

A facedown card appeared.

Wanda looked ready to cry…

She drew a card…

"I'm not out yet…" she said.

She played a card.

"I play Multiplication of Ants…" she said.

The chains around Millennium Scorpion shattered, and it divided in two, forming into two Army Ant Tokens, placed in Defense Mode. (500/1,200 x2)

"I can last a little longer," she said.

"No you can't," said Andy, drawing a card.

His Trap Card lifted.

"I activate Dragon's Rage. Now all my Dragons gain a Fairy's Meteor Crush effect.

"And next I'll play Monster Reborn, to bring back the regular Red Eyes."

He played the card, and Red Eyes returned. (2,400/2,000)

The stronger Dragon fell down to an Attack of 4,500, but it hardly mattered.

Wanda bowed her head.

"All right! Take out those Ants and end this!" he shouted.

The two Dragons shot forth streams of hellish fire, and the two Ants blew up. Wanda was thrown back.

Her Life Points fell to nothing.

She lifted her head off the ground.

"Well, that's it…" she sighed. "I've had it…"

"Wanda?" said Andy.

He offered his hand.

She didn't reply.

"Wanda…" said Andy, "I know you wanted to be better than your brother was, but just winning a duel where he lost wouldn't have made you better."

"What do you mean?" asked Wanda.

"Look," said Andy, "you used his strategy in a more honest way, hoping to prove that you could use it better… And in a way, you did use it better. The fact that it worked at all without cheating is one step up.

"But if you really want to prove that you're better than Weevil, you can do something that he never did in this situation…

"And that's learn from defeat, and use it to become better. Weevil didn't learn from defeat. Each loss filled him with rage and spite. It only led to more defeats, and eventually led to him being a wicked thing who could never truly succeed.

"You can learn from this, and you can not only be a better duelist than him… You can be a better _person._"

The Shadow Queen reclined on her arm and frowned.

_Intriguing philosophy, Andy,_ she thought_. Perhaps I'll etch it on your tombstone…_

_So, the three of them have overcome round one. All that remains is for Drake and Kyle to duel, and hope that one of them defeats one of those three in round two._

_I'm getting tired of this… After being trapped for a thousand years, I had to learn patience…_

_But even so, my patience is starting to wear thin…_

_As far as the finals go, this isn't the beginning, this isn't the end…_

…_but it's the end of the beginning…_

**0**

**0**

**0**

**VAMPIRIC LEECH (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Insect/Effect  
**Attribute: **Earth  
**Level: **4  
**ATK: **500  
**DEF: **1,200

**Card Description: **This ravenous creature strikes quickly with hit and run tactics. This Monster can attack on the first round of the duel. On a round where this Monster damages your opponent's Life Points, you can discard one card from your hand to change its battle position to Defense Mode.

_Note: "Vampiric Leech" was used by Marik in the anime episode "The Final Face Off (Part One)". All creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0**

**0**

**0**

"**Trent": **Plant/Earth, Level 5, (1,500/1,800)

Deckmaster SA: "Guardian of the Forest": Increase the ATK and DEF of all BEAST-, BEAST-WARRIOR-, INSECT-, and PLANT-Type monsters on the field by 200 points. If your opponent activates a Field Magic Card, negate the activation and effect of the card and destroy it (this is not optional).

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**Coming up next:**_

**_The last match of the first round. It's Drake versus Kyle, medieval versus chaos._**

**_And it's gonna be a blast. It's a chapter called "Perceptions" coming up soon._**


	61. Perceptions

_**Raven took on Stan again, and had him on the ropes with the Monster I supplied her with. But bad luck and a mistake on her part led to her defeat.**_

_**Chico summoned Serket successfully, and increased its power to enormous levels. But Francesca figured out its weakness, and destroyed it, defeating him.**_

_**Wanda summoned the Monster I gave her, along with an even stronger one of her own that she had saved for the finals. But Andy swatted them like common flies.**_

_**Well, too bad for them. When my true victims are done away with, I'll send the three of them to the Graveyard. Perhaps I'll offer them a chance to duel for their freedom – it might amuse me.**_

_**But now, Drake and Kyle are going to duel. It doesn't matter to me who wins, but whoever is stronger will face one those three tomorrow in round two…**_

_**Hopefully, a victory will mean a better chance to defeat those brats…**_

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER SIXTY-ONE**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Perceptions**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

Stan, Andy, and Francesca sat in the balcony.

"Guys," said Francesca, "you do realize, tomorrow, one of us is going to have to duel another."

Stan looked down for a minute.

"And if the one who doesn't wins the other match, it will happen again in the final round," he said.

Andy took out his deck and looked through it.

"Whichever one of us ultimately faces the Shadow Queen has to be the best one," he said. "So maybe it's for the best. Those two matches are the key to finding out which of us is the best.

"Even so, when we have to duel each other, I'd like to make a pact…"

"A pact?" asked Francesca.

Andy lifted up five cards:

Koops the Bashful, Admiral Bobbery the Bomber, Power Lift, Sweet Feast, and Supernova.

"When we duel each other," he said, "we take our Companions and our Enchanted Cards out of our decks. I don't think the Three Heroes meant for them to be used against each other."

Stan and Francesca looked through his deck.

Stan looked at Vivian, Goombella, and Ms. Mowz.

"Good point," he said. "I don't think they'd be happy having to fight each other."

Fran looked at Flurrie and Yoshi.

"I'm jack with that," she said.

They looked down into the arena.

"So, who do you think looks the best here?" asked Andy.

"Dunno," said Francesca. "I still remember Kyle's Ancient Gear Golem with a passion."

"Only if he summons it early," answered Stan. "If the duel goes long, 3,000 Attack Points are nothing that Drake's Gren Maju Da Eiza won't be able to handle, and might I remind you, he has three in his deck."

In the meantime, the Shadow Queen was watching the two duelists shuffle each other's decks.

_Kyle's job will be hard,_ she thought. _In all likelihood, he intends to use the powerful eight-card combo that I made possible… Unfortunately, to my knowledge, no duelist has yet managed to do so yet._

_Drake's job will be even harder. Summoning that Monster I gave him isn't something that's likely to happen – but if he manages, he'll have a powerful weapon that's nearly invincible. _

_We'll just see how this goes._

The two duelists took their decks back.

"You seem like a pretty good duelist, Drake," said Kyle. "I hate to have to beat you."

"_You_ seem like a pretty good duelist," answered Drake. "I'd hate to lose…"

"All right, enough with the jokes," said Alphonse. "I assume you've chosen your Deckmasters…"

Kyle held up a card.

"I choose Avatar of the Pot," he stated.

With a sinister chuckle, the rocky jar-genie appeared behind him and crossed his arms.

Drake held up one of his own cards.

"I'll choose the Different Dimension's beauty queen," he said. "D.D. Warrior Lady!"

In a flash of light, the lovely, armored Warrior appeared behind him.

"Here we go…" muttered Andy. "Chaos Deck versus Ancient Deck… Which one will prevail?"

"Looks like we'll find out…" said Francesca.

"LET'S DUEL!" said both duelists at once.

The scores set to 8,000 apiece as the Disks swung into position.

Drake drew his first hand.

"For my first move…" he said, looking them over.

He placed a card on his Disk.

"I'll set a Monster in Defense Mode, and that will be all."

A facedown Monster appeared.

"I'm guessing that's a D.D. Assailant or a D.D. Warrior," said Andy. "Kyle will have to be careful."

Kyle drew his first card.

"I'll also summon a Monster in Defense Mode," he said, "but I won't keep it hidden… Stone Statue of the Aztecs!"

He put a card down, and the huge, blocky statue appeared. (300/2,000)

"That will be it for now," he said.

"Swell," said Drake, drawing, "but this is gonna be a pretty dull duel if all we do is defend. I flip my Monster into Attack Mode… Go, Dice Jar!"

The card flipped over, and a large jar with a goofy face on the lid appeared. (200/300)

"Clever," said Chico. "Drake is trying to get a big lead early…"

Two golden dice appeared, one over Drake, and one over Kyle.

"Here's how it works, Kyle," he said. "Since I flipped Dice Jar, both of us has to roll a dice. Whoever gets the lower roll gets blasted for damage equal to 1,000 Life Points times the difference in the two rolls…"

He paused.

"Unless the higher roll is a six, in which case this might be a very short duel!"

"What happens if the winner rolls a six?" asked Raven.

"The loser gets hit for a full 6,000 Life Points worth of damage," said Chico. "Not the best situation."

"Fine," said Kyle. "I'm feeling kinda lucky right now…"

The two dice shot forward, and collided with each other in mid air. They rolled on the floor…

Drake's roll was a four…

Kyle's roll was a two.

"Not bad…" said Drake, with a grin.

Dice Jar cackled, and shot a beam of energy from its eyes, striking Kyle! He cringed as his Life Points fell to 6,000.

"And it's still my turn," said Drake. "I'll end by sacrificing Dice Jar to summon Different Dimension Master in Attack Mode."

Dice Jar shattered, and a tall figure arose. It was a grizzled old monk in a long robe with a beard, with metallic-colored skin. (1,700/1,500)

"All right, my move…" said Kyle, drawing a card.

"And I'll play Pot of Greed."

He played the card, and it handed him two more.

He looked at the Trap and Monster Card.

"I'll place one card facedown," he said.

He played the card, and a facedown card appeared.

"Next, I'll sacrifice my Statue to summon Criosphinx in Attack Mode."

The Stone Statue shattered, and a new statue appeared, this one resembling a creature that was centaur-like in shape, with the lower body of a lion, the upper body of a man, and the head of a ram. (1,200/2,400)

"It's your move…"

"What?" said Drake, drawing a card. "You should have put that guy in Defense Mode!"

"Wait a minute…" said Wanda. "Kyle couldn't have been that stupid…"

Drake played a card.

"I play Graceful Charity!"

The angel flew out of his deck, and handed him two cards. He quickly handed her one D.D. Trainer and one D.D. Warrior. She flew into his discard slot.

"I'll play Soul Absorption," he said, playing a card. "So long as this Continuous Magic Card is in play, every time either of our cards is removed from play, I gain 500 Life Points."

"Next I'll summon… Bazoo the Soul Eater, in Attack Mode!"

He threw a card down, and the huge mandrill ape appeared. (1,600/900)

"Now then," he said, "I'll remove from play my Dice Jar and the two Monsters I just discarded, which brings his Attack Score up to 2,500."

Bazoo's Attack soared, and Drake's Life Points went up to 9,500.

"Bazoo, attack Criosphinx with breath of souls!"

Bazoo growled.

"Called an attack?" said Kyle with a grin. "Too bad. Can't take it back now…"

His facedown card lifted.

"A Trap?" gasped Drake. "What is it?"

With a rumbling noise, a small version of the Great Sphinx of Gaza arose behind Kyle…

"It's called Ordeal of a Traveler, Drake," said Kyle, "and here's how it works. Whenever you declare an attack, you have to choose one of the cards in my hand, and guess whether it's a Monster, Trap, or Magic Card."

He held up his hand of five cards.

"Guess right, and the attack goes through. Guess wrong, and the Monster you tried to attack with goes back to your hand.

"So… choose…"

_Clever…_ thought Drake. _He put it in Attack Mode as bait!_

"All right…" he said. "Uhm… I believe…"

Everyone looked closely.

"I believe that the card on the far left…"

Kyle's eyes fell on that card.

There was a long pause.

_Man, he has a poker face!_ thought Drake.

"I believe it's a Monster!" he said.

"Are you sure?" asked Kyle. "Not to late to change your mind…"

"Heh, heh…" said Drake. "That's an old trick, Kyle. Yeah, I'm sure…"

"Aw, too bad…" said Kyle, flipping the card around.

It was a Trap called Gaea's Command.

Bazoo vanished.

"And by the way," he said, "Criosphinx has a special effect…"

Criosphinx glowed.

"Whenever a card is returned to your hand, you have to discard one card!"

Drake looked at his hand.

"Fine," he said, discarding Chaos Greed.

"Now, I'll just rearrange the cards in my hand," said Kyle, sorting them, "and you're free to try to attack with that other guy if you want."

Drake paused.

_If Different Dimension Master is returned to my hand, I'd have to sacrifice another Monster again to summon him again. Thanks, but no thanks…_

"I'll end my turn," he said.

"And by the way," said Kyle, making a draw, "Ordeal of a Traveler is a Continuous Trap."

"Yeah," said Wanda, "but what does that Gaea's Command thing do?"

Drake turned the card on his Disk.

"Now that the secret's out, I'll shift Criosphinx to Defense Mode."

The sphinx sat.

"And I'll also summon Giant Soldier of Stone in Defense Mode."

He played a card, and the rocky stone soldier appeared, kneeling in Defense. (1,300/2,000)

"And I'll end my turn there."

Kyle drew a card.

_There's precious little I can do at this point,_ he thought. _Even if I could get by his Trap Card, I have no Monsters to remove from play, making Bazoo too weak to destroy either of them._

_But if he can't attack, he can defend._

"I summon Bazoo again, in Defense Mode," he said.

He played the card, and Bazoo shielded himself in Defense. (1,600/900)

"And I'll move my Master into Defense Mode too."

Different Dimension Master knelt and folded his arms.

"My move then…" said Drake.

He drew… And he grinned.

His Field Slot opened.

"I play Ancient City," he said, placing a card in it.

"What is that?" asked Drake in surprise.

"As the name suggests," replied Kyle, "it's an ancient city…"

With a fierce rumbling sound, the arena melted away, and stone temples resembling those of the early Latin America civilizations appeared, mixed in with beautiful trees. An enormous stone ziggurat appeared behind Kyle.

"Ancient City?" gasped Chico. "Has anyone even heard of this card?"

"Uh… no…" answered Raven.

"Next…" said Kyle. "I'll play a card facedown…"

He played a card, and it appeared facedown.

"Then I'll sacrifice Giant Soldier of Stone to summon the lesser guardian of Ancient City… A guy called Ancient Giant!"

Giant Soldier of Stone shattered, and a huge statue of onyx carved like a man dressed in a robe appeared. (2,200/1,100)

_Kyle already has two of the components he needs for his ultimate formula,_ thought the Shadow Queen. _But getting the other six will be hard…_

"Ancient Giant…" commanded Kyle. "Attack Bazoo with fist of the ages!"

The Giant charged forward and slugged Bazoo, blowing him to pieces.

"I'll end my turn there," he said.

"Kyle has clearly built a more powerful deck," said Francesca. "I'm almost certain that the Giant and the City can be used in some sort of combo."

"You know what has me worried?" asked Raven.

"What?" asked Fran.

"He said that the Giant was the _lesser_ guardian. Who's the _true_ guardian?"

"My move!" said Drake.

He drew a card.

"Eh, I have to pass this turn…" he said.

"Then I'll move…" said Kyle, drawing a card.

He looked at it.

"And I choose to play a Magic Card," he said. "It's called Swap Meet."

"Cool name," said Drake. "But I'm still clueless."

Kyle played the card.

"Here's how it works," he said. "I have to discard three cards of the same type. In return, I can search my deck for any card of that type.

"So I'll discard three Magic Cards to search my deck for another Magic Card."

He discarded the three remaining cards in his hand: Ancient Gear Castle, Ancient Gear Drill, and Machine Duplication.

He took his deck, got what he wanted, and reshuffled.

"Now I'll play the card I got," he said. "Ancient Key!"

He played the card, and a large, bronze, antique key appeared. It fit into the lock of the door of the huge ziggurat behind him.

Two cards slipped out of his deck.

"By playing Ancient Key," he said, "I can summon two Monsters from my deck in Attack Mode. Arise, mighty Stone Giants!"

He threw the card down, and two statues made of unhewn rock appeared, to either side of Ancient Giant. (400/2,000 x2)

"Ancient Giant, attack Different Dimension Master!"

Ancient Giant charged forward and slammed his fist into Different Dimension Master, smashing him to bits!

"Stone Giants, attack Drake directly!"

Drake cringed as the two statues punched him. His Life Points fell to 8,700.

"Not bad…" he muttered. "But you have no cards in your hand! Your Ordeal of a Traveler is now useless!"

"Think again," said Kyle. "I'm activating my Deckmaster's ability."

Avatar of the Pot glowed, and his Life Points fell to 5,000.

"By paying 1,000 Life Points, I can draw five cards."

Five cards flew off his deck, and he caught them.

"Your move…"

Drake drew a card.

"I'll play Pot of Greed!" he stated.

He played the card, and the pot handed him two more cards.

"Heh, heh, heh…" he sniggered.

"What are you planning?" asked Kyle.

"Oh nothing, nothing much…" answered Drake. "Just thought I'd…"

He played a card.

"…reduce your City to rubble! Feel the wrath of Heavy Storm!"

A fierce Wind started to blow over Ancient City.

"Not so fast, Drake!" exclaimed Kyle. "I activate my Trap Card! Gaea's Command!"

His facedown card lifted, and a stern-faced woman wearing a toga and a laurel crown with raven hair appeared. She angrily held up her hand, and the Heavy Storm card shattered!

"What?" gasped Drake.

"Gaea is the Goddess of Nature, Drake," said Kyle, "and she doesn't like nature being destroyed. Since that card would have destroyed a Field Magic Card, my Trap Card negated and destroyed it!

"And Gaea's Command is a Continuous Trap. Before you can destroy or displace Ancient City, you must get rid of Gaea first."

"Ingenious," said Chico. "I should look into that… It would stop my opponents from destroying Necrovalley."

Drake frowned, and took another card.

"I'll summon D.D. Assailant in Defense Mode," he said.

He set the card, and the masked, armored woman appeared, holding her huge cleaver defensively. (1,700/1,600)

_At least he negated Heavy Storm's effect, so I got to keep Soul Absorption,_ he thought. _So, will he sacrifice his Giant to attack Assailant, or will it hold him off?_

Kyle drew a card.

"I play the Spell Card… Ancient Tome," he said, playing a card.

A large, leather-bound book with a dragon on the cover appeared, floating in the air. It opened, and positioned itself in front of him.

The Ancient Key turned slightly in the lock.

"Hmm… could use some illustrations…" he said, looking at it. "Next, I'll move my two Stone Giants to Defense Mode."

The two Stone Giants knelt in Defense. The Ancient Key turned even more.

"But I won't attack this round. Unfortunately, since I'm not, I have to pay 300 Life Points to keep the big one on the field, and 500 each for the small ones.

His Life Points fell to 3,700.

"And now that it's my second Main Phase, the effect of Ancient Tome activates. I get to draw one card…"

He drew.

"…but then I have to place one from my hand on the top of my deck."

He did so.

"It's your move."

"As soon as Drake gets past those Giants, Kyle has had it," said Wanda. "He has more than his starting total Life Points, and Drake has less than half."

"I dunno…" said Francesca. "Kyle's strategy is _very_ strange. He's leading up to something big…"

_Indeed,_ thought the Queen. _Kyle has six components of his strategy, and he's strengthened it in ways that even I didn't think of. If Drake doesn't destroy one of the components on his next turn, Kyle will complete the strategy, and he'll be very hard to defeat._

Kyle drew a card.

"I summon D.D. Survivor in Defense Mode," he said, playing a card.

The mysterious warrior clad in rags appeared, crouching in Defense. (1,800/200)

"That's all I can do," he stated.

"Then it's time to bring out my star!" said Kyle, drawing a card.

"I have to discard a card to keep Ancient Tome on the field," he said, discarding an Ancient Gear Cannon, "but it's worth it…"

He turned cards on his Disk.

"I'll move my Stone Giants back to Attack Mode…"

The Giants stood back up. The Ancient Key turned a full circle.

"By doing that, I can sacrifice the two Stone Giants and the Ancient Key to play Ancient Gate from my deck!"

The two Stone Giants shattered, and the door to the ziggurat opened.

Kyle played a card, and the door was replaced by a huge gate…

Two glowing red eyes appeared behind it, and a low growl was heard…

"Now, I can sacrifice Ancient Giant, Ancient Tome, and Ancient Gate, to call forth the immortal true Guardian of Ancient City…"

The Giant, Tome, and Gate shattered. A huge form lumbered out.

"Meet **_Ancient Dragon_**!"

The sky above Ancient City darkened, and a huge Dragon with golden scales, wings, and a mane of red hair reared up behind Kyle. It roared! (2,800/2,100)

"Okay…" muttered Drake. "That's impressive…"

_It will have to attack my Assailant eventually,_ he thought, _and she'll send it to Never-Never Land…_

"Ancient Dragon," commanded Kyle, "attack D.D. Survivor with sacred fire!"

Ancient Dragon blasted forth a wave of intense flames…

…and not only did D.D. Survivor shatter, but so did D.D. Assailant!

"What?" screamed Drake. "How did…"

"It's my Dragon's special effect," said Kyle with a grin. "When he destroys one of your Monsters, all your Monsters in Defense Mode bite the dust!"

"Well, that's quite an effect," said Raven. "But I'm not sure if it was worth all the trouble Kyle went through to summon it."

"Don't be so sure," said Chico. "That Dragon likely has multiple effects."

"My move…" said Drake with a shudder.

He looked at the card.

_Mystical Space Typhoon,_ he thought. _A lot of good that will do…_

"I'll play… D.D. Scout Plane in Defense Mode…" he said.

He played the card, and the weird, spherical Machine with a single eye appeared, and shielded itself with its arms. (800/1,200)

Kyle drew a card.

"I summon Grave Ohja in Attack Mode," he said.

He placed the card down, and the stone statue with bulky claws and a tutan mask appeared. (1,600/1,500)

Drake started to sweat.

"Grave Ohja, destroy his Scout Plane!" ordered Kyle.

Grave Ohja lumbered forward and clapped its hands together, crushing the small Machine.

"Ancient Dragon…"

Drake bowed his head.

"Attack Drake directly!"

The Dragon shot forth his sacred fire, and Drake screamed!

His Life Points plummeted to 5,400.

He gasped for breath.

"And I'll end with a facedown card," said Kyle.

He played the card, and a facedown card appeared.

_Man, I gotta do something!_ thought Drake.

He looked at Kyle's side, which was stacked with Monsters, Magic Cards, and Trap Cards.

Ordeal of a Traveler, which would make attacking a risky endeavor…

Criosphinx, who not only had a powerful Defense, but would make him discard a card if Ordeal of a Traveler worked…

Ancient City, which let Kyle summon the key part of his strategy, and had lord knows what other effects…

Gaea's Command, which made it impossible to destroy Ancient City unless he destroyed it first…

Grave Ohja, which he knew _nothing_ about…

And finally, the Ancient Dragon itself, which not only had 2,800 Attack Points, but he knew was hiding some dark secret.

Not to mention a facedown card.

All he had on his side of the field right now was Soul Absorption, which had seen little use.

And the cards in his hand were another D.D. Survivor, Mystical Space Typhoon, Double Attack, Soul Release, and one of the strange cards that General Freed had given him. D.D. Survivor had a weak defense that Grave Ohja would have no problem with… If his next draw wasn't a good one, that Dragon would attack him again!

"I draw one card…" he said, drawing.

"And my Trap is activated!" said Kyle. "Dust Tornado!"

A tornado whipped across the field… The Soul Absorption card was swept up and shattered.

Drake looked at his card.

He smirked.

He took another card.

"I play Soul Release!" he said, playing it.

"Well sure!" said Kyle, sarcastically. "Remove the cards in my Graveyard. It isn't like there's anything useful in there anymore…"

"I'm not using it on yours, Kyle," replied Drake. "I'm using it on mine!"

D.D. Survivor, D.D. Assailant, Different Dimension Master, Bazoo the Soul Eater, and Chaos Greed fell out of his discard slot.

"That could only mean…" gulped Stan.

"Now I summon…" said Drake, placing a card down.

A huge bonfire erupted in front of him…

"…wait for it…"

A huge beast crawled out of the bonfire, and let out an unearthly roar!

"…_**Gren Maju Da Eiza!"**_

The Red Lotus Beast blazed with an aura of flames, and its eyes sparkled.

"And for every card of mine that's been removed from play, eight, this adorable beast has 400 Attack and Defense Points!"

(3,200/3,200)

"Have you forgotten about my Ordeal of a Traveler card?" asked Kyle. "As strong as that thing is, you're still gonna have to guess right."

"No I won't," said Drake. "I play Mystical Space Typhoon!"

He played the card, and whirlwind shot forth, blowing the Sphinx behind Drake into shards!

"Next," said Kyle, playing a card. "I'll play Double Attack! This lets my Monster attack twice, so long as I discard a Monster who has more stars. So seeing as Maju has three stars, I'll discard my four-star D.D. Survivor!"

He discarded the card.

"Gren Maju Da Eiza, attack Criosphinx with chaos flames!"

The beast roared, and shot forth a blast of super-hot fire, incinerating the sphinx.

"And now… attack Ancient Dragon!"

Maju blasted forth its chaos flames, and Ancient Dragon roared! It shattered into pixels.

Kyle's Life Points fell to 3,300.

"Now I'll place a card facedown, and end my turn," he said.

A facedown card appeared.

Kyle grinned at him.

Drake's eyes narrowed.

"You look awfully happy for someone who's just had his best Monster blown to Kingdom Come," he said.

"Heh, heh, heh," answered Kyle. "Drake, maybe you didn't hear me right when I summoned that Dragon. I said he was the 'immortal true Guardian of Ancient City'. Immortal. As in, can't be killed?"

With a roar, the Ancient Dragon rose up behind Kyle again!

"WHAT?" gasped Drake.

"So long as Ancient City stands," said Kyle, "he'll just come back during your End Phase after you destroy him.

"And since Gaea is still protecting Ancient City, and you've used both Heavy Storm and Mystical Space Typhoon, destroying Ancient City seems unlikely…

"And it's my move…"

He drew a card.

"What did I say?" said Chico. "Multiple effects."

"Yes, but Drake still has the stronger Monster," said Raven. "Kyle will have to switch to the defensive for now."

"First I'll move Ancient Dragon and Grave Ohja into Defense Mode," said Kyle.

Grave Ohja knelt and shielded himself, and Ancient Dragon folded his wings.

"Then I'll place one card facedown…" he said.

A facedown card appeared.

"And next I'll get rid of it with Emergency Provisions."

He played the card, and a huge mouth swallowed the facedown card. His Life points went up to 4,300.

"That's my turn…"

Drake drew a card.

"Maju, take out Grave Ohja!" he shouted.

Maju shot forth his Chaos flames, and Grave Ohja shattered into shards of rock.

"I'll summon another D.D. Scout Plane in Defense Mode, and that will end my turn."

Another Scout Plane appeared, shielding itself.

Kyle drew a card.

"Eh, I'll pass…" he said.

Kyle drew a card.

_An Equip Card,_ he said. _Not useful for Maju… I almost wish that he could defeat Maju now…_

"Well, since attacking that Dragon would be pointless," he said, "I'll pass as well."

"It's a stalemate!" exclaimed Raven. "Kyle can't defeat his Monster, and Drake can't defeat his!"

"Something will break soon…" said Wanda.

Kyle drew a card.

"All right!" he said. "I'll move Ancient Dragon into Attack Mode…"

Ancient Dragon rose…

"And now I'll play… Pump Up!"

He played the card.

"This Magic Card doubles the Attack of my Monster for one round!"

Ancient Dragon grew to an Attack of 5,600!

"Destroy Gren Maju Da Eiza!" shouted Kyle.

Ancient Dragon shot forth his sacred flames! The Red Lotus Beast roared, and shattered into pixels!

Then D.D. Scout Plane shattered too.

Only a smoking stain on the ground remained where Maju had been…

Drake grinned as his Life Points fell to 3,000.

"What are you so happy about?" asked Kyle.

"They say that what doesn't kill you can only make you stronger…" said Drake. "I'm not dead yet, and I'm about to become stronger than I ever was! I activate my Quickplay Magic Card, courtesy of Freed the Matchless General!"

His facedown card lifted.

"Dimensional Rupture!"

Lightning appeared in the sky of Ancient City, and a swirling vortex started to form…

"This card can only be played when Gren Maju Da Eiza is destroyed in battle," he said. "And it lets me summon his master from my deck! I summon the mighty D.D. Assassin!"

An orb of darkness flew out of the vortex, and it formed into a tall figure. He was dressed entirely in black, with clothes resembling some sort of futuristic ninja. Only his eyes could be seen under his clothes, and they were evil, glowing red eyes. He held a glowing sword. (2,700/2,700)

"D.D. Assassin can't be destroyed by Magic Cards, Trap Cards, and Monster effects," continued Drake. "In short, only an outright attack can kill him."

"Fine!" laughed Kyle. "I end my turn. You do realize that that my Dragon is one-hundred Attack Points stronger than him, right?"

Drake drew a card.

"Not for long," he said. "I equip him with Dimensional Blade!"

He played a card, and D.D. Assassin's sword vanished, and was replaced by a nastier sword. His Attack Score went up to 3,500.

"D.D. Assassin," ordered Drake. "Attack with duo dimensional slice!"

The Assassin leapt up into the air, did a flip, and slashed with his sword, cleaving the Dragon in two! It shattered!

Kyle's Life Points fell to 3,600.

"Forget?" asked Kyle. "He'll just come back as soon as you end your turn!"

"No he won't!" answered Drake. "When a Monster attacks another Monster while armed with Dimensional Blade, the target is removed from play! He's not coming back this time!"

Kyle's eyes opened wide.

"It's your move…" said Drake.

"Uh oh… Kyle's in trouble!" said Wanda.

Kyle drew a card.

"I'll use my own Soul Release," he said, "on my Graveyard, and I'll remove Stone Statue of the Aztecs, Giant Soldier of Stone, Ancient Giant, and both Stone Giants from play…"

Five cards came out of his discard slot.

"Now I'll summon Lost Guardian in Defense Mode," he continued.

He played a card, and a large statue appeared, crouching in Defense.

"And since I removed five of my Monsters from play, it has 700 Defense Points for each!"

(100/3,500)

"That will do for now."

Kyle drew a card.

"I use my own Deckmaster ability," he said, as D.D. Warrior Lady started to glow. "By paying 500 Life Points…"

His Life Points fell to 2,500.

"…I can summon to my side of the field any Monster in your Removed From Play pile. And I know just which one I want…"

A vortex appeared behind him…

And Ancient Dragon crawled out of it! It roared!

"That's impossible!" shouted Kyle. "Ancient Dragon can't be Special Summoned any way except the proper way!"

"My Deckmaster can override Special Summoning restrictions!" laughed Drake.

Kyle stared at it.

_Well, at least neither of them can bust down Lost Guardian…_ thought Kyle.

"D.D. Assassin," ordered Drake, "attack Lost Guardian!"

"Huh?" said Kyle.

D.D. Assassin leapt up and slashed his sword against the statue…

He stood back…

And Lost Guardian shattered.

"HUH?" gasped Kyle. "His Attack Points were equal to its Defense Points!"

"I said that a Monster armed with Dimensional Blade had to _attack_ a Monster to remove it from play," said Kyle. "I didn't say it had to _destroy_ it. So long as the battle happens, the Monster he attacks goes to La-La Land."

Kyle started to sweat.

"Ancient Dragon," shouted Drake. "Attack Kyle directly! Sacred fire!"

Kyle screamed as the Dragon shot a blast of flames at him, and he was thrown back.

His Life Points fell down to 800.

_Lovely,_ thought Kyle, getting up.

He looked at his hand.

_The only cards I have right now are Statue of the Wicked and Medusa Worm… Medusa Worm is useless against that Assassin, and if I managed to use it against Ancient Dragon, Ancient City would cause it to regenerate, and Drake would likely remove it from play and use his Deckmaster to take control of it again._

_Even worse, Gaea's Command protects the City from my cards too! Winning now is going to take a miracle…_

He drew a card.

"I play… Card of Demise!" he shouted.

"Here's how it works… I get to draw five cards… but after five turns, I have to discard my whole hand. Of course, if I don't get some good draws, this duel isn't going to last that long, now is it?"

He made five draws.

"Well, Kyle," said Drake, "did you get some good ones?"

Kyle looked at his five new cards.

One of them was Ancient Gear Golem.

He had taken out a lot of cards from his deck to make room for his eight-card combo, but he could never have taken this one out. Seeing it now was like seeing an old friend.

Kyle didn't understand the concept of Soul Cards, but this one was clearly his.

_Oh, what was I thinking?_ he thought. _That Dragon was a mistake from the start… It may have been a dream, but once I got it, I forgot what really mattered… Where my heart was…_

He looked at the Golem.

_I promise, I'll never neglect you again!_

He took another card from the ones he just drew.

"I play… Giant Trunade!"

A fierce wind erupted on the field. Ancient City vanished, along with Gaea's Command, and Dimensional Blade. They reappeared in their owners' hands. D.D. Assassin's Attack Score returned to 2,700.

"Next, I'll place two cards facedown…"

He fit two cards into his Disk, and they appeared.

"…and I'll play… Heavy Storm!"

He played the card, and a fierce wind of a different type blew over the arena! His two facedown cards shattered.

"Fool," said Drake. "The only cards you destroyed were your own."

"I know…" said Kyle, as a spooky fog lifted over the field.

With twin screeches, two fiendish golden serpents with claws and headdresses rose up in front of him! (1,000/1,000)

"What?" said Drake.

"Those cards I destroyed were Traps called Statue of the Wicked," said Kyle. "When one of them is destroyed, I get to create a Wicked Token!

"And now I'll sacrifice my two Wicked Tokens…"

The two token's shattered…

"…to summon… **_Ancient Gear Golem_**!"

Slowly, the enormous, jury-rigged, but powerful-looking Machine appeared, glaring at Drake with its glowing red eye! (3,000/3,000)

"Attack his D.D. Assassin!" shouted Kyle. "Mechanized melee!"

The gears and pistons on the Golem pounded, and it threw a punch at D.D. Assassin, blowing him to smithereens!

Drake cringed as his Life Points fell to 2,200.

"Your move…" said Kyle.

"Uh…" said Drake, drawing a card.

_Worthless,_ he thought. _And with that thing's trampling effect…_

_Hey, I've got an idea…_

"I'll use my Deckmaster ability again!" he said, as his Life Points fell to 1,700. "And I'll bring back your Lost Guardian in Defense Mode!"

The vortex opened, and Lost Guardian appeared.

"And since I have eight Monsters removed from play," said Kyle, "you won't be able to touch me!"

"Better look again," said Kyle.

Drake looked at the Lost Guardian…

(100/700)

"Only 700 Defense Points?" he gasped.

"You didn't read the fine print," said Kyle. "It doesn't gain Defense power from any Monsters, just Rock Monsters. And you only removed one of those from play – your Dice Jar."

Drake sighed.

"It's been a good duel…" he said. "So finish it…"

"Right!" said Kyle, making a draw. "Ancient Gear Golem, attack the Lost Guardian!"

The Golem threw a punch at Lost Guardian! It shattered, and Drake was thrown backwards!

"Ooh…" he said.

His Life Points hit zero.

"Kyle is the winner!" shouted Alphonse.

_Indeed,_ thought the Queen, _and round two should be epic…_

She got up.

"Well, everyone," she said, "It has been decided… Stan, Andy, Francesca, and Kyle will progress to Round Two tomorrow.

"Until then, we can eat, and then rest…

"For I expect two battles like none other, starting at noon tomorrow!"

_Enough time for me to remake my deck,_ thought Kyle, looking at the Ancient Dragon. _No more of this… But that's what I get for taking gifts from strange Monsters anyway._

_In fact…_

He paused as the one he knew as Sydney walked past him.

_Strange,_ he thought. _Like someone just walked over my grave…_

"Dinner will be served in two hours," said Sydney. "Until then, everyone in the balcony, because we've arranged some entertainment for everyone…"

As Kyle and Drake sat in the balcony, the lights in the arena started to dim, and music started to play…

And then the three Harpie Lady Sisters appeared below.

Microphones appeared in their hands, and they started to sing in lovely voices.

The song was captivating, but the eight duelists knew that this was no hologram they were watching…

**0**

**0**

**0**

**ANCIENT CITY (Magic Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Magic/Field  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description: **Image of an ancient, primitive temple. Send one "Ancient Giant", one "Ancient Tome", and one "Ancient Gate" on your side of the field to the Graveyard to Special Summon one "Ancient Dragon" from your hand or Deck. As long as this card remains face-up on your side of the field, if "Ancient Dragon" on your side of the field is destroyed, you can Special Summon it from your Graveyard during the End Phase of the turn in which it was destroyed.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**STONE GIANT (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Rock/Effect  
**Attribute: **Earth  
**Level: **3  
**ATK: **400  
**DEF: **2000

**Card Description: **This Monster cannot be Normal Summoned or Set. This Monster is Special Summoned through the effect of "Ancient Key". If this Monster does not attack during your Battle Phase, pay 500 Life Points at the end of the Battle Phase.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**ANCIENT GIANT (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Rock/Effect  
**Attribute: **Earth  
**Level: **5  
**ATK: **2,200  
**DEF: **1,100

**Card Description: **This giant statue of stone is the lesser guardian of the Ancient City. If this card does not attack during your Battle Phase, inflict 300 points of damage to your Life Points at the end of the Battle Phase.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**ANCIENT KEY (Magic Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Magic/Continuous  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description: **Image of a dull, metal, antique key etched with runes. When the effect of this card resolves, Special Summon two "Stone Giant" cards from your hand or Deck in face-up Attack Mode. When the two "Stone Giant" cards summoned by this card's effect are switched from face-up Defense Mode to face-up Attack Mode, send this card and the two "Stone Giant" cards summoned through this card's effect to the Graveyard to activate one "Ancient Gate" from your hand or Deck.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**ANCIENT GATE (Magic Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Magic/Continuous  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description: **Image of an ominous doorway made of stone, marked with runes. This card cannot be activated except through the effect of "Ancient Key". This card remains on the field until your third End Phase after this card's activation.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**ANCIENT TOME (Magic Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Magic/Continuous  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description: **Image of a golden, sealed book, with runes and a picture of a dragon on the cover. During each main phase, draw one card from your Deck, then select one card from your hand and place it face-down on top of your Deck. Discard one card from your hand during each of your Standby Phases; if you do not, destroy this card.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**ANCIENT DRAGON (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Dragon/Effect  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level: **8  
**ATK: **2,800  
**DEF: **2,100

**Card Description: **This great Dragon and guardian of the Ancient City is believed to have lived for millennia. This Monster cannot be Normal Summoned or Set. This card cannot be Special Summoned except through the effects of "Ancient City". When this card destroys a Monster on your opponent's side of the field as a result of battle, destroy all Monsters in Defense Mode on your opponent's side of the field.

_**Note: The proceeding seven cards were used by Solomon Mouto (in his alter ego of "Apnarg Otuom") in the two-part anime episode "Let the Games Begin!" All creative credit goes to the writers of that episode.**_

**0**

**0**

**0**

**GAEA'S COMMAND (Trap Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Trap/Continuous  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description: **Image of a woman in a toga and a laurel crown surrounded by trees, raising a hand. When this Trap is active, all cards that would destroy or displace a Field Magic Card are negated and destroyed.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**SWAP MEET (Magic Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Magic  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description: **Image of Goblin of Greed displaying a vase to an indecisive Magician of Faith. Discard three cards of the same type (Monster, Magic, or Trap) to your Graveyard. Search your deck for any card of the same type, and add it to your hand. Then, shuffle your deck.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**CARD OF DEMISE (Magic Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Magic  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description: **Image of an executioner about to cut a deck of cards in half. Draw five cards from your deck. After your fifth End Phase after playing this card, discard all the cards in your hand.

_Note: "Card of Demise" was used by Kaiba several times in the anime, originally in "Clash in the Colessium". All creative credit goes to the writers._

**0**

**0**

**0**

**DIMENSIONAL RUPTURE (Magic Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Magic/Quickplay  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description: **Image of a flaming portal tearing a city apart. You can activate this card when one "Gren Maju Da Eiza" on your side of the field is destroyed as a result of battle and sent to the Graveyard. Special Summon one "D.D. Assassin" from your hand or deck.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**DIMENSIONAL BLADE (Magic Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Magic/Equip  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description: **Image of a cloaked figure kneeling and handing D.D. Warrior Lady a sword. This card can be Equipped to any Monster with "D.D." or "Dimension" in its name. Increase the ATK of the Equipped Monster by 800. When you declare an attack on an opposing Monster with a Monster Equipped with this card, the opposing Monster is removed from play.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**D.D. ASSASSIN (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Warrior/Effect  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level: **8  
**ATK: **2,700  
**DEF: **2,700

**Card Description: **This dark figure is the true master of the Different Dimension. This Monster cannot be normal summoned or set. This Monster can only be Special Summoned via the effects of "Dimensional Rupture". This Monster cannot be destroyed by Magic Cards, Trap Cards, or Monster effects.

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**Coming up next:**_

_**No, the second round doesn't start.**_

_**Kyle throws a serious wrench in the Queen's plans, when she discovers he isn't as clueless as she thought. A dark battle begins, one which will lead to a drastic change.**_

_**Don't miss "Dark Duel" coming soon.**_


	62. Dark Duel

_**My name is Kyle Stevens…**_

_**Intellectual… Archaeologist… Duelist.**_

_**I never thought I'd add "sleuth" to that list.**_

_**Ever since I passed through the Thousand Year Door, I had a feeling that this whole tournament was some ugly scheme. After all, I had to duel Infernalqueen Archfiend.**_

_**I just found out that it's more than an ugly scheme – it's a mad trap.**_

_**And being unable to reach everyone else from this chamber of horrors, I'm going to have to try to stop it myself. **_

_**And I'm not dueling for my place in a tournament now…**_

…_**I'm dueling for my life.**_

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER SIXTY-TWO**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Dark Duel**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

It was comforting to the three teenagers that the Shadow Queen could use her Duel Monster servants for more than duelist assassins.

After the Harpies, a Muse-A played a more enchanting melody on a lyre, and then a Spirit of the Harp played while a Performance of Sword did a blade dance.

The last act was the most entertaining. A Vampire Lady played the piano, while a Vampire Lord sung _Memories_. Chico watched the pianist carefully during the whole act – he wasn't certain whether or not it was the same one who had dueled him.

After a while, Alphonse led them to a dining room, where diner was laid out. He told them that Sydney had business and would greet them tomorrow.

Over linguini with clams, they discussed the duels that got them to this point.

"HA, HA, HA!" laughed Wanda. "Seriously, Drake? He called himself the Shyguy General?"

"He looked funny, but his dueling was no joke," answered Drake. "That Des Guardius would have been a problem if hadn't drawn Maju."

"Eh, I don't like that Gren Maju Da Eiza…" muttered Stan. "It seems a little too evil for my tastes…"

"I dunno," said Wanda. "I kind of like grotesque Monsters…"

She took out a card.

"…like this guy."

It looked like a humanoid tick or louse with sickly white skin, carrying a quiver full of javelins.

"He's called Parasitic Ticky," she said. "His Attack and Defense are 500 for every Token Monster on the field."

"Wanda, we're trying to eat here!" said Francesca.

"Well, you know…" said Wanda, "in some countries, chocolate-covered ants are considered a delicacy."

"Yeah…" added Chico. "The same places where they eat snails and set desserts on fire."

"Just pass the parmesan, would you?" asked Fran.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Kyle knew it would be a while before he could sleep. Italian food always gave him heartburn.

He looked at the eight cards in front of him.

Ancient City, Ancient Giant, Ancient Key, two Stone Giants, Ancient Tome, Ancient Gate, and Ancient Dragon.

He placed them in his pouch where he kept his spare cards. He could manage quite well with his deck the way it had originally been.

Maybe he could sell them somewhere. There had to be someone else who wanted to create the combo…

He took a few other cards out of his deck too. Gaea's Command was no longer necessary, and Swap Meet wasn't really needed either.

So now he had the makings of a much easier Ancient Deck.

As he was going over the forty-one cards in his newly constructed deck (forty plus Avatar of the Pot, his intended Deckmaster for tomorrow), he heard talking outside.

He heard the words "majesty", and then "Shadow Queen".

Curious, he went up to the door.

"It doesn't seem fair, sire," said a voice. "Burying them when this is over…"

"Perhaps I'll give them a chance Grodus," she said. "I'll duel them all personally to see if they can hold their own. I doubt they can… But if the grave is their destiny, then so be it.

"Of course, I promised Vampire Lady I'd give her Chico…"

He strained to hear, but the voices started to get faint.

Kyle picked up his Disk and slowly opened the door.

He went to the door across the hall and knocked on it.

After about a minute, a very tired Drake opened it.

"Kyle?" he muttered. "What are you doing up?"

"Drake, there's something weird about this whole thing," he said. "I swear I heard Sydney talking about sending people to a grave or something. Maybe we should look around…"

"Kyle…" moaned Drake. "I'm sure it was just a bad dream brought on by that second canole you had. Look, you're dueling tomorrow, so get some rest, 'kay?"

He closed the door.

Kyle sighed.

_I know what I heard…_ he thought.

He wandered down the hallway in the direction he had heard the voices fade.

Eventually, he reached a hallway with several suits of armor holding swords…

Except one, which held a mace.

Kyle walked up to the one that held the mace. He had a feeling that there was something special about it.

His ears perked up…

_Someone was coming!_

He squeezed behind one of the other suits of armor.

He watched, and saw the Shadow Queen, now undisguised, float up to the odd suit. Her eyes glowed, and it moved aside…

Then a secret door opened in the wall. She floated in.

Curiosity got the best of Kyle. He followed.

If the Queen had turned around at that moment, she'd have seen him. But Kyle didn't take much time to look around the place which was some sort of alchemy lab. He saw a cabinet, and darted behind it.

The Queen went up to the metal sphere that was heated by a Bunsen burner. She turned off the burner, and put on a glove…

She reached into the sphere, and removed a glowing card.

"Finished at last," she said. "Once Stan, Andy, and Francesca are defeated, this will assure that they can never challenge me again… And then the Shadow Queen will be unopposed!

"Only one thing remains to be done with it…"

She waved her hand, and another door opened at the far side of the chamber.

She floated through it, and Kyle carefully followed…

The Queen went down a dark stairway, three flights down, until she reached a doorway carved in the shape of a demonic face. The doors opened, and eerie mist came out.

She entered a dark chamber, circular and dome-shaped, lit by what seemed like hundreds of candles made of black wax, on chandeliers and around the circumference.

She placed it on a pedestal on one end.

"Powers of Darkness," she chanted, "infuse your energy into this card!"

As Kyle watched, ghostly shadows rose, and dove into the card! It burned with black fire.

"Marvelous…" she said. "Now I just have to wait for Round Two…"

"There isn't gonna be a Round Two, you maniac!" shouted Kyle.

The Queen spun around and gazed at him.

"This twisted game ends now!" he shouted.

The Queen's eyes blazed.

She tucked the card into her dress…

Then she smirked.

"The game is never over, duelist," she said. "But I'm afraid _you_ are disqualified!"

The doors slammed shut!

"I don't know how you managed to get into my private sanctum," said the Queen with a sneer, "but you most certainly are never getting out…"

"We'll see about that," said Kyle. "I figured it out… You want to get rid of them, so you tried to have us do your dirty work for you… Well, change of plans… I'm the one who's gonna take you down!"

"Ha!" laughed the Queen, raising her hand.

Flames appeared around Kyle's skin!

He gasped, but they strangely weren't hot.

"I could burn you to a cinder…" she mocked.

She rubbed her chin.

"But then again, you could help me practice…"

She waved her left arm, and her Duel Disk appeared on it.

"Tell you what Kyle," she said with a smirk. "Defeat me, and I'll spare you. Lose, and…

"Well, try not to think about that for now…"

"Fine," said Kyle. "Whatever you are, I'll take you on…"

_A warm-up duel couldn't hurt…_ thought the Queen.

A deck appeared on her Disk.

_But this upstart is still not worth me bringing out my true deck._

"Don't forget, Kyle, the Deckmaster rules still apply here…"

"Fine," said Kyle. "I choose Avatar of the Pot!"

He held up the card, and the Avatar appeared behind him, now looking more serious than his usual jovial self.

The Queen lifted up a card.

"And I choose… Cosmo Queen!" she exclaimed.

In a flash, the enormous, intimidating form of Cosmo Queen appeared, and crossed her arms.

"Uh… neat hat…" said Kyle. "And just what does she do?"

"I don't use her ability unless I absolutely have to," said the Queen. "But tell you what… After you lose, I promise to tell you what she does before I bury you.

"Now let's duel…"

As the Life Point counters each set to 8,000, her necklace glowed, and the room darkened…

"The first move is yours…" said the Queen.

Kyle made his first draw.

"I'll summon Stone Statue of the Aztecs," he said. "And I'll have it defend me."

He placed a card down, and the blocky statue appeared. (300/2,000)

"That's my turn…" he said.

The Shadow Queen made her first draw.

"You may remember the Monster I'm about to summon," she said. "Raven used him as her Deckmaster… I summon Chthonian Soldier in Attack Mode."

She placed a card down, and a Dark Warrior in armor and a helmet holding a jagged sword appeared. (1,200/1,400)

"And I'll end with a facedown card," she said, setting a card.

A facedown card appeared.

"Heh, heh," said Kyle, drawing. "You aren't fool me! That facedown card is a Trap, and that weak Warrior is the bait! But it isn't going to make a difference…"

He played a card.

"…cause I summon Ancient Gear Soldier!"

The robotic soldier made of gears with a machine gun for its right arm appeared. (1,300/1,300)

"Oh, and by the way," he added. "You can't activate Traps when Ancient Gear Monsters attack! Ancient Gear Soldier, attack with rapid-fire shot!"

Ancient Gear Soldier aimed his gun and let loose a burst of blazing shells! Chthonian Soldier groaned and shattered.

"Well, that was…" started Kyle. "Huh?"

The Soldier's sword was flying towards him! He cringed as it hit him!

"You should have done your homework, Kyle," said the Queen with a laugh. "A curse strikes anyone who harms a Chthonian Soldier. To wit, if he's destroyed in battle, you lose the same amount of Life Points as I do."

Both their Life Points fell to 7,900.

"Then it's your move…" muttered Kyle.

The Queen drew.

"Well, much as I hate to repeat myself…" she said. "I'll summon another Chthonian Soldier in Attack Mode!"

Another Chthonian appeared. (1,200/1,400)

"That will be my move…" she said.

"Fine!" said Kyle, drawing a card. "I'll sacrifice my Gear Soldier to summon someone better…"

Ancient Gear Soldier shattered.

"…Ancient Gear Beast!"

The robotic wolf made of gears and pistons appeared, and growled. (2,000/2,000)

"Heh, heh…" said the Queen. "Someone has a bad memory! If you attack with that, I may lose 800 Life Points, but so will you."

"No, I won't, Miss Know-It-All!" replied Kyle. "Ancient Gear Beast has a potent effect too. He negates the effect of any Monster he destroys!"

"I see…" muttered the Queen.

"Ancient Gear Beast," shouted Kyle, "attack the Chthonian Soldier with piston pounce!"

The Beast leapt up and tackled Chthonian Soldier! He shattered.

The Shadow Queen fell to 7,100 Life Points.

Her eyes glowed.

She drew a card.

"Heh, heh…" she said.

Her facedown card lifted.

"I activate Call of the Haunted…" she said. "Now I can bring one of my Chthonians back from the Graveyard."

A Chthonian Soldier reappeared.

"But it's going to be a round trip," she continued. "Because I cast the Dark Dragon Ritual!"

She played the card, and two dark torches appeared to either side of her.

"This incredibly easy Ritual only requires me to sacrifice four stars worth of Monsters, so I'll sacrifice Chthonian Soldier…"

Chthonian Soldier was consumed in dark fire…

"And that lets me summon a Warrior known as Knight of Dark Dragon!"

A dark knight in black armor appeared, holding a long blade. (1,900/1,200)

"He can't beat either of my Monsters," said Kyle.

"True," said the Queen. "But he isn't called Knight of Dark Dragon for nothing. I can now sacrifice him to summon one of the darkest of Dragons of all…"

Knight of Dark Dragon shattered.

"I'll give you a hint… He has red eyes… black scales…"

A shadowy form started to appear.

"I summon Red Eyes Black Dragon!"

It was indeed Red Eyes Black Dragon. But this version seemed a lot more sinister than Andy's. (2,400/2,000)

"You have a Red Eyes in your deck?" gasped Kyle. "That card is mega-rare!"

The Queen laughed.

"Andy thinks he's a big deal because he has a Red Eyes…" she said. "It's so rare, most duelists have never seen it! Well, thanks to the generosity of Marik Ishtar, this deck has _three_ copies of this card. And I can use him in ways that Andy never even knew about!

"Fortunately for you, since I summoned him with my Knight's effect, he can't attack this round. So it's your move."

Kyle drew a card.

"My move will consist solely of moving Ancient Gear Beast to Defense Mode," he said, turning a card.

Ancient Gear Beast sat.

"Fine," said the Queen, drawing a card.

"I play Pot of Greed!"

She played the card, and the jar handed her two card.

"Well," she said, "seems that Greed was good!"

She placed a card on her Disk.

"I summon Red Eyes's servant," she said. "A Warrior known as Eric the Red, in Attack Mode."

A stout fighter with a red beard carrying a battleaxe appeared. Red Eyes growled in approval. (800/500)

"So long as Eric is on the field," explained the Queen, "Red Eyes is immune to Magic Cards, Trap Cards, and Monster effects."

"Impressive," said Kyle. "But Eric himself is pretty weak. You'd have been better off with Lord of Dragons."

"HA, HA, HA!" laughed the Queen. "Let me tell you something about Lord of Dragons, Kyle… He has a rotten job!"

"What do you mean?" asked Kyle.

"He works hard, using his powers to protect Dragons, and for what?" asked the Queen. "He doesn't get anything in return!

"But because Eric here chose to serve one particular Dragon, he _does_ get something in return! See, so long as Red Eyes is on the field, you can't attack him!"

Kyle paused.

"Okay, that is rather impressive…" he said.

"Well, back to business," said the Queen. "It's time to teach that pooch of yours some tricks. Like how to play dead! Red Eyes, attack Ancient Gear Beast! Inferno fire blast!"

Red Eyes blasted a stream of flame, and Ancient Gear Beast exploded!

"And it's still my turn…" said the Queen, taking a card. "I'm going to play a Magic Card. The dreaded Lullaby of Obedience!"

"I don't like the sound of that…" said Kyle, as she played the card.

"To play this card, I have to pay 1,000 Life Points…" said the Queen, as her Life Points fell to 6,100. "But then, I get to name a Monster that has eight stars or more, and if you have it in your deck, I get to take it!"

Kyle gasped…

And then he smirked…

"Now, let's see…" said the Queen, scratching her chin. "I think… Ancient Gear Golem!"

"All right, fine," said Kyle, taking his deck. "Come here…"

As the Queen walked up to him, he looked though his deck.

"Come on…" he muttered, looking through his cards. "Where the hell is it…"

After a few seconds of searching he held it up. She snatched it.

"Thank you!" she said.

She chuckled as she walked back to her side.

"Don't feel too bad," she said. "After all, it was almost at the bottom of your deck… You probably never would have gotten to it anyway…"

Kyle smirked.

"You look awfully smug for someone who just lost his most powerful card…" she said.

"Is it my move?" he asked.

She nodded.

He drew.

"True," he said. "I never would have drawn it… But you solved that problem nicely!"

He played a card.

"I play Exchange!"

The Shadow Queen gasped!

"Isn't it funny how things work out?" asked Kyle, walking up to her. "Now give me back my card!"

The Queen held her hand out, and Kyle took the Golem.

"Now you take one, so we can get on with this."

The Queen snatched a card.

"I appreciate the help," said Kyle, as he walked back, trying hard to hold back laughter.

_Well, I got my most powerful card,_ he thought, _and all it cost me was my Giant Soldier of Stone. Things are looking up…_

"Don't get too self conscious," said the Queen. "Having that card and summoning it are two different things."

"We'll see," said Kyle. "It's still my turn, and I sacrifice my Stone Statue of the Aztecs to summon Criosphinx, in Defense Mode!"

The Stone Statue shattered, and the ram-headed sphinx appeared, crouching in Defense. (1,200/2,400)

"His Defense is exactly the same as Red Eyes's Attack," said Kyle. "So what are you gonna do now?"

The Shadow Queen drew a card.

"Heh, heh…" she said. "No Monster has strong enough Defense to protect you from this next card. It's a direct damage Magic Card that can only be played when Red Eyes is on the field…"

She played the card.

"I play Inferno Fire Blast!"

A ball of flame appeared in Red Eyes's jaws, and it shot forward…

Kyle was engulfed in flames, and he screamed!

_ARGH!_ he thought. _I can actually feel it burning on me! This is no dueling hologram… This is real!_

_That can only mean one thing…_

…_this is a Shadow Game!_

His Life Points tumbled to 5,400.

The flames subsided, and he gasped for breath.

"To end my turn," said the Queen, "I'll summon the Monster I got from you in Defense Mode."

Giant Soldier of Stone appeared in front of her, crouching in Defense. (1,300/2,000)

Kyle slowly drew a card.

_Can't give up_… he thought.

"I summon Ancient Gear Cannon," he said.

He placed a card down, and a small cannon made of gears and cogs appeared. (500/500)

The Queen raised an eyebrow.

"Then I'll play a Magic Card," he said. "Machine Duplication!"

He played the card.

"Since Ancient Gear Cannon only has 500 Attack Points, I can now summon two more from my deck."

Two more Cannons appeared.

"You think you can use them to summon your Golem?" asked the Queen. "Please. My three Monsters will destroy them before you get a chance."

"That wasn't my plan," said Kyle. "By sacrificing an Ancient Gear Cannon, I can blast away 500 of your Life Points!

"Fire one!"

One of the cannons fired, and the Queen cringed.

"Fire two!"

The second cannon fired, and she cringed again.

"Fire three!"

The third cannon fired, and she winced in pain. Her Life Points fell to 4,600.

The three Cannons shattered.

"My move…" growled the Queen.

She drew a card.

"Ooh, I'll pass this turn…" she muttered.

"Okay…" said Kyle, drawing a card.

"I play Monster Reborn, to bring back Stone Statue of the Aztecs," he said.

He played the card, and the blocky statue appeared.

"And now I play… Enemy Controller!"

He played a Magic Card, and a large video game control pad appeared in front of him.

"By sacrificing this Monster, I can control one of yours for one round," he said.

"Forget?" asked the Queen. "So long as Eric the Red is on the field, Red Eyes is immune to Magic Cards."

"True, but Eric isn't!" replied Kyle.

"Go, Enemy Controller! Left! Right! A! B! X! Y! B! R!"

Stone Statue of the Aztecs shattered, and Eric the Red floated over to Kyle's side.

"Now, I sacrifice Criosphinx and Eric the Red…" he stated.

The two Monsters shattered.

"…to summon my Ancient Gear Golem!"

With the whir of gears and the pounding of pistons, the huge Golem arose! (3,000/3,000)

The Shadow Queen snarled…

"Ancient Gear Golem…" shouted Kyle, "attack Red Eyes Black Dragon with mechanized melee!"

The Golem lunged forward and punched the Red Eyes, smashing it to pieces!

The Shadow Queen hissed as her Life Points fell to 4,000.

"It's your move, Queenie," he said.

The Shadow Queen drew a card.

"I play Nightmare's Steelcage!" she shouted.

She played a card, and flames erupted around Kyle and his Golem. A huge, dome-shaped cage formed around them.

"And I'll summon my third Chthonian Soldier," she said.

Another Chthonian appeared. (1,200/1,400)

_Now what?_ thought Kyle. _If I attack that thing with my Golem, we'll both lose 1,800 Life Points!_

He drew a card. He looked at the Trap Card.

"I'll place a card facedown, and end my turn," he said.

A facedown card appeared.

The Queen drew.

_Only need one more card…_ she thought.

"I'll pass for this turn," she said.

"Okay…" said Kyle, making a draw.

He looked at the card.

"I'll pass too…"

The cage crumbled into dust.

The Shadow Queen drew a card.

She grinned.

"I play Silent Doom!" she said, playing a Magic Card. "Now I can summon a Normal Monster from my Graveyard in Defense Mode!"

Red Eyes appeared again, crouching in Defense.

"You think that scares me?" asked Kyle. "Since you summoned it with Silent Doom, it can't attack."

"No, _it_ can't," she said. "But I have this… It's another Ritual Card called Red Eyes Transmigration.

"To complete this ceremony, I have to sacrifice Red Eyes and one Warrior…"

Red Eyes and Chthonian Soldier transformed into fire…

And then the flames covered the Shadow Queen!

"What the Hell…" muttered Kyle.

"Good choice of words…" said the Queen's voice.

The Queen walked out of the flames…

…but her black dress was gone, replaced by dark red, demonic armor, with a fiendish helmet and wings on the back. The gauntlets had claws, and an aura of flames surrounded her!

"Like it?" she said, in a voice that sounded amplified. "Be honest… Be brutal! I was never a big fan of armor back when it was popular, but I think this set looks good on me.

"From this point on, you can call me… Lord of the Red!"

(2,400/2,000)

"That armor has no more Attack Points than Red Eyes," said Kyle.

"Then let me show you its special effect," laughed the Queen. "First I'll play Graceful Charity."

She played the card, and the angel flew out of her deck with three cards. She gave them a quick look-over, and then handed her two.

"Next, I'll play Mystik Wok, sacrificing Giant Soldier of Stone and adding its Defense Points to my Life Points."

She played the card, and the Soldier evaporated into smoke. Her Life Points rose to 6,000.

"And when two Magic Cards are played on the same turn…"

Her armor erupted into flames, and they shot forward! Ancient Gear Golem was incinerated!

"…I can wipe out every Monster on the field!"

Kyle drew back in fear.

"And now I can attack you… _personally_!" she laughed.

She threw her hand forward, and shot forth a stream of dark flame! Kyle screamed and fell to his knees…

His Life Points fell to 3,100.

"Give up yet?" asked the Queen.

"Not yet…" muttered Kyle, pulling himself up. "I still have a few tricks left… Like this one!"

His facedown Trap Card lifted, and he discarded a card.

"I activate Damage Condenser!" he shouted. "Now, for the cost of just one card, I can Special Summon a Monster from my deck that has less Attack Points than the Life Points I just lost from that attack! In other words, the more pain I feel, the more damage I can deal!

"And I think I'll summon another Ancient Gear Soldier!"

A new Ancient Gear Soldier appeared. (1,300/1,300)

"Fine, it's your move now…" said the Queen. "As if that pathetic toy can break my armor…"

"Then I draw…" said Kyle, drawing.

"Then I activate my Deckmaster ability, paying 1,000 Life Points to draw five cards!"

His Life points fell to 2,100. Avatar of the Pot glowed, and five cards flew off his Disk.

"You have seven cards there," laughed the Queen. "Are any of them good ones?"

He ignored the wisecrack.

"First I'll place a card facedown…" he said, fitting a card into a slot.

A facedown card appeared.

"Next, since I have an Ancient Gear Monster on the field, I can play this card, Ancient Gear Drill."

He played the card, and a huge drilling machine appeared on the field. Ancient Gear Soldier took the controls, and its bit bored into the floor.

"Now, by discarding one card, I can take any Magic Card I want from my deck and place it facedown on the field."

He discarded a card, and a facedown card appeared.

"Next, I'll play Monster Reincarnation," he continued. "I'll discard this…"

He discarded a card.

"And bring Ancient Gear Golem back to my hand."

"Forget about Lord of the Red's effect?" asked the Queen, as her armor started to flame. "You just played two Magic Cards!"

The inferno shot forward, and Ancient Gear Soldier was burned up.

"I end my turn," said Kyle.

The Queen drew a card.

"Then burn!" she said, pointing at him.

Flames shot towards Kyle.

"I activate Negate Attack!" shouted Kyle, as his Trap Card lifted.

A shield formed around him, and the flames bounced off.

"I didn't forget," he said. "Actually, I was counting on it."

"Then make your move," she said.

"Whatever you say," he said, drawing a card. "It's time to bring back Ancient Gear Golem."

"Oh, where are the sacrifices?" asked the Queen.

"In my Graveyard," replied Kyle. "I activate the card I got from Ancient Gear Drill…"

His card lifted.

"Ancient Gear Factory. This lets me summon a high level Ancient Gear Monster without a sacrifice, but first, I have to remove from play Ancient Gear Monsters in my Graveyard whose total star levels equal twice the level of the Monster I intend to summon.

"In this case, I have to remove a total of sixteen.

"So, I'll remove from play my Beast, my two Soldiers, and one Cannon…"

Four cards fell out of his discard slot.

"…and Ancient Gear Golem, welcome back."

The huge Golem appeared in front of him again. (3,000/3,000)

_Amazing,_ thought the Queen. _He planned that move out like a genius…_

"Go!" shouted Kyle. "Attack Lord of the Red!"

Ancient Gear Golem threw his its forward, and the armor around the Queen shattered!

She cringed as her Life Points fell to 5,400.

She stared at him.

"My move…" muttered the Queen.

She drew a card.

She frowned.

"I summon another Eric the Red in Defense Mode," she said.

She played the card, and another of the Warriors appeared. (800/500)

"Just move…" she said.

Kyle drew.

"I summon Grave Ohja in Attack Mode," he said.

The bulky, muscular statue appeared, and bore its claws. (1,600/1,500)

"Grave Ohja, attack Eric the Red!" he ordered.

Grave Ohja made a mighty swipe, and Eric shattered.

"This can't be…" muttered the Queen.

"Oh, it be, all right," said Kyle. "And now you be in serious trouble, because you be defenseless. Ancient Gear Golem, attack her directly!"

Ancient Gear Golem socked the Shadow Queen directly in the torso, and she tumbled backwards!

Her Life Points fell to 2,400.

The Queen struggled to get up.

Her hair was a mess. Her ribs ached. No one since the Three Heroes had anyone ever managed to hurt her this badly during a Shadow Game.

Kyle had a lot of potential…

…maybe something useful could come out of this.

She drew a card.

"Well," she said. "You may have seen part of Andy's combo, but you didn't see all of it…

"I summon the Red Eyes Black Chick!"

She played a card, and a blood-red egg appeared. It cracked open, and two evil eyes peered out of it. (800/500)

"What the?" asked Kyle.

"It won't be staying for long," said the Queen. "I can instantly sacrifice it to summon his dad… And like I said, I have three Red Eyes in this deck…

"So I sacrifice it to summon the full-grown Red Eyes Black Dragon!"

The Chick vanished, and another Red Eyes appeared. (2,400/2,000)

"Actually, full grown is a misnomer," she added. "Because now I can sacrifice it to summon that guy you saw Andy use against Wanda…

"The Red Eyes Darkness Dragon!"

Red Eyes mutated, growing even darker and larger, but the result was far more demonic than Andy's version.

(3,300/2,000)

"Destroy his Golem!" shouted the Queen. "Dark inferno blast!"

The Dragon shot forth a blast of blazing black fire, and the Ancient Gear Golem exploded!

Kyle's Life Points fell to 1,800.

"It's… your move…" said the Queen, softly.

"Uh…" muttered Kyle, drawing a card.

He set a card on his Disk.

"I summon a Monster in Defense Mode…"

A facedown Monster appeared.

"And I move Grave Ohja to Defense Mode."

Grave Ohja knelt and shielded himself.

"And by the way," he said, "When I have a facedown Monster, Grave Ohja can't be attacked."

"Indeed?" said the Queen, drawing a card.

She played a Magic Card.

"I play Fulfillment of the Contract."

Her Life Points fell to 1,600, as flames surrounded her again.

"This lets me revive one Ritual Monster from my Graveyard, so long as I spend 800 Life Points and Equip it with this card."

The Lord of the Red armor appeared around her again.

"So as far as that special ability goes, big deal!" she mocked.

She pointed, and shot forth a stream of fire, and Kyle's Moi Interceptor Cannons blew up.

Red Eyes Darkness Dragon attacked, and Grave Ohja shattered.

"So what now?" asked the Queen.

Kyle drew.

He said nothing as he simply placed a Monster in Defense Mode and waved his hand.

"Defiant to the end, huh?" she asked.

She pointed, and her armor blazed with fire…

Her flames shot forward… Dummy Golem appeared on the card and was blown to pieces.

_Well, I tried,_ thought Kyle, as flames appeared in the Dragon's mouth. _I can only hope that the others can do better…_

He screamed as the dark flames hit him, and he fell to his knees.

Smoke rose from him as the Dragon and the Queen's armor vanished. The Queen walked up to him.

"Hmm…" she said, scratching her chin.

"So what are you going to do to me?" he growled.

"Good question," she answered. "What _am_ I going to do to you? You're an excellent duelist… Far too valuable to simply bury. I could use someone like you working for me…"

"In your dreams…" muttered Kyle.

"Well, I could simply brainwash you," said the Queen, taking a card out of her dress, "but I think I'll use a little persuasion first… I warn you, I've cracked better folks than you…"

She looked at the card – Shadow Spell.

She played the card, and a mass of chains gripped Kyle, forcing him into a half-kneeling, half-crouching position.

"HEY!" he said, struggling.

The chains tightened, and he couldn't struggle.

"I can wait a long time, Kyle," she said. "The chains will come off when you agree to serve me. Very soon, the horrible stiffness and cramps you will suffer will convince you. Until then, I'll just leave you alone in the darkness…"

"Wait…" he gasped. "You promised… Your Deckmaster…"

The Queen stopped.

"Oh, right…" she said. "Well, I guess I owe you that…"

She bent over and whispered something into his ear.

"What?" he gasped. "That's monstrous! How could you…"

"Good night, Kyle," she said.

She left the chamber, and it was plunged into utter darkness.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Back in her alchemy lab, the Shadow Queen slumped into a chair.

"Humph," she grunted. "So much for _that_ plan. Four of my unwitting servants flopped, and the one who didn't wised up…"

She slouched in the chair.

"I guess it's true what they say," she grumbled, "if you want something done right, you gotta do it yourself…"

She paused.

A light went on in her head.

"Do it yourself!" she exclaimed. "Now there's a novel idea!"

She waved her hand, and a deck of cards appeared in a burst of flame…

The backs of the cards were each etched with the symbol of a pentagram – a five-pointed star in a circle.

She looked through the cards in the deck… Her real deck. Cards that had been based on the tablets she had used in her epic clash with the Three Heroes, one thousand years ago…

"Well," she said, "who to challenge first?

"The easy way would be to take out the weakest first, but a better way would be to take out the strongest. If the others see their strongest member fall, they'll go down easier.

"But how to determine the strongest?"

She thought…

"Maybe the tournament isn't over quite yet…"

**0**

**0**

**0**

**DARK DRAGON RITUAL (Magic Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Magic/Ritual  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description: **This card is used to Ritual Summon "Knight of Dark Dragon". You must also offer Monsters whose total star levels equal four or more from your hand or the field.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**KNIGHT OF DARK DRAGON (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Warrior/Ritual/Effect  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level: **4  
**ATK: **1,900  
**DEF: **1,200

**Card Description: **This Monster is Ritual Summoned via the effect of "Dark Dragon Ritual". You must also offer Monsters whose total star levels equal four or more from your hand or the field. Offer this Monster as a Tribute to Special Summon one "Red Eyes B. Dragon" from your hand or deck. A "Red Eyes B. Dragon" summoned in this way cannot attack on the turn it is summoned.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**RED EYES TRANSMIGRATION (Magic Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Magic/Ritual  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description: **This card is used to Ritual Summon "Lord of the Red". You must also offer one "Red Eyes B. Dragon" and one WARRIOR-Type Monster as Tributes from your hand or the field.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**LORD OF THE RED (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Warrior/Ritual/Effect  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level: **7  
**ATK: **2,400  
**DEF: **2,000

**Card Description: **This Monster is Ritual Summoned via the effect of "Red Eyes Transmigration". You must also offer one "Red Eyes B. Dragon" and one WARRIOR-Type Monster as Tributes from your hand or the field. When two Magic Cards are played in the same turn, after the resolution of the second Magic Card, destroy all Monsters on the field, except this one.

_Note: The proceeding four cards were first used by Joey in the multi-part anime episode "Fighting For a Friend". All creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0**

**0**

**0**

**LULLABY OF OBEDIENCE (Magic Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Magic  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description: **Pay 1,000 Life Points. Name one Monster with eight stars or more. If your opponent has the named Monster in his deck, take it and add it to your hand. Your opponent then shuffles his deck.

_Note: "Lullaby of Obedience" was first used by Kaiba in the anime episode "Clash in the Coliseum (Part One)". All creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0**

**0**

**0**

**ERIC THE RED (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Warrior/Effect  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level: **3  
**ATK: **800  
**DEF: **500

**Card Description: **When this Monster is face-up on your side of the field, Monsters on your side of the field with the words "Red Eyes" in their names are not affected by Magic Cards, Trap Cards, and Monster Effects that target a specific Monster. This Monster cannot be attacked when a Monster with the words "Red Eyes" in its name is face-up on your side of the field.

**0**

**0**

**0**

_Coming up next:_

_The Queen's final plan begins, in a battle that will test the friendship and the spirits of the three heirs to their limits, and feature a duel which, to my knowledge, the likes of which has never been seen even in the anime! Don't miss "Battle of Honor", coming soon._


	63. Battle of Honor

_**I guess we all knew it would come to this. It was inevitable. Some time during this tournament, we would face each other.**_

_**We just didn't know it would be like this.**_

_**But maybe this is for the best. This is truly the best way of determining who is the strongest…**_

_**Because after this contest, the Shadow Queen doubtlessly waits, and only the strongest of us should conceivably face her.**_

_**For the past few weeks, we've been friends, allies, confidants…**_

_**But until this duel ends, we're rivals…**_

…_**as much as it kills us.**_

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER SIXTY-THREE**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Battle of Honor**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

The Unfriendly Amazon sulked. She looked at her two unwilling companions, who were snoring loudly.

"Wake up!" she shouted.

"Huh?" said Peten. "Is it morning already?"

"Man, I have a stiff back…" muttered End.

"We all do…" snarled the Amazon. "These chairs aren't good to sleep on. But one of those brats will duel the Queen before the day is out…"

She paused.

"And if the Queen is beaten, we get to go home…"

"Ah, home…" said Peten with a smile. "It's been so long…"

"Let's just hope that they succeed," muttered End. "This may be our only chance…

"Our last chance…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Empty breakfast dishes were beginning to pile up in the lounge.

"Say," said Andy, quizzically. "Where the heck is Kyle?"

Then Sydney and Alphonse entered.

"I'm afraid Kyle will not be joining us today," said Sydney. "He has been disqualified for trying to sabotage the decks of the other semi-finalists."

"No…" said Stan, in disbelief.

"Well, he was acting weird last night…" said Drake.

Andy stared daggers at Sydney.

_More likely he knew too much, right?_ he thought_. I swear Josephine, when my Dragons get their claws on you…_

"We have decided on a new way to determine the winner," said Sydney. "If the three remaining semi-finalists – who shall now be referred to as the finalists – will follow me to the arena… Anyone who wishes to watch, please go to the balcony as always."

Stan, Andy, and Francesca looked at each other. They followed the two officials, while Wanda, Raven, Drake, and Chico took the stairs to the balcony.

When they got to the arena, a large triangle inlaid with runes was drawn upon the center of the floor.

"Alphonse…" said Sydney.

Alphonse walked to the center of the triangle.

"We are going to resolve the winner in a special three-way match, also known as a free-for-all," he said. "Three duelists in one duel, each competing against the other two.

"I'll explain the rules slowly so it all is understood.

"On each player's turn, he can choose to attack or defend, and set cards as always. He may direct his attacks against either of his opponents, or even both of them if he has more than one Monster or is otherwise capable of attacking twice.

"Effects that affect the whole field apply to everyone. For example, Swords of Revealing Light would protect you from both of your opponents.

"As usual, each duelist starts with 8,000 Life Points. When one duelist's Life Points reach zero, he or she is eliminated, and the match becomes a standard one-on-one. The last man standing at the end is the winner.

"Whoever wins this match will go on to challenge the Palace of Shadow's Battlemaster, two hours after the conclusion of this match. Any questions?"

"Uh…" said Andy. "Can we have a minute?"

"As long as you like," said Alphonse.

He motioned to his allies, and they got into a huddle.

"Okay," he said, "things just changed. I want to add a little something to our pact…"

"Yeah?" asked Francesca.

"In a fight like this, if one duelist has no Monsters on the field, it would be possible for the other two to 'gang up' on him or her, so to speak. Let's all promise that this doesn't happen."

"Seems fair," said Stan. "If one of your opponents is defenseless, no 'ganging up'."

"Well…" said Francesca, "may the best duelist win…"

They all clasped their hands together.

They walked up and each of them stood on one of the sides of the triangle.

"All right," said Alphonse. "Some additional rules. An attack may not be declared until each duelist draws once. To determine the order of play, each of you chose a Monster from your decks. Whoever chooses the strongest Monster will go first… Second strongest will go second, weakest will go third.

"_However_ the Monster you choose must then be removed from your deck, and not used for the duel."

"Interesting," said Chico. "If they want to go first, they're going to have to give up something powerful…"

They each searched through their decks.

The three of them held up cards.

Stan's was Neo the Magic Swordsman.

Francesca's was Amazon Archer.

Andy's was Cyber Dragon.

"Very well," said Alphonse. "So it will be Andy, then Stan, then Francesca."

_I'd never dream of using Cyber End Dragon against them anyway,_ thought Andy, putting the card in his pouch.

"Now, present your Deckmasters!" said Alphonse.

The three of them thrust a card forward…

Dark Magician appeared behind Stan. Amazoness Paladin appeared behind Francesca. Lord of Dragons appeared behind Andy.

_Interesting… _thought the Shadow Queen. _Each of them has put their Soul Cards behind them. This may well be the most intense duel of the whole tournament to date…_

"All right…" said Alphonse, stepping aside. "As they say…"

They each drew five cards, and the Life Point counters each rose to 8,000.

"_It's time to duel!"_

"Ya!" shouted Andy, drawing his first card. "For my first move…"

He placed a card on his Disk.

"I'll summon Luster Dragon #1, in Attack Mode!"

The beautiful sapphire Dragon rose up, and growled. (1,900/1,600)

"My move…" said Stan, drawing.

"This guy's effect may not help me, but he can meet your Dragon's Attack. Skilled Dark Magician, Attack Mode!"

He placed the card down, and the robed, cowled sorcerer appeared. (1,900/1,700)

"My turn," said Fran. "I'll start with one card facedown…"

She played a card, and it appeared.

"And now I'll summon Amazoness Swords Woman in Attack Mode."

She played another card, and the buff Amazon holding her huge sword appeared. (1,500/1,600)

"Well, they're off to a good start…" said Wanda. "Although Fran seems to be at a disadvantage."

"Don't forget," said Drake, "even if that Swords Woman loses a battle, it's Francesca's opponent who gets hurt."

Andy drew a card.

"I sacrifice my Luster Dragon…" he said.

Luster Dragon vanished.

"…to summon his big brother… Luster Dragon #2!"

The larger, emerald dragon appeared. (2,400/1,400)

_All right…_ thought Andy. _I could attack that Magician… But if Francesca gets one of her fancy Amazon Magic Cards into play, she's the greater threat. This may cost me some Life Points, but…_

"Luster Dragon, attack Amazoness Swords Woman! Emerald flame!"

Luster Dragon roared, and fire formed in his jaws.

"I'm activating my Deckmaster ability!" shouted Francesca, discarding a card.

The blast shot forward. Swords Woman cringed as it hit her in the chest, and she fell to her knees.

"You remember how it works, right Andy?" asked Fran. "If I discard a card, Paladin can save another Amazon from dying. But since you attacked…"

Andy's Life Points fell to 7,100.

"Clever," he said. "I end my turn."

"Care to do that twice?" asked Stan, drawing a card. "Magician, attack Swords Woman!"

Skilled Dark Magician prepared to fire…

"I activate Waboku!" shouted Fran, as her Trap Card lifted.

The three emissaries rose up to block the attack.

"Fine," said Stan. "Back to you…"

Fran drew a card.

"I summon Amazoness Chain Master in Attack Mode…" she said.

She put the card down, and Chain Master appeared, brandishing her weapon. (1,500/1,300)

"And now I play… Gift of the Martyr!"

She played a card, and Chain Master shattered. Sword Woman's Attack rose to 3,000!

"Attack Skilled Dark Magician!" she shouted.

Swords Woman leapt forward, and cleaved Skilled Dark Magician in twain!

Stan's Life Points fell to 6,900.

"Well, it seems Francesca's in the lead…" said Chico with a grin.

"It's far from over," said Raven.

Andy drew a card.

_Snatch Steal_… he thought looking at it.

He looked at his hand.

_Hey, and I have Draconic Offering too! Now I can…_

He was about to play the first card.

_Wait, what am I doing?_ he thought. _I can't just turn one of Fran's Amazons into some sort of snack! She isn't like one of the Queen's henchmen after all…_

He paused.

"There a problem, Andy?" asked Francesca.

"Uh…" said Andy.

"I can tell just by looking at you Andy," she said. "You have something powerful, but you don't want to use it.

"Well use it. Now."

"Huh?" asked Andy.

"This is a duel, Andy, and I'm your opponent. We agreed to this in order to see who was best suited to take on… You know who. And the last thing we need is someone who will wimp out. That isn't what a strong duelist does. A strong duelist does whatever it takes.

"So prove to me that you're strong, Andy!"

Andy smiled.

"I play Snatch Steal!" he shouted.

He played the card, and two glowing arms reached out and grabbed Amazoness Swords Woman, bringing her over to Andy's side.

"Next, I play… Draconic Offering!"

He played the other Spell Card…

Swords Woman got down on her knees as the Dragon closed in on her… Andy couldn't help but look away.

After a minute, it was over, and his Life Points went up to 8,700.

"Now…" he continued, "attack Francesca directly!"

Luster Dragon breathed forth his powerful fire, and Fran cringed as it hit her in the torso.

She clutched her stomach as her Life Points fell to 5,600.

"Now that's a strong duelist…" she gasped.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"HA, HA!" cackled The End of Anubis. "I can't believe Andy just clobbered his own girlfriend!"

"She was asking for it…" replied the Unfriendly Amazon.

"Well this is great!" exclaimed Peten. "Man, I could sure go for a box of Crackerjacks right about now…"

"The last time you ate those, you almost broke your tooth when you tried to eat the prize by accident," answered End.

Peten frowned.

"There's always someone to remind you of the dumb things you've done…" he mumbled.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Stan looked at the situation.

"My move…" he said.

He drew a card.

_Excellent…_ he thought. _Everything in my hand for one big combo…_

He placed a card down.

"I summon someone I think you'll both recognize," he said. "Ebon Magician Curran, in Attack Mode."

The cute, child Spellcaster in her black dress and bunny-eared hood appeared. (1,200/0)

"Please, Stan," said Andy. "You've used Curran so often, we're both well aware of what she can do. We'll destroy her long before she gets a chance to use her draining ability."

"You aren't aware of everything she and her sister can do, Andy," answered Stan. "You see, the ones in charge of Curran's and Pikeru's upbringing gave them special birthrights to be gained when they reached a certain level of experience. And since they've helped me so much during this whole tournament, I believe they've gained enough.

"However, the birthrights cannot be given for free – they have to be earned…"

He played a card.

"I'm Equipping her with Trial of the Princess!"

A strange card appeared behind Curran. It looked like Curran and Pikeru in a castle fighting some monstrous infant.

"What does that do?" asked Francesca.

"First it raises Curran's and Pikeru's Attack Score by 800," said Stan, as Curran rose to 2,000 Attack. "But that's not all. It gives Curran the chance to earn her birthright.

"To do so, she has to challenge and defeat a Monster who has five stars or greater…

"And the rules don't forbid anyone from helping her…"

He played another card.

"Her sister is going to help her this time," he continued. "I play Sibling Rivalry to Special Summon Pikeru from my deck."

With a flash of light, White Magician Pikeru appeared. She cast a cold glance at her sister. (1,200/0)

"Next I play… Double Spell," he said, playing a card. "I'll just discard one other Magic Card…"

He discarded a card.

"And it enables me to copy any Magic Card from either of your Graveyards. And I'll use it to copy Gift of the Martyr!"

Pikeru shattered, and Curran rose to 3,200 Attack!

"Curran, attack Luster Dragon with ebon blast!"

Curran leapt into the air, and fired a burning beam of dark magic at Luster Dragon! He howled, and shattered.

Andy's Life Points fell to 7,900.

"The Trial has been completed!" announced Stan, as Curran started to glow. "Now Curran can claim her birthright, and evolve into Princess Curran!"

Curran started to grow and change, transforming from child to teenager. Her clothes transformed into a royal dress, and her hood became an elaborate headpiece. She gripped a golden scepter. (2,000/0)

"I'll place a card facedown, and end my turn," he said, playing a card.

A facedown card appeared.

"Wow, talk about a combo…" said Raven. "So what can this Princess Curran do?"

"I'm not sure," said Chico. "This is certainly the first time I've seen her…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Gee…" muttered Peten. "I've never seen this Princess Curran either…"

"Lovely…" said End, sarcastically. "This from the Spellcaster here…"

"Hey, if they keep making new Monsters, it isn't my job to keep tabs on them all!" protested Peten.

"I think we'll find out soon…" said the Amazon.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Francesca drew a card.

"I'll summon Amazoness Blowpiper in Defense Mode," she said.

She placed a card down, and the young Amazon holding a blowgun appeared. (800/1,500)

"That will be my turn."

"Right…" said Andy drawing.

"I summon The Dragon Dwelling in the Cave in Defense Mode…"

He put a card down, and the rocky, sleepy dragon appeared. (1,300/2,000)

"And now I'll use my own Deckmaster ability," he said, as his Life Points fell to 7,400, "to also summon Twin-Headed Behemoth in Defense Mode."

The two-headed, winged Dragon appeared, crouching in Defense. (1,500/1,200)

"My move again?" said Stan.

Andy nodded.

"Good," he replied, drawing. "You might like to know that, now that Curran is grown up, her draining power is doubled. So each time I draw, you both lose 600 Life Points for every Monster you have on the field…"

Curran aimed her staff at Francesca and fired a beam of black energy, striking her in the chest. Her Life Points fell to 5,000. Then she fired _two_ blasts at Andy, and his Life Points fell to 6,200.

"Now I'll play Pot of Greed…" he said, playing the card he just drew.

He played the card, and the evil jar appeared. It handed him two cards.

"And next I'll use my own Deckmaster's ability, paying 1,000 Life Points to play Pot of Greed again."

His Life Points fell to 5,900, and the jar handed him two more cards.

"Perfect," he said. "I'll summon Watapon…"

He placed a card down, and the tiny puffball Fairy appeared. (200/300)

"But he won't be staying long," he added. "Since I drew him using Pot of Greed, I can instantly sacrifice him, for Dark Magician Girl!"

Watapon vanished, and the cute, buxom apprentice of Dark Magician arose in a shower of motes. (2,000/1,700)

"Dark Magician Girl, attack Twin-Headed Behemoth! Dark burning attack!"

Dark Magician Girl yelped for joy and aimed her scepter, firing a blast of energy. Twin-Headed Behemoth blew up.

Energy started to form, and it reappeared. (1,000/1,000)

"I end my turn…"

"I don't get it…" said Wanda. "Why didn't Stan use Curran to Attack Behemoth again? Or attack Blowpiper?"

"Because Stan is smart," said Chico. "The more Monsters his opponents have on the field, the more damage Curran can do. He just attacked Behemoth once to weaken it."

Francesca drew.

_Chico has a point,_ she thought, _but while Stan might not attack me, I still have to defend myself from Andy! And I don't like that facedown card that Stan has out…_

She played a card.

"I summon Amazoness Fighter in Attack Mode," she said.

She played the card, and the muscular Amazon appeared. (1,500/1,300)

"That will do it for me," she said.

Andy drew a card.

_Have to take a risk,_ he thought.

"I sacrifice Behemoth to summon Des Volstgalph!" he shouted, switching cards.

Behemoth shattered, and the huge Dragon of Earth appeared. (2,200/1,700)

"Sorry, Stan," he said, "but Curran has to go! Des Volstgalph, attack Princess Curran!"

Des Volstgalph roared…

"I activate Spellbinding Circle!" shouted Stan.

His Trap Card lifted, and Des Volstgalph was trapped in the shimmering pentagram! His Attack Score fell down to 1,500.

_Well, it was worth the risk,_ thought Andy.

"I'm ending my turn now," he said.

"Then I draw," said Stan, "and Curran can do her work…"

Curran fired four dark blasts from her staff, two of them striking Francesca and two striking Andy. Andy's Life Points fell to 5,000, and Fran's fell to 3,800.

"Next I'll summon Mystical Elf in Defense Mode, and end my turn," he said.

He placed a card down, and Mystical Elf appeared, kneeling. (800/2,000)

_Stan is clearly in control,_ thought the Shadow Queen. _But he made one mistake, which will cost him if Francesca can take advantage of it…_

Francesca drew a card.

"I use my Blowpiper's special ability," she said. "Blowpiper, your target is Curran!"

Blowpiper put her blowgun to her lips, and shot a dart that struck Curran in the neck! Curran gasped, as her Attack Score fell to 1,500.

"Next, I'll summon Amazoness Priestess," she continued.

The young, scantly-dressed Spellcaster appeared, holding her staff. (1,500/1,500)

"I only have two Amazons in my Graveyard," she said, "but that still brings her Attack up to 1,700, enough to take down Curran!"

The Priestess aimed her staff and fired! Princess Curran was blown into pixels.

Stan's Life Points fell to 5,700.

"I'll end my turn there…"

Andy drew a card.

_Hmm…_ he thought.

"I summon Spear Dragon!" he shouted.

He placed a card down, and the pterodactyl-like Dragon appeared. (1,900/0)

"Attack Amazoness Priestess!" he shouted. "Cyclone blast!"

Spear Dragon shot a blast of wind from its beak, and Amazoness Priestess was blown to pieces.

Fran's Life Points slipped to 3,600.

"That's my turn for now," said Andy, as Spear Dragon moved into Defense Mode.

Stan drew a card.

_Time to go back on the offensive…_ he thought.

"I sacrifice Mystical Elf…" he stated.

Mystical Elf shattered.

"…to summon Cybernetic Magician!"

The tall sorcerer clothed in a silver cloak appeared. (2,400/1,000)

"Now to clean up," he said. "Dark Magician Girl, attack Blowpiper!"

Dark Magician Girl pointed her scepter and fired! Amazoness Blowpiper was blown to pixels.

"Cybernetic Magician, finish off Des Volstgalph! Cyber blast!"

Cybernetic Magician threw up his arms, and shot forth a mighty spell, blowing Des Volstgalph to shards of rock.

Andy's Life Points fell to 4,100.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Ingenious…" said the Amazon. "Stan divided his Attacks against both of his opponents. He's adjusting to this free-for-all pretty well…"

"I must say," said End, "I'd put my money on him right now…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"My move…" said Francesca.

_But I'm gonna need a pretty good draw right now…_

She drew.

She grinned.

"I sacrifice my Fighter…" she said.

Amazoness Fighter vanished.

"…to summon Penumbral Soldier Lady!"

The beautiful Dark Warrior in her golden armor appeared, holding her shield and sword. (2,100/1,400)

"You remember how this gal works, right Stan?" asked Francesca. "When she battles a Light Attribute Monster, she gains 1,000 Attack Points!

"Attack his Cybernetic Magician! Sword of Shadows!"

Penumbral Soldier Lady charged, and with one swipe of her blade, cut Cybernetic Magician down.

Stan's Life Points fell to 5,000.

"That's enough for my turn…" she said.

Andy drew a card.

"I move Spear Dragon back to Attack Mode…" he said.

Spear Dragon prepared to attack.

"Next I play… Scorching Ruin!"

He played the card, and Spear Dragon rose to an Attack of 2,900.

"Attack Dark Magician Girl!" he shouted.

Spear Dragon shot forth his cyclone blast. Dark Magician Girl tried to shield herself before she shattered.

Stan's Life Points fell to 4,100.

"That's it for now," he said, as it moved back to Defense Mode.

Stan's eyes narrowed as he drew a card.

"I summon The Illusory Gentleman in Attack Mode," he stated, placing a card down.

The one-eyed Spellcaster in colorful clothes appeared, brandishing his cane. (1,500/1,600)

"Attack Spear Dragon!" he shouted. "Dark illusion!"

The Gentleman shot a blast of multicolored lights forward, eradicating Spear Dragon.

"Nice," said Andy. "Too bad it was in Defense Mode."

"This is intense," muttered Raven. "All three of them are dueling with all their might, and none of them show any signs of tiring. It's truly anyone's game…"

"I know…" said Drake. "But someone's gotta win…"

Francesca drew.

"I summon my second Swords Woman in Attack Mode," she said.

She played a card, and another Sword Woman appeared. (1,500/1,600)

"And now I'll have her attack The Dragon Dwelling in the Cave!"

Swords Woman leapt up, and slammed her sword into the Dragon that was crouched in Defense Mode…

Her Sword cracked in half, and the shard flew forward, striking Andy!

He cringed as his Life Points fell to 3,600.

_Nuts,_ thought Andy. _She'll just do that again next round unless I can get rid of that Swords Woman…_

"My move…" he said.

He drew a card.

He looked at the Trap Card with a strange look…

He had never used this before, and now certainly wasn't the right time…

"Uh, I'll pass for this turn…" he said.

"Then I'll move…" said Stan.

He drew.

Monster Reborn.

"Check this out…" he said.

He played the card.

"I play Monster Reborn, to bring back Mystical Elf," he said.

Mystical Elf reappeared. (800/2,000)

"Next, I'll sacrifice her and The Illusory Gentleman to summon Dark Magician of Chaos!"

The two Spellcasters vanished, and the powerful Chaos Mage appeared! (2,800/2,600)

"And just by summoning him, I can retrieve one Magic Card from my Graveyard, and I choose, Monster Reborn!"

He took the card.

"And I'll play it now, to revive Dark Magician Girl!"

Dark Magician Girl arose again! (2,000/1,700)

"And finally," he continued, "I'll play 1,000 Life Points to use my Deckmaster ability, and use Monster Reborn again!"

His Life Points fell to 4,000, and Cybernetic Magician arose! (2,400/1,000)

"He played Monster Reborn three times in a row?" gasped Wanda.

"And summoned three powerful Monsters," added Chico. "Looks like we have a winner…"

"Dark Magician of Chaos," ordered Stan, "attack Penumbral Soldier Lady! Chaos scepter blast!"

The Chaos Mage spun his staff, and slammed it into the ground! Penumbral Soldier Lady screamed before she was eradicated.

Fran's Life Points fell to 2,900.

"Dark Magician Girl, take out Amazoness Swords Woman!" he shouted. "Dark burning attack!"

Dark Magician Girl fired, and Swords Woman was blown to pieces!

Stan's Life Points fell to 3,500, but he barely cared.

"Cybernetic Magician, destroy The Dragon Dwelling in the Cave! Cyber magic blast!"

Cybernetic Magician blasted his beam of energy, blowing the defensive Dragon into pixels.

"It's your move, Francesca," he said.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Well, this duel is practically decided," said End. "Stan has three powerful Monsters on his side of the field, and both Andy and Fran have nothing… summoning something that could even take out Dark Magician Girl is going to be very hard."

"I've gotta admit," said Peten, "this looks like Stan has it cold…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Francesca drew a card.

_I don't have many Monsters left,_ she thought, _and not much at all that can stand up to them…_

"Command Knight in Defense Mode…" she said.

Command Knight appeared, crouching in Defense. (1,200/1,900) – (1,600/1,900)

"Over to you, Andy," she said.

Andy drew a card.

"Mirage Dragon, in Defense Mode," he said.

He played the card, and the golden Dragon of Light appeared. (1,600/600)

"That's all I can do…" he said.

Stan drew a card.

"I summon Gemini Elf in Attack Mode," he said.

He played the card, and the two elf twins appeared. (1,900/900)

"Now, let's get down to business," he said. "Gemini Elf, take out Mirage Dragon."

The two elves shot a barrage of lightning bolts, and the Dragon shattered.

"Dark Magician Girl, attack Command Knight."

Dark Magician Girl blasted her scepter, and Command Knight shattered.

Stan sighed. He had a clear shot at both of them… He would have wanted to just end his turn, but…

"All right," he said. "Dark Magician of Chaos, you take Andy. Cybernetic Magician, Francesca is yours…"

Dark Magician of Chaos cast his dark spell. Andy screamed as the powerful direct attack hit him.

Cybernetic Magician cast another spell, and Francesca cringed…

When the smoke cleared, Andy had 800 Life Points, and Francesca had 600.

"That's it for my turn," said Stan.

Francesca drew.

_Only one Monster to defend with,_ she thought. _Stan will win on his next turn regardless…_

_I could finish Andy off, but I promised not to gang up…_

She played a card.

"Amazoness Fighter in Defense Mode…" she said.

Amazoness Fighter appeared, crouching in defense. (1,500/1,300)

Andy drew.

"I play Pot of Greed…" he said, playing the card.

The jar handed him two cards.

_Hey…_ he thought.

"I summon Red Eyes Black Chick…" he said, playing a card.

The small, red egg appeared. The small Dragon poked its head out of it. (800/500)

The Shadow Queen got up.

_His combo…_ she thought.

"And now I sacrifice it… for Red Eyes Black Dragon!"

The Chick vanished, and the adult Red Eyes appeared, and roared! (2,400/2,000)

"And finally," continued Andy, "I'll sacrifice it too, to summon Red Eyes Darkness Dragon!"

Red Eyes grew and mutated, forming into the huge, darker-than-night Dragon!

Images of both Luster Dragons, The Dragon Dwelling in the Cave, Twin-Headed Behemoth, Spear Dragon, Mirage Dragon, Red Eyes Black Chick, and Red Eyes Black Dragon appeared behind it…

(5,100/2,000)

"Whoa, this changes everything!" shouted Drake.

"Attack Dark Magician of Chaos!" shouted Andy. "Diabolic fire blast!"

Red Eyes Darkness Dragon shot forth a blast of dark fire, and Dark Magician of Chaos was burnt to a crisp!

Stan shielded himself as his Life Points fell to 1,200.

"I'll end with one card facedown…" he said playing a card.

A facedown card appeared.

"Heh, heh," said Stan. "Have you forgotten about Cybernetic Magician's ability, Andy? This duel isn't over…"

He drew a card.

"You couldn't be more wrong, Stan!" said Andy. "It most certainly is over! I activate my Trap Card…"

His facedown card lifted.

"**_Last Turn!"_**

_You gotta be kidding…_ thought the Shadow Queen.

The whole arena started to shake!

"Here's how it works," said Andy. "First, all cards on the field and in our hands are destroyed except one Monster on my side of the field of my choice, and I choose my Dragon!"

Gemini Elf, Dark Magician Girl, Cybernetic Magician, and Amazoness Fighter all shattered!

"Then you both Special Summon any Monster you haven't summoned yet. Our three Monsters fight to the death, and whoever's Monster is the last one standing wins the duel!"

Stan and Francesca paused.

Stan kind of wished he hadn't taken Buster Blader out of his deck now…

…but since he had, Andy had them. Without Magic and Traps, no Monster they had could defeat his Dragon.

"Well, Stan," said Francesca. "We might as well go out with a bang…"

Stan nodded.

They threw cards on their Disks. Guardian Angel Joan and Sorcerer of Dark Magic appeared…

Joan blasted forth her burning light… The Sorcerer fired his celestial blast… And the Red Eyes shot forth his stream of fire…

The three blasts met, and a huge explosion covered the whole arena!

When the fires died down, Sorcerer of Dark Magic and Guardian Angel Joan were burned, battered, and on their knees. They collapsed, and shattered. Red Eyes Darkness Dragon roared, and spouted flame!

"The winner," shouted Alphonse, "by means of Last Turn, Andy Markova!"

Everyone in the balcony applauded.

Sydney walked up.

"Congratulations, Andy," she said, "you dueled admirably…"

Andy gave her a look.

"Yeah," said Francesca. "That was the best duel yet!"

She came up behind Andy.

"Go get her, baby…" she whispered.

"Now rest, everyone," said Sydney. "In two hours, the Battlemaster will appear, and it will be time for Andy's final challenge!"

_Indeed,_ thought Andy. _And it's a challenge I intend to win…_

_Then this nightmare will be over, and you'll pay for everyone you've hurt…_

…_with interest…_

The Shadow Queen walked out of the room.

_Well, it has been decided,_ she thought. _Andy has won the contest, so I will face him first…_

_And once he is disposed of, the other two should be easy._

_This might even be enjoyable…_

She took her true deck from her pocket and looked through it.

_I haven't commanded these beasts into battle for quite a while,_ she thought. _Only those worthy of facing my true deck will ever face them…_

_But they are the heirs of the Three Heroes, so they fit the profile._

_And soon they will see the power of my Divinity Deck._

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**Coming up next:**_

_**At long last, Andy faces the Shadow Queen!**_

_**Can he defeat what may be his greatest foe?**_

**_Stay tuned for "Shifting Shadows", coming soon._**


	64. Shifting Shadows

_A lot of folks thought that the Queen used the Sacred Beasts. Well, no…_

_Just see for yourself._

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**So, it's finally come to this… Me versus her…**_

_**I'm facing the greatest duelist of Monster Island, the Queen herself.**_

_**I don't expect this to be easy. In fact, I expect it to be anything but easy.**_

_**But I will try my hardest to win… Only if I can will this nightmare finally be over…**_

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER SIXTY-FOUR**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Shifting Shadows**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

"So, Andy is the one dueling her?" muttered Peten.

"Yeah…" answered the Amazon.

There was a long pause.

"This might be our last hope, people," said The End of Anubis. "Those kids have conquered every trial, every test… But if they fail this one, we may be prisoners forever…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

In the lounge, Andy nervously shuffled his deck, over and over again. He had put back his Enchanted Cards and his Companions, and he hoped that they would be enough.

"What's he worried about?" Wanda asked Francesca.

"Everything…" mumbled Francesca.

Finally, Sydney came in.

"Andy," she said, "you may come to the arena now. Everyone who desires to watch can go to the balcony, as usual…

"Except for Francesca and Stan. I want them to come to the arena itself to get a closer look."

"How come they get special treatment?" said Raven, as she headed for the balcony stairs.

"Beats me," said Drake.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

As Stan and Francesca stood at the edge of the arena, Andy walked to the center, where Sydney stood.

"One moment, Andy," said Sydney, "the Battlemaster will be here shortly."

"Sydney," he answered, "we are duelists, people of action. Lies and deceptions do not become us…"

Sydney's eyes narrowed.

"Therefore," said Andy, angrily, "I demand you show everyone who you truly are!"

Sydney grinned, and her eyes glowed red…

"Well, if you insist…" she hissed, as her form melted away.

The tall and coldly beautiful form of the Shadow Queen arose, looking down upon Andy!

"Good lord!" shouted Wanda.

"She's the one!" said Chico. "The blight on this island!"

"So…" said the Queen. "It is down to you, and it is down to me. My servants have failed, so I must use my own hands.

"And once I have personally dealt with the three of you, I will at last be free of this accused dungeon!"

She stared at him, and dark flames started to form around her.

"For the past one thousand years, I haven't even been able to leave to get Chinese take-out!" she shouted. "And do you know why?"

"Because our ancestors cursed you so the primary symbol of your evil empire would become your prison?" asked Andy.

Her eyes glowed with angry light.

"Uh, Andy..." muttered Francesca. "Maybe she didn't want an answer to that question..."

"Ever been stuck inside with a bad case of the flu, Andy?" she asked. "Cooped up with very little to do because you couldn't go outside? It's called cabin feaver, and after a few days, it can be maddening...

"Try it for more than a few days... Try it for years, centuries! If your mortal mind is even capable of imagining what it's been like, you might know how I feel...

"The only thing that kept me from suicide was one thing I found out very soon after they cursed me - that the curse wasn't unliftable. Finding a way to break free was the only thing that kept me sane all this time...

"And once you three are defeated, that goal will be a reality...

"And I will do it here, in the exact same room where the battle with the Three Heroes occurred, one thousand years ago…"

"Not if I have anything to say about it," said Andy. "Now get your deck ready, because I'm going to finish you off."

A Duel Disk appeared on the Shadow Queen's arm, and in a burst of blue fire, her deck appeared in her hand. She placed it in her Disk, and it activated.

"Good luck, Andy…" whispered Francesca. "We're right behind you…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Merlee was outside the Thousand Year Door.

He looked up at the sky…

Storm clouds started to form, and the sky started to grow dark…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Andy and the Queen stood apart from each other.

"Now, choose your Deckmaster," ordered the Queen.

"I've already chosen him," said Andy. "Come forth, Lord of Dragons!"

In a flash of light, the draconic sorcerer appeared.

"Interesting…" said the Queen. "He's a dead ringer for the man who I fought in this very chamber, so long ago… The burns from his pets' fire didn't fade for weeks…"

"What do you want me to do about it?" answered Andy. "Cry?"

The Queen scowled.

"Well then…" she said. "Here's mine…"

She raised a card, and the giant, intimidating form of Cosmo Queen appeared.

"Uh…" muttered Wanda. "Neat hat…"

"Now, Heir of the Dragon Master," said the Queen, "prepare, for this is the last duel of your life!"

The Life Point counters rose to 8,000 and the Disks activated.

The Queen's necklace glowed with unholy light, and a shadowy fog covered the arena!

"What's this?" asked Wanda.

"Be careful, Andy…" whispered Francesca.

"Since it's only fair," said the Queen, as they drew their first hands, "I'll let you go first…"

"Fine!" said Andy, drawing a sixth card.

He looked at it.

"I'll first summon an old friend in Attack Mode," he said. "Cave Dragon!"

He played a card, and the elderly, wingless Dragon appeared. (2,000/100)

"And then I'll use my Deckmaster ability," he said, as his Life Points fell to 7,500, "to also summon Twin-Headed Behemoth!"

He played another card, and the two-headed, winged Dragon appeared. (1,500/1,200)

"Make your move…" he said.

"It would be my pleasure…" said the Queen, drawing a card.

She added it to her hand.

"First, I believe I will play… Pot of Greed."

She played the card, and the jar appeared, handing her two more cards.

"Now that I've done that, I will summon Witch of the Black Forest," she said.

She played a card, and with a cackling noise, the black-robed sorceress appeared. (1,100/1,200)

"Next, I will play a Magic Card," she stated, "a powerful one called Tribute Doll!"

She played the card, and it appeared.

"This card allows me to sacrifice a Monster to Special Summon a seven star Monster from my hand. So I will bid adieu to my Witch…"

Dark tentacles reached out of the card, and consumed Witch of the Black Forest.

"And I choose to summon a beast who was crafted in the fires of the Celestial Forges! Come forth, Emes the Infinity!"

A huge shape rose up. It was a mechanical being, made of gold and silver, with six arms clutching a sword, shield, and rod. Instead of legs, it had a serpentine trunk. (2,500/2,000)

"A seven star Monster on her first turn?" said Raven, with a shudder. "She doesn't fool around!"

"Yes, and a very dangerous one at that," affirmed Chico. "Fortunately, she can't attack with it right now, since she summoned it with Tribute Doll… But unless Andy can summon something better, that won't matter."

A card slipped out of the Queen's deck, and she took it.

"Since I sent my Witch to the Graveyard, her effect lets me search for a Monster with low Defense," she said. "And with that, I end my turn…"

Andy paused.

He nervously drew a card.

"I'll just move both my Monsters to Defense Mode and end mine…" he said, turning his cards.

The two Dragons crouched in Defense.

"Very well," said the Queen, drawing a card.

"First, I play a pawn…"

She put a card on her Disk, and a Kuriboh appeared. (300/200)

"And then, she continued, "once again, I will play Tribute Doll!"

She played the card, and again the dark tentacles consumed Kuriboh.

"I'll sacrifice it to summon… Zoa!"

A shadowy form rose, and a fiend with dark skin, hunched over on four legs appeared. It glared at Andy with an evil look. (2,600/1,900)

"Good lord…" muttered Stan.

"In case you're wondering, Andy," said the Queen, "the theme of this deck is divinity. Servants and creations of the gods themselves, both celestial and infernal… Quite fitting for someone who will be a goddess herself one day, don't you think?"

"I call it nothing more than a way to feed your ego…" replied Andy.

"Well soon see," said the Queen, with an evil light in her eyes. "Emes… attack Cave Dragon with divine blade!"

Emes lunged forward, and cleaved Cave Dragon in half! The two pieces shattered.

"And by the way," said the Queen. "When Emes destroys a Monster, it gains 700 Attack Points."

The Monster's Attack Score rose to 3,200.

"It's your move…"

Andy drew a card.

"I summon The Dragon Dwelling in the Cave in Defense Mode," he said.

He placed a card down, and the rocky, sleepy Dragon appeared. (1,300/2,000)

"That all?" asked the Queen, drawing a card.

"Well," she said, "I've had enough of big Monsters for awhile… time for a smaller one… After all, sometimes the little creatures hide big talents…"

She placed a card on her Disk.

"I summon Imperia in Attack Mode."

Before Andy could question what that was, a small, white lizard with a fur collar appeared. (500/500)

"And by summoning this creature," she added, "I get to draw one card."

She made a draw.

"Emes, attack Twin-Headed Behemoth!"

Emes charged forward, and cut the Dragon down.

Twin-Headed Behemoth regenerated. (1,000/1,200)

Emes the Infinity glowed, and its Attack rose to 3,900.

"Geeze!" said Wanda. "Does that thing have any limit?"

"No," said Chico. "Hence the term 'Infinity'."

"Zoa, attack it again!" ordered the Queen. "Glimmer strike!"

Two shining sparks shot out of Zoa's eyes, and Twin-Headed Behemoth shattered into pixels.

"Andy had better do something good on his next turn…" said Stan, "or she'll hit him hard!"

Andy drew a card.

"I'll place one card facedown," he said, playing a card.

A facedown card appeared.

"And then I'll sacrifice my Dragon for Des Volstgalph."

The Dragon Dwelling in the Cave vanished, and Des Volstgalph appeared. (2,200/1,700)

"That will end my turn," he said.

"No…" whispered Francesca. "She can attack him directly with Emes once Zoa is done with Des Volstgalph…"

The Queen drew a card.

"Well," she said, "next I'll summon… Yowie, in Attack Mode…"

Another small lizard appeared, this one brown, with six legs. (500/500)

"And by summoning him, it means you can't draw on your next turn!" she laughed.

"Now, Zoa…"

"I activate… Burst Breath!" shouted Andy.

Des Volstgalph opened his jaws, and a wave of energy covered the entire field!

When the smoke cleared, all five Monsters had been vaporized.

"I suspected as much…" muttered the Queen. "Well, I'm ending my turn. Don't forget, you aren't allowed to draw."

"I don't care…" said Andy, putting a card down on his Disk. "Luster Dragon #1, in Attack Mode!"

The large, sapphire Dragon appeared! (1,900/1,600)

"Attack directly!" he shouted. "Sapphire flame blast!"

Everyone cheered, as the Dragon shot his fire, striking the Shadow Queen in the chest! She grunted and staggered back.

She sneered as her Life Points fell to 6,100.

"Go, Andy, go!" shouted Francesca.

The Queen drew a card.

"I place a Monster in Defense Mode…" she said, "and end my turn…"

A facedown Monster appeared.

Andy drew a card.

"I summon Spear Dragon!" he shouted.

The small, long-beaked Dragon appeared. (1,900/0)

"Attack her facedown Monster!" he shouted.

Spear Dragon fired his cyclone blast. A spherical, three-eyed creature appeared on the card…

"Sangan?" asked Andy, as the Queen's Life Points fell to 4,800.

"Yes," said the Queen, taking a card from her deck. "Thanks!"

Andy looked at her strangely as Spear Dragon moved to Defense Mode.

"Luster Dragon, attack directly!" he shouted.

The Queen cringed as she was hit by the powerful blast.

Her Life Points fell to 2,900.

"He's winning!" shouted Francesca. "He's winning!"

"Dunno…" muttered Stan. "This seems a bit _too_ easy…"

The Queen took a minute to straighten her hair…

Then her eyes glowed with a red light.

"Are you through?" she asked.

"Yes," answered Andy. "Your move."

The Queen drew.

"I have to congratulate you for getting this far, Andy," she said, "but I'm afraid this is as far as you get…"

"First I'll take care of Spear Dragon. Why bother attacking it, when I can destroy it by playing a Magic Card… Shield Crush!"

She played a card, and Spear Dragon shattered!

"This card can destroy any Monster who's cowering in Defense Mode…" she said with a chuckle.

"Now," she said with a sinister voice. "I have a story to tell you…"

"A story?" asked Andy.

"Yes…" said the Queen. "Long ago, in the bliss of the Higher Planes, Shinato tried to create a consort for himself… But in his creation, chaos and evil polluted his work, and the creature he created was a vessel of pure destruction. Aghast, Shinato put her in chains, and locked her in his most secure prison.

"At the same time, deep in Pandemonium, the Terrorking Archfiend tried to create an heir. But he made a mistake, and the Fiend he created was so destructive, that he knew that if he was allowed to roam free, he would pose a threat even to the Archfiends. So the Terrorking imprisoned the creature in his dungeons as well.

"These two creatures of destruction were crafty, and often escaped to the mortal realm, where they were free to sow destruction on humans for a time, before their jailers found them and dragged them back to their prisons…

"Each one was well aware of the other, and they hated each other with a passion! They were polar opposites… The Yin and the Yang… But the Fairies and the Fiends knew that the two could never meet…

"For if that happened and the two met, the resulting battle would be so intense, that the mortal world would be destroyed…"

"Scary," said Andy. "But does this have any bearing on our duel?"

"Yes…" said the Shadow Queen. "I'm about to summon forth Shinato's failed creation!"

She played a card.

"To summon either one of those two apocalyptic beings, you have to play the exact same card…

"To get it, I summon the Monster I got from Sangan… Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands!"

The ugly Fairy with a multitude of hands appeared. (1,400/1,000)

"Now I can add a Ritual Magic Card from my deck to my hand…" she continued.

A card slipped out of her deck, and she took it.

"But it won't be staying in my hand, because I'm using it! I cast the mighty Ritual… End of the World!"

"End of the World?" gasped Raven.

"That… doesn't sound good…" muttered Drake.

"No, it sounds downright awful," said Chico.

Angry clouds appeared over the arena, and thunder rolled…

"To cast this ceremony, I need to sacrifice _exactly_ eight stars worth of Monsters," said the Queen. "So, I'll sacrifice Manju, and from my hand, Dark Elf…"

Dark Elf appeared beside Manju, and the two were struck by lightning!

"Now break your chains and descend from your prison…" chanted the Shadow Queen, "descend, mighty **_Ruin, Queen of Oblivion_**!"

A tall form floated down from the clouds. It was a woman of sinister beauty, wearing a red dress and a tiara. She had white, floor-length hair and glowing red eyes. She held a wickedly bladed staff.

She grinned at Andy with an evil smile. (2,300/2,000)

"She kind of looks like me…" said the Queen. "But I'm much cuter…"

Chico rubbed his chin.

"This Ruin has only mediocre stats for an eight star Monster," he mused. "Her effect must be quite deadly…"

"Indeed it is, Chico," said the Queen. "Ruin, why don't you show them? Attack Luster Dragon with Rod of Ragnarok!"

Ruin's eyes glowed with fire… She aimed her staff, and fired a beam of blazing light! Luster Dragon howled in pure agony, and was reduced to bones! Then the bones shattered!

"Now…" laughed the Queen, "attack Andy directly!"

Ruin fired another blast, and Andy screamed as it hit him squarely in the torso!

He fell to his knees, as his Life Points fell to 4,800.

Smoke rose from his body as he clutched his sides in pain…

Of all the hits he had taken in Shadow Games, that one was the worst…

"In case you haven't realized it yet…" said the Queen, "Ruin can attack a second time, so long a she destroys one Monster first…"

"That… hurt…" muttered Andy.

"It's _supposed_ to hurt!" laughed the Shadow Queen.

She smiled sweetly.

"Want a hint on how to defeat Ruin?" she said. "Don't look her in the eye!"

It was too late… Andy already had…

And what he saw in them was pure evil. This creature didn't want to _hurt_ him – she wanted to _kill _him.

Andy started to get up…

He stumbled and fell.

Then he pulled himself up and staggered to his feet.

"It's my move…" he groaned.

He drew a card.

"I'll place a card facedown…"

A card appeared in front of him.

"…and summon Divine Dragon Ragnarok in Defense Mode."

The wispy, gaseous Dragon appeared, curled up in Defense. (1,500/1,000)

The Shadow Queen drew a card.

"Heh, heh," she said. "Names mean nothing. My Monster is the true spirit of Ragnarok!"

She pointed.

"Ruin, attack…" she started.

"I activate Threatening Roar!" shouted Andy.

His Trap Card lifted, and the great beast roared, causing even Ruin to cringe!

"Fine," said the Queen, looking at the card she had just drawn.

_This might be good for later,_ she thought.

"You've bought yourself one turn, no more."

Andy drew.

"One turn is all I require!" he said. "I sacrifice Ragnarok, to summon Luster Dragon #2!"

Ragnarok shattered, and the huge, emerald dragon appeared. (2,400/1,400)

"All right!" shouted Wanda. "His Monster's Attack is higher than hers!"

"Just enough!" said Chico with a smile.

"Luster Dragon…" ordered Andy. "Attack the Queen of Oblivion! Emerald flame blast!"

Luster Dragon blasted a surge of fire! Ruin screamed, and was blown to pixels!

The Shadow Queen's eyes narrowed as her Life Points fell to 2,800.

"This duel might as well be over," said Andy. "Your best Monster has just been blown to Kingdom Come!"

The Shadow Queen paused.

"Heh, heh, heh," she said. "HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA!"

"Uh, Francesca?" said Stan. "Maniacal laughter is never a good sign…"

The Queen drew a card.

"Whoever said that was my best Monster, Andy?" she laughed. "I've got lots more where she came from…

"And now I'm going to do us both a favor, by playing Card of Sanctity!"

She played the card, and a flash lit up the arena, and coins fell from above.

She drew four cards, and Andy drew two.

"Now then, Andy," she said, "We're going to play a little game…"

"A game?" he asked.

"Yes," said the Queen, "and it starts with this Magic Card called Educated Guess."

She played a Magic Card. It looked like a nutty professor at a blackboard covered with equations.

"Here's how it works," she said, going to her deck. "I take any Monster from my deck that I want..."

She took a card from her deck.

"Then, you have to guess whether its Attack Score is less than 2,000, or equal to or greater than 2,000. Guess right, and I have to remove it from play. Guess wrong, and it goes to my hand.

"So… It's your call…"

"Uh…" said Andy.

"Should be easy…" said Raven. "He's got a fifty-fifty chance…"

"I'd say it's even easier," said Wanda. "Why would she waste such a card on a weak Monster?"

"Take as long as you like, Andy," said the Queen. "I have the time…

"After all, I've been waiting one-thousand years… I can wait a few more minutes…"

Her eyes glowed.

Andy started to sweat.

_That card is likely a key to her strategy…_ he thought. _I can't blow this…_

"Calm down, Andy!" said Francesca. "Focus!"

"Why do you think it's called Educated Guess, Andy?" asked the Queen. "You have to make an educated guess based on how well you know me… Would I use this card to search for a weak Monster, or a strong one?"

_Wait…_ thought Andy_. If it were weak and were important, she would have used Sangan to search for it!_

"I believe…" he said.

Everyone looked.

"…that its Attack Score is greater than 2,000!" he shouted.

"Heh, heh, heh, heh, heh…" laughed the Queen.

She flipped the card around.

The Monster's Attack – and Defense for that matter – were zero.

Everyone groaned as she added it to her hand.

"I don't know what that Monster was," muttered Francesca, "but it sure was ugly…"

"Well, I did see that it was an Effect Monster," said Stan. "Andy will have to watch out."

"Now," said the Queen. "I'll place two cards facedown…"

Two facedown cards appeared.

"And then I'll place one Monster facedown… in Defense Mode…"

A hidden Monster appeared.

"And I await your next move…"

Andy drew and looked at his hand.

_That weird Monster she has obviously has a deadly flip-effect,_ he thought. _But what am I worried about? I have Nobleman of Crossout right here! I'll nip her plans in the bud!_

He played a card.

"I summon Koumori Dragon…" he said, playing a card.

The small, Dark Dragon appeared. (1,500/1,200)

"And now…" he said, playing a card, "Nobleman of Crossout!"

Everyone cheered as the knight appeared, and stabbed into the card…

A Kuriboh appeared on the card, and shattered.

"What?" said Andy, surprised. "A Kuriboh…"

"Heh, heh, heh…" said the Queen.

"I said I was placing a Monster facedown in Defense Mode," she said. "I never said it was the one I searched for.

"When one uses a card like the one I searched for, one must always be wary of Nobleman of Crossout… I figured you might use it, so I placed a decoy to protect it!"

"No matter!" shouted Andy. "Once I attack, you lose! Luster Dragon…"

"I activate both my facedown cards!" shouted the Queen.

Her facedown cards lifted.

"The first, everyone is familiar with…" she said.

The three Waboku emissaries appeared.

"The second is called Hyper Refresh. Since I have no Monsters on my side of the field, and my Life Points are lower than the combined Attack Scores of your two Monsters, my Life Points are doubled!"

Her Life Points shot up to 5,600.

"All right…" muttered Andy. "It's your move then…"

The Queen drew a card.

"I play Pot of Charity!" she said. "And I'll remove Emes the Infinity from play to do so…"

Emes fell out of her discard slot, and a ceramic vase appeared in front of her. A spectral, woman's arm reached out, and took three cards off her deck, handing them to her.

"Well, now that I've tricked you into wasting your Nobleman card," she said, taking a card, "and I know you don't have two copies in your deck, I'll _really_ set my secret weapon facedown in Defense Mode!"

She played the card, and a facedown card appeared.

"But I'm not done yet…" she said. "To protect myself, I'll play Monster Reborn, to bring back my first Kuriboh…"

She played the card, and Kuriboh appeared.

"And next, the Magic Card, Multiply!"

Kuriboh vanished, and then four Kuribohs flew out of the card! (300/200 x4)

"By sacrificing my Kuriboh, I can create Kuriboh Tokens, on each vacant spot, in Defense Mode," she explained. "And now it's your move…"

"Be careful, Andy!" shouted Francesca.

Andy paused.

_I have to do something,_ he thought, making a draw.

"Koumori Dragon, take out one Kuriboh!" he shouted.

The Dragon blasted fire, and one of the tiny Fiends was vaporized.

"Luster Dragon, destroy another!"

Luster Dragon shot his breath weapon, eradicating another one.

"I end my turn," he said.

"HA, HA, HA!" laughed the Queen, drawing a card. "What's the matter Andy? Are you scared?"

She looked at the card.

"I'll place one card facedown…"

A facedown card appeared.

"And summon Mystical Elf in Defense Mode…"

Mystical Elf appeared, kneeling in prayer.

"And it's your turn…"

Andy gritted his teeth as he drew.

_The Dragon's Bead,_ he thought.

"I'm NOT scared!" he shouted.

"I'll place one card facedown…"

The facedown card appeared.

"Luster Dragon, take out her Elf!"

Luster Dragon fired, and Mystical Elf was blown to pixels!

"Koumori Dragon, attack her facedown Monster!"

"Andy, NO!" screamed Francesca.

Too late…

As Koumori Dragon breathed fire, a hideous, red skull appeared on the card. It gave out a bone-chilling scream before it was smashed to bits.

"Heh, heh, heh, heh…" said the Shadow Queen.

She grinned.

"What you just destroyed was a very rare card called The Screaming Skull of Cytorrak," she said. "Its effect can only be activated when it is attacked while in facedown Defense Mode, and when that happens, it becomes the ultimate searcher, so long as you can pay the price…

"Here's how it works. I remove Monsters in my Graveyard from play, then add together their star levels…

"And then I can take Monsters from my deck whose total star levels equal the total of those I removed.

"So, I'll remove Ruin, Manju, Zoa, and my original Kuriboh…"

Four cards fell out of her discard slot.

Then two cards slipped out of her deck.

"…and I'll add these two Monsters to my hand…"

"Hold on a minute…" said Raven, starting to count. "Ruin had eight stars, Zoa had seven, Manju had four, Kuriboh had one…"

She paused.

"Great McGonagall's ghost! That's twenty! Each of those Monsters she searched for are ten star Monsters!"

"Calm down, Raven," said Chico. "If they can be Normal Summoned at all, she'd need to sacrifice a total of four Monsters to summon both of them, and those tokens don't count."

"Still your move, by the way…" said the Queen.

"Then I'm ending it…" said Andy.

The Queen drew a card.

"Then I'm activating my facedown card," she said. "Non Aggression Area."

The Trap lifted, and she discarded one card.

"I simply discard one card, and you are forbidden from summoning anything on your next turn. Clever, huh?

"I'll end my turn there…"

Andy drew a card.

"Dragons, take out the last Kuribohs!"

The Dragons breathed fire and energy, and the two tokens were blown away.

"I end my turn," said Andy, discarding his Grey Wing.

"Then, I draw…" said the Queen.

She drew a card.

She looked at it.

_Perfect,_ she thought. _This is just what I need to finish him…_

"I place one card facedown, and end my turn…" she said.

A facedown card appeared.

Andy hesitated.

He drew a card…

"Activate Trap Card!" shouted the Queen. "Feel the fury of… **_Pyramid of Light_**!"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Merlee looked up, as the storm clouds thickened, and the darkness increased, covering the land with a thick blanket.

_The Queen has tapped into a well of pure evil,_ he thought_. Power that she has not dared call upon since she battled the Three Heroes. I fear that my protégé may soon be overwhelmed…_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Pyramid of Light?" gasped Andy, as a bright light glowed over the whole arena. "What does that do?"

"It allows me to summon two of the most powerful Shadow Beasts in existence!" laughed the Queen. "I simply pay 500 Life Points for each of them…"

Her Life Points fell to 4,600.

"And first, say hello to Andro Sphinx…"

A giant form appeared. It was a humanoid creature clad in a blue tunic, with sharp claws for hands, and a bestial face with a mane of golden hair. (3,000/2,500)

"…and his companion, Sphinx Teleia!"

Another creature appeared. This one was just as big, and had the body of a great cat, with grey fur, and small wings. She had the head of a beautiful woman with long, purple hair. She wore a chained leash. (2,500/3,000)

Andro Sphinx growled and crossed his arms, and Sphinx Teleia smiled wickedly.

"Look at the size of those things!" shouted Drake.

"What are these creatures?" asked Wanda.

"Why do you always ask me?" asked Chico.

"I know what they are," said Raven. "Trouble…"

"It's still your move, Andy…" said the Queen.

Andy looked at the two huge behemoths who looked ready to swallow him whole…

He turned the cards on his Disk.

"I'll move both my Dragons to Defense Mode…" he said, "and that will be all..."

He discarded his Spirit Ryu.

"Heh, heh," said the Queen, drawing a card. "Not exactly the best idea, Andy…"

"Andro Sphinx, attack Luster Dragon!"

Andro Sphinx let out a fierce roar, and Luster Dragon shattered!

"Teleia, attack Koumori Dragon!"

Teleia's beautiful face turned hideous, like the rest of her, and she pounced on the small Dragon, tearing it apart!

And Andy's Life Points fell to 3,000.

"What?" said Andy, surprised.

"You seem stunned," said the Queen. "Let me explain. When Andro Sphinx destroys one of your Monsters in Defense Mode, half of its Attack Score comes out of your Life Points. And when Teleia does so, half of its Defense Score is taken out of your Life Points. You can't hide by keeping Monsters in Defense with these two around…

"Now make your move…"

Andy started to sweat even more.

_If I get hit by a direct attack from one of those goliaths, it's all over!_ he thought. _Forget losing all my Life Points… This is a Shadow Game, and a blow like that… I don't think I could survive…_

He drew.

_Only one chance…_ he thought. _It will be risky, but…_

"I play Spell Sanctuary!" he said, playing a Magic Card. "Now we each may take any Magic Card we desire from our decks, and add it to our hands!"

The Queen looked at him.

"Fine with me…" she said, taking a card from her deck.

"And the card I choose…" he said, "is Polymerization, which I'll use to fuse the three Cyber Dragons in my hand to form… Cyber End Dragon!"

The three Cyber Dragons appeared on the field, and then swirled together in a multicolored orb of light, finally emerging as the fierce, three-headed mechanical serpent! (4,000/2,800)

Everyone started to cheer again.

"Next round," said Andy, "your Sphinxes are dead…"

The Shadow Queen calmly drew a card.

"Oh, actually, I couldn't agree with you more, Andy," she said. "Would you like to know what card I got from your Spell Sanctuary?"

She showed him a card.

Heavy Storm.

"What?" said Andy. "All that will do is destroy Spell Sanctuary. It can't hurt my Dragon…"

"Actually," replied the Queen. "There's another card on the field that it will destroy. Take a close look…"

Andy paused and looked on his side of the field…

Well, there was his Dragon's Bead, which he had never had a reason to activate…

Then he looked on her side of the field.

_Wait a minute… _he thought.

"What the?" he said. "Your Pyramid of Light never left the field. It's a Continuous Trap… What has it been doing?"

"What hasn't it been doing?" asked the Queen. "Let me explain, Andy… The life forces of Andro Sphinx and Sphinx Teleia are tied to this card. If it is destroyed, well then, so are they…"

She fit the card into her Disk.

"Sorry, darlings, but it's time to say goodbye…"

Before Andy could question this, a fierce wind ripped over the field. First his Spell Sanctuary and Dragon's Bead shattered. Then the Pyramid of Light shattered…

The two Sphinxes let out an unearthly roar, and they shattered too!

"Okay, Queenie," said Andy. "You want to tell me why you did that? Why the Hell would you destroy your own Monsters like some lunatic?

"I mean, aside from the fact that you _are_ one…"

"Sticks and stones, Andy," the Queen replied. "Sticks and stones..."

She smirked, as a thick fog started to rise…

"If you think those two were tough…" she said, evilly, "wait until you meet their dad…"

"Their dad?" asked Andy, in fear.

"Yes…" said the Queen. "However, the only way he can be summoned, is for both his children to be destroyed in the same instant!

"So now I pay 500 more Life Points to summon an even mightier creature from my deck… arise… Theinen the Great Sphinx!"

Her Life Points fell to 4,100…

From out of the fog, the biggest Duel Monster Andy had ever seen arose. Half-again as big as one of the other two, he was centaur-like in shape, with his upper body resembling Andro Sphinx with a larger mane, and his lower body resembling Sphinx Teleia, with much larger wings. His head had two faces – Andro Sphinx's on the front, and Teleia's on the back!

He let out an ear-splitting roar!

(3,500/3,000)

"Phew!" said Andy. "You had me worried there for a minute! That guy's impressive, I'll give you that, but Cyber End Dragon has 500 more Attack Points."

"Really?" said the Shadow Queen. "Well not for long. On the round Theinen is summoned, I can spend 500 Life Points again…"

Her Life Points fell to 3,600.

"…to raise his Attack Score by 3,000 for the rest of the round!"

Theinen's Attack Score rose to 6,500!

_"Sixty-five hundred Attack Points?_" screamed Andy.

"This can't be legal!" screamed Francesca. "There HAS to be something in the rules against it!"

"Attack!" shouted the Shadow Queen. "Primal roar!"

Theinen let out an ear-splitting roar, and Cyber End Dragon exploded!

Andy fell on his back. His Life Points tumbled to 500.

He held his head in pain.

"So what will you do now, Andy?" asked the Queen, as Theinen returned to 3,500 Attack. "A mega-powerful Monster on my side, and one of your best was just blown to Hell!"

Andy looked at the three cards in his hand.

He closed his eyes and reached for his deck…

He drew a card…

"Go, Pot of Greed!" he shouted, playing it.

The jar appeared, and handed him two cards.

_Yes!_ he thought.

"I summon Red Eyes Black Chick!" he shouted.

He put the card down, and the small egg appeared. The cute, baby Dragon crawled out of it. (800/500)

"And now I'll sacrifice him to summon _his_ dad!" he continued. "Red Eyes Black Dragon!"

The Chick shattered, and the huge form of Red Eyes appeared, hovering over the field.

"And next, I'll sacrifice him, to summon my most powerful Monster… Red Eyes Darkness Dragon!"

Red Eyes grew and mutated, changing into the huge, fierce, Dragon of Darkness!

"Uh, Francesca?" asked Stan. "I lost count… How many Dragons are in his Graveyard?"

"I'll tell you how many…" said Andy with a smile. "Thirteen! And that makes my Dragon stronger… than it's ever been before!"

(6,300/2,000)

A look ofterror came across the Theinen the Great Sphinx's face…

"Go!" shouted Andy. "Wipe out Theinen with diabolic fire blast!"

A blast of the most intense fire ever shot from Red Eyes's jaws! The Great Sphinx roared in death throes, and then exploded, and the Shadow Queen was thrown back from the impact, landing at the feet of Cosmo Queen!

Her Life Points plummeted to 800.

Fires were burning all around the arena. The Shadow Queen looked up…

She got up and looked at Andy with a look of pure hate… Her eyes glowed intently…

"I'll end by placing one card facedown…" said Andy.

A facedown card appeared in front of Andy.

"Your move…" said Andy. "And unless you have an Egyptian God Card in your deck, this duel is going to be over soon."

_And I mean it,_ he thought. _My facedown card is Dragon's Rage. No matter what she summons, with only 800 Life Points holding her up, she's dead the next turn…_

The Queen's eyes glowed brightly with fire as she drew a card.

She stared at Andy for a few seconds.

"Very well, Andy…" she said in a more sinister voice than usual. "You've forced me to use my last resort maneuver… And reveal one of my darkest secrets…"

She paused.

"But to defeat you, I will reveal it… Even if it means showing my… ugly side…"

She hissed, and Andy noticed that her teeth had now become fangs. She lifted her right hand, and the nails on it were now sharp claws…

An aura of black flames surrounded her…

"I call my Deckmaster to the field," she hissed. "Cosmo Queen, come forth!"

Cosmo Queen floated out to the center of the field. (2,900/2,450)

"That's your last resort?" asked Andy. "Her Attack Score isn't even half strong enough!"

"Perhaps you'd like to know her Deckmaster ability," replied the Shadow Queen. "The power that I've been keeping hidden for so long. It's an incredibly powerful one that can only be used if I summon her to the field!

"It's called Dark Hunger! When she's summoned, she devours the souls of every Monster in my opponent's Graveyard, effectively removing them from play…"

Andy stared as his Disk started to shake, and phantoms of his Dragons started to fly out…

Cosmo Queen inhaled, and promptly swallowed them!

"And since I hate waste," added the Queen, "for every Monster's soul that she swallows, I gain 300 Life Points…"

Her Life Points went up to 5,900.

"But Andy, this ability had a side effect that even I couldn't predict… Now your Graveyard has no Dragons in it at all… So take a look at your most powerful Monster now… It's pathetic!"

Andy looked…

Red Eyes Darkness Dragon was at its base Attack… of 2,400.

"This duel is over, Andy!" hissed the Queen. "Cosmo Queen, attack with cosmic flux!"

Pure dark energy appeared in the giant Spellcaster's hands…

"NOOOO!" screamed Francesca.

The powerful cosmic energy ripped forward, tearing the dragon to bits!

Andy fell to his knees, as his Life Points fell to zero.

"No… he lost…" moaned Francesca.

She tried to run to him, but the Queen raised her hand, and she was thrown back.

"Bitch…" said Andy.

He put the rest of his cards in his discard slot, and took his Duel Disk off his arm.

"What does it matter?" asked the Queen. "They'll have their turns shortly. But don't feel too bad, Andy. It was hard fought, and you…"

"Save it!" shouted Andy, hurling his Duel Disk behind him.

It landed at Stan and Francesca's feet.

"Defiant to the end, aren't you?" asked the Queen. "The Dragon Master was the same way. He refused to beg himself, even when he thought he was doomed…

"Anyway," she said, "I'll just dispose of you… And I'll be one-third done.

"Make yourself comfortable… I'll send your two friends to join you shortly…"

She placed a card in her Disk, and a gruesome claw burst out of the ground! It grabbed Andy!

"ANDY!" screamed Francesca.

"Stan… Fran…" moaned Andy. "Avenge me…"

Then, to the sound of the Queen's laughter, he was pulled under…

**0**

**0**

**0**

**IMPERIA (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Reptile/Effect  
**Attribute: **Earth  
**Level: **3  
**ATK: **500  
**DEF: **500

**Card Description:** When this card is Normal Summoned, Flip Summoned, or Special Summoned, draw one card.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**YOWIE (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Reptile/Effect  
**Attribute: **Earth  
**Level: **3  
**ATK: **500  
**DEF: **500

**Card Description:** When this card is Normal Summoned, Flip Summoned, or Special Summoned, your opponent skips his next Draw Phase.

_Note: "Imperia" and "Yowie" were used by Gansley in the multi-part anime episode "Isolated in Cyber-Space". All creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0**

**0**

**0**

**HYPER-REFRESH (Magic Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Magic/Quickplay  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description:** Image of a shadowy figure, holding a bottle that shines with radiance. You can activate this card when you have no Monsters on your side of the field and the combined ATK of your opponent's Monsters is greater than your Life Points. Double your Life Points.

_Note: "Hyper-Refresh" was used by Joey in the anime episode "Down in Flames (Part Two)". All creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0**

**0**

**0**

**SHIELD CRUSH (Magic Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Magic  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description:** Image of the Millennium Shield being blasted to pieces. Destroy one opposing Monster in face-up Defense Position.

_Note: "Shield Crush" is a Japanese card that has not yet been released in the United States. It was first used by Syrus in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode "Tag Team Trial (Part Two)"._

**0**

**0**

**0**

**EDUCATED GUESS (Magic Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Magic  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description:** Image of a comical professor in front of a blackboard full of equations. Take any Monster Card from your deck. Your opponent must guess whether the Monster's ATK is less than 2,000 or greater than or equal to 2,000 (ATK scores rated as ? count as less). If he guesses right, remove the card from play. If he guesses wrong, add the card to your hand.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**MULTIPLY (Magic Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Magic  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description:** Tribute one "Kuriboh" on your side of the field. Create a "Kuriboh Token" (Fiend/Dark/1 star/300/200) on every vacant space in Defense Position. These tokens cannot be used as Tributes for a Tribute Summon.

_Note: "Multiply" is a Japanese card that has not yet been released in the United States. It was used by Yugi several times in the anime, using very different rules._

**0**

**0**

**0**

**THE SCREAMING SKULL OF CYTORRAK (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Fiend/Effect  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level: **4  
**ATK: **0  
**DEF: **0

**Card Description:** This card's effect is activated when it is destroyed in battle while in facedown Defense Position. Remove Monsters in your Graveyard from play, and add their star levels together. Then, search your deck for Monsters whom the sum of whose star levels are equal to that of the sum of the Monsters who you removed from play.

**0**

**0**

**0**

"**Cosmo Queen":** Spellcaster/Dark, Level 8, (2,900/2,450)

Deckmaster SA: Cosmo Queen has _two_ Deckmaster abilities:

"Dark Hunger": When the Deckmaster is summoned to the field, remove all Monsters in your opponent's Graveyard from play. Increase your Life Points by 300 for every Monster removed from play.

"Immortality": The Deckmaster cannot be destroyed by Magic Cards, Trap Cards, or Monster Effects.

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**Andy has fallen…**_

_**But it may not have been in vain… One last battle remains… One last chance…**_

_**Coming up next, the conclusion to "Yu-Gi-Oh! The Thousand Year Door"!**_

**_A chapter that I just had to call, "Heart of the Shadow"._**

_**If you miss this one, I've got no sympathy for you…**_


	65. Heart of the Shadows

_And now, the conclusion…and the epilogue._

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**Merlee set it out for us clear…**_

_**The key to winning a Shadow Game was to defeat your opponent's Soul Card. The Queen's Soul Card was one that represented Gluttony…**_

_**So we looked for one, not knowing that it was right in front of us the whole time.**_

_**After all, queens are pampered and spoiled all their lives, with frivolous toys and trivialities. And one that rules the cosmos and can alter the space-time continuum, and who can devour the very souls of Monsters… She fits the description of Gluttony perfectly.**_

_**And the Shadow Queen was smart, keeping her as a Deckmaster, and keeping the power secret until she had no choice…**_

_**Now, Andy has lost, and it has come down to this…**_

_**One way or another…**_

…_**this will be the final duel…**_

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER SIXTY-FIVE**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Heart of the Shadows**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

The Unfriendly Amazon started to cry…

"No…" she sobbed. "He lost…"

"Don't get upset…" urged Peten. "He may have lost, but the Queen hasn't won yet…"

"And just how are the other two going to beat her?" asked End. "Andy was the best one!"

The Amazon sobbed.

"We're going to be sitting here forever…" she cried.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

In the dark arena, the Queen glared at Stan and Francesca.

Raven got up…

"What did you do to him, you bitch?" she shouted.

"The same thing that I'm going to do to you, Raven," said the Queen, "if you ever call me a bitch again!"

Francesca glared at the monarch in hate.

"Seriously," she growled. "Where is he?"

"He's resting in my Graveyard," said the Queen, with a grin, "but he won't be there long…"

"What are you planning to do to him?" asked Stan, angrily.

The Queen grinned evilly.

"I plan to use my most powerful magical card," she said, reaching into her dress, "one which will assure that you three are never a threat to me again, and that the Three Heroes' legacy dies after you duel me…"

She took a card out of her dress…

Stan and Francesca drew back in fear…

It was Soul Release.

"With this," said the Queen, "I can obliterate up to five of my prisoners, utterly destroying their bodies and casting their minds into the realm of pure chaos from which there is no return. A fitting end…"

She slowly moved it towards her Disk.

"NOOO!" screamed Fran. "Please, I beg you!"

"HA, HA, HA!" laughed the Queen, whisking the card back. "Not just yet!"

She paused.

"Fear not, Francesca," she said, replacing it in her dress. "Andy is safe for the moment… This card is so powerful, it can only be used once, and it was far too costly for me to make more than one…

"So I'll simply have to wait until I have all of you.

"And I might decide to be nice… Once I outduel you, I might lock the three of you up in the same coffin and give you a few days to commiserate with each other before I cast you into the Different Dimension…

"And once you're gone, you're defeat will be total, and I'll be truly unstoppable…"

"You have to defeat us both first!" shouted Stan. "We'll take you on…"

"Duel both of you?" said the Queen.

She sighed.

"That will take too long… Why not I just finish you off at the same time, and duel you both at once?"

Stan and Francesca looked stunned.

"You're certain?" asked Francesca.

"Of course…" said the Queen, "there is a condition…"

She looked at them.

"Since it's two against one," she said, "the only way it would truly be fair would be for me to start with twice the number of Life Points as usual, while you two start with 8,000 apiece."

"16,000?" gasped Wanda. "They might be decked out before they could beat her!"

The two looked at each other.

"Fine," said Stan. "We'll take those conditions…"

"Then I'll be back in half and hour," said the Queen. "You have that long to live…"

She vanished.

Stan picked up Andy's Disk, and removed the cards from the discard slot and the removed from play pile.

"Francesca, come here…" he said.

"What?" she asked.

"We have half an hour…" he said. "Let's use that time to improve our decks a little… And use Andy's cards…

"He may not be here physically, but at least he'll be with us in spirit…"

Francesca looked at the cards.

"All right…" she said.

They started going though the cards.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Heh, heh," chuckled Grodus, who was hiding behind the exit door.

"What they don't know is, the Queen has done many two-on-one matches. She has yet to lose any of them. She'll flatten these fools easily…

"And with the Spawn gone, Sir Grodus will finally get the respect he deserves…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"It's almost time…" said Chico, "according to my watch."

"Heaven help them…" muttered Drake. "I don't mind sending my Monsters to the Different Dimension, but sending people there? That's sadistic…"

Finally, the Shadow Queen reappeared.

Her eyes glowed red.

"Now, let me explain how this will go," she said. "Among the two of you, there will be no sharing of strategies, no sharing of advice, and no sharing of cards that have not yet been played. However, you may use whatever is on the field. Understand?"

They just glared at her.

"I'll take that as a yes," she said. "Now present your Deckmasters one last time…"

Francesca took a card out.

_It may be risky if I lose my Paladin,_ she thought, _but I'm going to use her as my weapon of choice…_

She held up her Fusion Monster Card.

"I choose Amazoness Queen!" she shouted.

The Queen of the Amazons appeared behind her.

Stan took a card.

_Dark Magician might have been useful before,_ he thought, _but his effect is costly, and now, all Life Points count…_

"I choose Dark Magician Girl!" he shouted.

The buxom, female Spellcaster appeared behind him.

"Cute, Stan," said the Queen. "But your mortal Spellcaster is no match for my immortal one!"

She held up a card, and the gargantuan form of Cosmo Queen appeared.

"You can't surprise us with her effect anymore," said Francesca.

"Oh?" asked the Shadow Queen. "Perhaps she has secrets that you have yet to learn!"

The Disks activated; Stan's and Francesca's set to 8,000 each, and the Queen's set to 16,000.

"Prepare…" said the Queen, as they each drew five cards, "for this will be you final Shadow Game!"

Her necklace glowed with evil light, and the shadowy fog covered the arena again…

"You may make the first move…"

Francesca drew a card.

"I'll summon my Amazon Archer in Attack Mode…"

She placed a card down, and the female fletcher appeared, glaring angrily at the Queen. (1,400/1,000)

"Over to you, Stan…" she said.

Stan drew a card.

"I summon Skilled Dark Magician in Attack Mode," he said.

He played a card, and the black-robed mage appeared. (1,900/1,700)

"And that will be my turn," he said.

"Heh, heh…" said the Queen. "Sorry, Stan, but I'm not about to give you a chance to summon your ancestor's avatar so easily.

"I summon Kaiser Sea Horse in Attack Mode…"

She played a card, and the powerful Sea Serpent warrior of Light appeared. (1,700/1,650)

"Then I will play… Rush Recklessly!"

She played a Magic Card, and Kaiser Sea Horse rose to 2,400 Attack.

"Attack Skilled Dark Magician!" she shouted. "Shining trident!"

Kaiser Sea Horse hurled his trident, and Skilled Dark Magician shattered into pixels.

Stan's Life Points fell to 7,500.

"First blood to me," she said with a grin. "And I'll end with a facedown card."

She played the card, and it appeared facedown. Kaiser Sea Horse went back down to 1,700 Attack.

Francesca drew.

_That facedown card is likely a Trap,_ she thought, _but if she sacrifices that Sea Horse for a Light Monster, it counts as two Monsters! I have to take a risk…_

"I'm using my Deckmaster ability," she said, "and I'll take 600 of my own Queen's Attack Score and add them to my Archer's."

Amazoness Queen fell to 1,900 Attack, and Amazon Archer rose to 2,000.

"Attack!" shouted Francesca.

Amazon Archer fired her bow, hitting Kaiser Sea Horse in the chest! He slumped down and shattered.

Everyone in the balcony cheered as the Queen's Life Points fell to 15,700.

"My move!" shouted Stan.

He drew.

_Not the best Monster, but he'll do,_ he thought.

"I summon the Illusory Gentleman!" he shouted.

The comical, one-eyed Spellcaster appeared, casually waving his cane. (1,500/1,600)

"This guy may not be the best Spellcaster," said Stan, "but all through this tournament, he's been sort of a good luck charm, and has rarely let me down. So I'm gonna use him one last time…

"Attack her Life Points directly… Dark illusion!"

The Illusory Gentleman fired his multicolored blast, striking the Queen in the chest. She grunted, and her Life Points fell to 14,200.

"They just got her good…" said Drake.

"But there's still a long way to go…" said Wanda.

The Queen drew a card.

"Nice move…" she said. "But I was prepared. I activate Call of the Haunted!"

Her facedown card lifted, and Kaiser Sea Horse returned.

"And now," she said, "I sacrifice him to summon Seiyaryu!"

The Sea Serpent vanished, and a huge Dragon appeared. It had bright, purple scales, and seemed to be as much bird as it was Dragon. Its eyes glowed. (2,500/2,300)

"Attack Amazon Archer!" she shouted. "Mystic flames!"

Seiyaryu breathed bright purple flames, incinerating the Archer!

Fran's Life Points fell to 7,500.

"Your move…" she said with a grin.

Francesca drew.

"You're in trouble now…" she said.

"Let me guess…" answered the Queen. "You just drew one of Andy's cards, right?"

Stan and Francesca looked at each other.

"She knows…" muttered Stan.

"Of course I know…" replied the Queen. "I was aware of your dumb plan before your feeble minds even conceived it.

"Use Andy's cards all you like… You might think he's here helping you, but I've buried him in the deepest part of my prison. He can't possibly help you from there, no matter what belongings of his you have."

Francesca felt something…

She looked, and saw that the amulet around her neck was glowing softly…

All three stars were glowing.

"I don't think so," she said. "Stan, can I use The Illusory Gentleman?"

"Go ahead," said Stan. "That's what he's there for…"

"Fine," said Fran. "I sacrifice my partner's Monster…"

The Gentleman vanished.

"To summon Des Volstgalph!"

With a roar, the mighty Earth Dragon appeared! (2,200/1,700)

It glared at the Shadow Queen and her Dragon…

_I've seen Andy use this same combo so many times,_ thought Francesca, taking a card, _I'm sure I can do it too…_

"Next I play… Scorching Ruin!" she shouted, playing a card. "Now my Dragon not only gains 1,000 Attack Points for the round, but 200 more because I'm playing a Magic Card!"

Des Volstgalph rose to 3,400 Attack!

"Destroy Seiyaryu!" shouted Francesca.

Des Volstgalph breathed a beam of energy, and Seiyaryu burst into pixels!

The Queen's Life Points fell to 13,300, and then to 12,800.

"And now it's my move," said Stan.

He placed a card on his Disk.

"I summon White Magician Pikeru in Attack Mode!"

In a shower of stars, Pikeru appeared, and looked at the Queen in a POed expression, quite removed from her usual cute self. (1,200/0)

"Attack directly!" ordered Stan. "Sparkle blast!"

Pikeru shot a blast of multicolored sparks, and the Queen shielded herself. Her Life Points fell to 11,600.

"Look at yourself, Josephine…" said Stan. "You're losing!"

"Not for long…" cursed the Queen.

She drew a card.

"I'll remove Kaiser Sea Horse from play to play Pot of Charity," she said, playing a card.

The ceramic vase appeared in front of her, and a gentle, female hand reached up, handing her three more cards from her deck.

"Next," she said, "I'll summon Dark Elf…"

She played the card, and Mystical Elf's evil twin appeared. (2,000/800)

"Huh?" said Francesca. "She costs you 1,000 Life Points to attack. Even with yours so high…"

"I know," interrupted the Queen. "So she's just here for sacrifice bait. You remember how easily I summoned Emes the Infinity before, right?"

She played a Magic Card, and Tribute Doll appeared. Dark tentacles reached out, and consumed the Elf…

And then Emes the Infinity arose! (2,500/2,000)

"Be glad I can't attack with it this turn," she said. "It's your move…"

Francesca drew a card.

"I'll move Des Volstgalph into Defense Mode," she said, turning its card.

Des Volstgalph crouched.

"And I'll throw one of my own cards in Attack Mode! Come on out, Amazoness Swords Woman!"

Amazoness Swords Woman appeared, swinging her blade. (1,500/1,600)

"Impressive," said the Queen. "But I won't be fooled. Know why, Francesca? Because since you landed on this island, I've watched you duel _eighteen_ times! I know how every card in your deck works! I know exactly what will happen if I attack her, and I will find another way to get rid of her soon…"

"Uhm, until you do," said Stan, "can I take my turn?"

"Fine!" shouted the Queen.

Stan drew a card.

"Since we have three Monsters on our side of the field, Pikeru can increase my Life Points by 1,200, but I'm going to divide that in half, and give half to Francesca."

Pikeru raised her staff, and both Stan and Francesca glowed. Both their Life Points went up to 8,100.

"Next, I'll do for Pikeru just what I did for Curran in my last duel… I'll Equip her with Rite of Passage!"

He played the card, and Pikeru rose to an Attack of 2,000.

"And I'm not done," he said. "Next I play… Double Spell! I'll just discard this…"

He discarded Magical Academy.

"…and I think I'll duplicate… Oh, I dunno, your Rush Recklessly!"

Pikeru's Attack rose even higher, to 2,700.

"Attack Emes the Infinity!" he shouted.

Pikeru thrust her staff forward, and blasted a beam of pure light! The great Machine exploded!

The Queen's Life Points fell to 12,600.

"All right!" shouted Drake. "Pikeru took down that awful thing before it could get any stronger!"

"And that's not all she did, Drake," said Stan. "Thanks to Trial of the Princess, because she defeated a Monster who had seven stars – more than necessary, but she'll take it – the Trial is completed, and she can evolve into Princess Pikeru!"

Pikeru levitated into the air, and started to glow with blinding light…

She grew, changing from child to teenager, wearing a royal dress and carrying a fancy scepter. Her headgear was an elaborate crown, but still shaped like a sheep. (2,000/0)

"How cute…" said the Queen, sarcastically.

"Bet you regret taking both of them on at once now!" shouted Raven.

"My move…" grumbled the Queen.

She drew a card.

"I summon Kuriboh…" she stated.

She played a card, and the small, furry Fiend appeared. (300/200)

"And now, once again, I'll play Multiply!"

She played the Spell Card. Kuriboh vanished, and five Kuribohs appeared, fanning out in front of her! (300/200 x5)

"Kuri, Kuri!" squeaked the Kuribohs.

"Those puffballs won't last long," said Fran, drawing a card.

She looked at the card.

"I switch Des Volstgalph back to Attack Mode…"

The Dragon rose again.

"And I'll summon Amazoness Chain Master in Attack Mode."

The Amazon barbarian holding her spiked chain appeared. (1,500/1,300)

"Des Volstgalph, take out one of those tokens!" she shouted.

Des Volstgalph fired, and a token exploded!

The Queen's Life Points fell to 12,100.

"Ladies, take out too more of them!" she ordered.

Swords Woman and Chain Master swung their weapons, and two more were vaporized.

"My move!" said Stan, drawing a card. "And now that Pikeru is a princess, her healing power is doubled!

"With four Monsters on our side of the field, she can raise my Life Points by 3,200! But again, I just love to share…"

Pikeru waved her scepter, and he and Francesca glowed. Both their Life Points rose to 10,700.

"And now I'll summon another Monster, courtesy of good old Andy… Luster Dragon #1!"

He threw down the card, and the beautiful sapphire Dragon appeared. (1,900/1,600)

"Luster Dragon, Pikeru," he said, "take out those Fiends!"

Pikeru fired a blast of Light from her scepter. Luster Dragon breathed a blast of energy. The last two Kuribohs were annihilated.

"So now what are you gonna do?" he asked.

The Queen gritted her teeth.

She drew a card.

"What will I do?" she asked. "I'll play Pot of Greed!"

She played the card, and drew twice.

She looked at them intently.

"I'll place two facedown cards, and that will be all…" she said.

Two facedown cards appeared.

Francesca drew a card.

"Des Volstgalph, attack…" started Fran.

The Queen waved her hand, and her Waboku card lifted.

"All right…" she muttered. "In that case, I'll end my turn…"

"You're forgetting something, Queenie," said Stan, "and soon as Fran's turn ended, so did the effects of your Waboku!

"So we'll both take a boost from Pikeru…"

Their Life Points rose to 12,700.

"…and then I'll attack with both my Monsters!"

Luster Dragon #1 angrily fired his blast at the Shadow Queen, and she cringed…

Princess Pikeru fired a beam of light, and she staggered back…

Smoke rose from her dress, as her Life Points fell to 8,400.

"They're winning, they're winning!" shouted Wanda.

"I don't know…" said Chico. "This looks…"

He paused.

"…too easy!"

He leapt up.

"Stan, Francesca! She's just toying with you! Be careful!"

The Queen's eyes glowed…

"Oh, Chico…" she said, with a laugh, "you are just no fun…"

She drew a card.

"Well, I'm sorry Stan, but I'm tired of Pikeru increasing your Life Points, so I'm taking her away… I'm playing Snatch Steal!"

She played a card, and a Spell came over Pikeru. She floated over to the Queen's side.

"Next, I think I'll have her attack that Luster Dragon…"

Pikeru tried to resist, but she aimed her staff, and fired, blowing Luster Dragon into shards.

Stan's Life Points fell to 12,600.

"And next I'll do away with her by playing… Mystik Wok…"

She played a card, and Pikeru vanished into mist. The Queen's Life Points went up to 10,400.

"And if you two aren't careful," she said, "history will repeat itself, and not in a good way!"

She laughed as her other Trap lifted, revealing Pyramid of Light! Her Life Points fell to 9,400, and Andro Sphinx and Sphinx Teleia arose out of the shadows! (2,500/3,000), (3,000/2,500)

"Francesca…" muttered Stan. "We're in trouble…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Outside the Thousand Year Door, the sky had turned blacker than midnight. Demonic faces formed in the clouds.

Merlee looked on in worry.

"The Forces of Evil are drooling in anticipation," he thought. "The higher powers know the stakes of this last duel… Freedom is within the Queen's reach, and if that happens, it will be all over…"

He paused.

"And even if my protégés win, it might not be completely positive. The Shadow Queen will be vanquished, but when that happens, I know too well that other evil forces will try to fill the void. Light cannot exist without darkness, and some creatures in this world know that well…

"I already sense two separate evil forces that will appear if the Queen perishes… My protégés won't be able to fight them… Nor will I…"

He paused.

"But fortunately, I know of the ones who will…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Heh, heh, heh," said Grodus, softly. "You'll need more than smarts to solve the riddle of these sphinxes!"

"Fortunately for you two," said the Queen, "these darlings can't attack this turn, so do whatever you choose on your turns…"

"Now what?" said Stan. "Even if we take out that Trap Card, she'll only summon something worse."

Francesca drew a card.

"Don't worry," she said, "I've got an idea…"

"I place one card facedown," she said.

A facedown card appeared.

"And next, I play Dark Designator!"

"You think I'm scared of that?" said the Queen, as Francesca played it.

"We'll see," said Fran. "The card I'm naming is… Theinen the Great Sphinx!"

The Shadow Queen looked at her.

She growled, and took the card out of her deck.

"Perfect!" said Drake. "All she has to do is attack with Chain Master, and she'll be able to take that card!"

"I'm ending my turn on that note," said Fran.

"WHAT?" said Drake.

"I don't know what your game is," said the Queen. "You should have used Chain Master's ability when you could. After all, if I manage to destroy the Pyramid, it won't matter whether Theinen's card is in my deck or in my hand."

"We'll see…" said Fran.

Stan drew a card.

_Nothing that can come close to defeating those Sphinxes…_ he thought.

"I pass this turn," he said.

"Then I'll draw…" said the Queen.

She drew.

She laughed out loud.

"I warned you…" she said, showing them the Heavy Storm card in her hand. "Now to…"

"I activate… Showstopper!" shouted Francesca.

Her Trap Card lifted.

"Now, I'll sacrifice my three Monsters and cut my Life Points in half…" she said.

Her three Monsters shattered, and her Life Points fell to 6,350.

"And in return, every card on your side of the field and in your hand is destroyed!"

A furious light show started over the arena, and the two Sphinxes howled! They shattered into pixels, and the cards in the Queen's hand vanished!

"NOW do you see why I moved him into your hand?" asked Francesca with a smug grin.

The Queen glared at her…

"Since you have no cards to play," she said, "I'll make my move…"

She drew a card.

"And I'll just summon Amazoness Blowpiper in Defense Mode."

Blowpiper appeared, kneeling in Defense. (800/1,500)

"Now show her good, Stan," she said.

Stan drew a card.

"All right!" he said, playing a card. "I play Premature Burial to bring back Skilled Dark Magician!"

His Life Points fell to 11,800, and Skilled Dark Magician arose. (1,900/1,700)

"Attack!" he shouted. "Black magic blast!"

Skilled Dark Magician fired his spell, and the Queen cringed.

Her Life Points fell to 8,500.

_Attack me all you like,_ she said_. I still have more than enough Life Points to bring out the most powerful horror my deck can produce, and soon you'll beg for death…_

She drew a card.

"You may have depleted my hand, Francesca," she said, "but I drew something that will get me back up to par…"

She showed her the Spell Card.

"That card…" gasped Francesca.

"You remember it, yes?" said the Queen. "It was the card I used to defeat that little brat, Noah…

"I play Spoiled Brat!"

She played the card.

"Now, merely by removing my Pot of Greed and Pot of Charity from play, I can use both of them again, allowing me to draw five cards!"

She drew five times.

"And I'll set two of them facedown, ending my turn…"

Francesca drew.

_This could be risky,_ she thought. _But we have to do something…_

"I summon Amazoness Fighter!" she shouted.

She played the card, and Fighter appeared.

"Get her!" she shouted.

"I activate Shield Wall!" shouted the Queen.

One of her facedowns lifted, and four statues shaped like soldiers holding body shields appeared, crouching behind them. (1,000/1,000)

"It's a rare card," said the Queen with a grin, "that creates four Shield Tokens to defend me…"

Amazoness Fighter looked puzzled.

"Well?" said Francesca.

Fighter gave one of them a kick, and it shattered.

"My move!" said Stan, drawing.

He added the card to his hand.

"I summon Divine Dragon Ragnarok!" he shouted.

The wispy Dragon of Light appeared. (1,500/1,000)

"Both of you," he said, "smash her tokens!"

Skilled Dark Magician and Ragnarok blasted beams of darkness and light, reducing two more of the Shield Tokens to pebbles.

"Clever…" said the Queen. "My move now…"

She drew a fourth card.

"I activate Non-Aggression Area," she said, as her Trap lifted, "and you know what that means…"

She discarded a card.

"Big deal…" said Francesca. "So we can't summon on our next turn. We have four Monsters already…"

"It will be a big deal, once you see what I'm about to summon…" said the Queen.

She played a card.

"I summon Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands!"

The many-armed Fairy appeared. (1,400/1,100)

"And I'll use him to pull my favorite Ritual Card…" she continued.

She showed them the End of the World card…

"We're not afraid of Ruin…" said Stan.

"Whoever said I was summoning _her_?" asked the Queen. "She had her chance, and she blew it."

"But…" said Stan. "That Ritual is what summons her…"

"Don't you remember the story I told Andy?" asked the Queen. "At the same time Shinato created Ruin, Terrorking Archfiend created a second apocalyptic creature, one who can also be summoned with this ceremony… And he's even stronger than Ruin is!"

She played the card.

Angry clouds started to form.

"So, I sacrifice Manju and Mystical Elf…"

Mystical Elf appeared on the field…

Lightning struck the two Monsters, and they shattered…

"And come forth from your infernal pits… **_Demise, King of Armageddon_**!"

A dark shape rose in front of the Shadow Queen…

It was a tall Fiend, in gunmetal grey armor, with a skull-like face. He carried a huge axe…

Pinpoints of red light appeared in his eyes…

(2,400/2,000)

"All right…" muttered Stan. "So he's big and ugly… But that doesn't mean he's indestructible. Andy beat Ruin…"

"This creature's effect is much better than Ruin's," said the Queen. "I merely have to pay 2,000 Life Points…"

Her Life Points fell to 6,500.

Demise started to glow with shadowy flames…

"…and he can destroy every card on the field except himself!" laughed the Queen. "Demise, doomsday purge!"

Demise howled and lifted his axe, slamming it to the ground! The four Monsters cringed, and shattered into pixels!

The last Shield Token shattered two, but that was the least of their problems.

"Think I liked Ruin better…" muttered Francesca.

"You did, Francesca?" laughed the Queen. "Well _that_ was just his special ability. I still have his normal attack to use…

"…on you…

"Demise, attack Francesca! Siamese cut!"

Demise lifted his axe. Francesca drew back in fear as he flew towards her…

What happened next made everyone's blood run cold. Demise struck her in the top of the head, and seemingly split her, all the way down the middle!

Francesca dropped her cards, and then fell to her knees, shivering in fear. She clutched her shoulders… She was trying to make certain she was still in one piece!

Demise looked down on her. She heard low, haunting laughter coming the demon…

"You think that's funny, ash face?" shouted Stan.

Demise turned and glared at him.

Francesca finally struggled to pull herself up. Her Life Points were now at 3,950, and she dreaded what was coming next…

"I'm ending my turn," said the Queen. "Don't forget, neither of you can summon on your turn…"

"Yeah, yeah," stuttered Francesca, going for her deck.

_Come on, Mirror Force…_ she thought.

The card she got was another Amazoness Swords Woman.

"I have to pass…" she muttered.

Stan drew.

"I've gotta pass too…" he muttered.

"Then I'll draw one card…" said the Queen.

She looked at it.

"And just to show you, Francesca, that I don't play favorites… Demise, show Stan just how funny it is!"

The King of Armageddon charged…

Stan closed his eyes, but it hardly helped as he felt the beast's axe rip through him.

He fell to his knees, just as scared as Fran was. His Life Points fell to 10,200.

"Now what?" muttered Raven. "That has to be the most lethal Monster I've ever seen!"

"Yes…" said Chico. "And the Queen has enough Life Points to use his effect three more times…

"Currently…"

"Currently?" said Wanda.

"She has a great way to replenish them," added Chico.

"Oh yeah," said Drake. "Her Deckmaster. If she calls Cosmo Queen to the field, she'll clean out their Graveyards, and the Queen will gain 300 Life Points for every Monster she removes."

"Not only that," said Raven, "If it comes to that, she'll have another very powerful Monster to attack them with."

"Uh, people, there's a flaw in that thinking…" said Wanda.

They looked at her.

"See," she said. "Demise's effect destroys everything on the field except himself. So, if the Queen summoned her Deckmaster, she couldn't use Demise's effect anymore, or Cosmo Queen would be destroyed too, and she'd lose!"

The Shadow Queen heard this, and she laughed softly.

_Oh, Wanda,_ she thought_. If only you knew…_

_Tell you what… When I give you a chance to duel me for your freedom, I'll show you the unique way I can use my Deckmaster with Demise… And you'll spend the time in the Graveyard feeling humiliated over how wrong you were!_

"My… move…" said Francesca.

She drew a card.

"I summon Amazoness Swords Woman in Attack Mode…" she said.

Swords Woman appeared.

"…and I'll turn it over to Stan…"

Stan drew.

He looked intently at the card.

"I'll summon Neo the Magic Swordsman in Defense Mode," he said.

Neo appeared, leaning on his sword. (1,700/1,000)

"And I'll also place one card facedown."

He played a card, and a facedown card appeared.

The Queen drew again, drawing a second card.

"Well…" she said. "Time to be hurt again… I could use Demise's ability, but with the card I just drew, that is totally unnecessary…."

She played one of her cards, and discarded another one.

"I play Lightning Vortex!"

Storm clouds appeared overhead…

Lightning flashed, and Stan and Francesca's two Monsters were vaporized!

"I thought you might do that!" said Stan, with a grin. "So I placed a Trap!"

His Trap Card lifted.

"An Eye For An Eye!"

"NOT THAT!" shouted the Queen.

"Yes, that," said Stan. "So now you suffer the same effect you inflicted on us with your Magic Card! You may have destroyed our Monsters…"

Lightning stuck the King of Armageddon, and he howled…

"But yours gets blasted too!"

"Demise!" screamed the Shadow Queen.

The Fiend shattered into pixels!

"So what now?" asked Stan. "You have no cards in your hand, no cards on the field, and when our turns come around, we'll hit you hard!"

The Shadow Queen's eyes glowed.

"I have one Monster to summon…" she said. "Cosmo Queen, I summon you to the field!"

Cosmo Queen floated out, and positioned herself in front of the Shadow Queen. (2,900/2,450)

"You just had to get her angry, did you?" asked Francesca.

"And don't forget her Deckmaster ability," said the Queen. "If memory serves me correctly, your Graveyards contain a total of… fourteen Monsters!"

Their Disks started to shake… Spirits started to fly out of them, and the huge Spellcaster inhaled and swallowed them!

The Queen's Life Points went up to 10,700.

"All those Life Points won't make a difference if she's destroyed!" shouted Stan.

"Then let me clue you in…" said the Shadow Queen.

She slowly started to levitate off the floor…

"She has a second Deckmaster ability, one of Immortality… She can't be destroyed by Magic Cards, Trap Cards, or Monster Effects. The only thing that can beat her is an attack by a Monster with higher Attack Points…"

"And in case you didn't notice, she has 2,900 Attack Points, which is much stronger than almost all of your Monsters."

She floated up until she was level with the Spellcaster's head.

"In fact, she has so much in common with yours truly, that I just got a brainstorm…"

And then, to everyone's shock, her body turned into mist, and was absorbed into that of the Cosmo Queen!

"Yes…" said the Spellcaster, in a deep, husky voice. "This may well be the perfect new look for me!"

A huge Duel Disk appeared on her left arm.

"Now, back to business," she said. "Since you have no Monsters out, Stan, I can do what I've wanted to do for a long time… Attack you with my own magic! Shadow flux!"

The huge Spellcaster pointed, and fired a beam of pure blackness at Stan. He screamed bloody murder and was thrown backwards!

"No… fair…" he muttered, as his Life Points fell to 7,300.

"Ooh…" moaned Wanda. "They're in deep trouble…"

"They passed 'deep' about two turns ago, Wanda," said Chico. "This is more than deep… This is the Earth's mantle…"

Fran looked at the colossal Monster in fear…

She drew.

"I summon… Mirage Dragon, in Defense Mode…"

She played the card, and Mirage Dragon appeared, curled up in Defense. (1,600/600)

"Nice…" said the Queen. "But next time, you might try defending with a Monster that has more Defense Points!"

"Stan, think of something…" muttered Fran.

Stan drew a card.

"I play Pot of Greed!" he stated.

The evil jar appeared.

"I never figured out how this thing was doing what it did," said Stan, as the spectral arm reached out, "but let's do it one more time…"

The hand gave him two more cards.

They were Goombella the Scholar, and Clock Out.

_Well,_ he thought_. It's not like we have much left to lose…_

"I play… Clock Out!" he shouted.

He played the card, and his Life Points fell to 6,300.

"I remember that!" exclaimed Drake. "He used it against me when we dueled outside of Twilight Town!"

The large clock appeared.

"What does it do?" asked Raven.

"It chooses a random number between one and six, and for that many of her turns, Queenie there can't attack!"

The hand on the clock spun…

"Come on, get high…" muttered Raven.

It landed on a four.

"A mere annoyance," said the Queen.

"And I'll summon Goombella the Scholar in Defense Mode," continued Stan.

The small, sassy Goomba appeared. (500/2,000)

Then, she glowed, and the top four cards in _both_ his and Fran's deck floated out!

"Well," he said. "I guess her effect works for both of us…"

They looked at the four cards.

A thought came to both of them at the same time…

_No… way…_

They made the rearrangements.

"It's your move, gruesome," said Stan.

The Queen drew…

Her eyes glowed.

With one swift motion, the card in her hand vanished, and appeared facedown behind her.

"That's my turn," she said.

The clock ticked down to three.

"Right!" said Francesca, drawing. "I'll play _my_ Pot of Greed!"

The jar appeared, and handed her two cards.

"Now, I'll summon one of Andy's old friends… Koops the Bashful… Defense Mode!"

She played the card. Koops appeared, and shielded himself with his paws. (1,800/500)

"And I turn it over to Stan…"

"Right!" shouted Stan, drawing. "I summon Vivian the Shadow Siren in Defense Mode!"

Vivian appeared, also shielding herself. (1,800/1,000)

"And that's my turn…"

The Queen drew a card.

Again, the card vanished, and appeared facedown on the field.

She waved to signal the end of her turn, and the clock ticked down to two.

Francesca drew.

"I summon Yoshi the Loyal Steed in Defense Mode!" she shouted.

She played the card, and the tough-looking Dinosaur appeared, crouching in Defense. (1,600/1,000)

"Over to you, Stan…"

Stan drew a card.

"I summon Ms. Mowz the Tease Thief, in Defense Mode!" he shouted.

He played the card, and Ms. Mowz appeared, curled up in Defense. (1,200/1,000)

"It's your move," said Stan.

The Queen drew a card and looked at it.

"Actually," she said, "I choose to end my turn without making _any_ move…"

The clock ticked down to one.

"Fine," said Francesca, drawing a card.

"I sacrifice Mirage Dragon to summon Madame Flurrie of the Fog, in Defense Mode!"

Mirage Dragon vanished, and Madame Flurrie appeared in a puff of smoke, crouching in Defense. (1,800/1,000)

"All right Stan," said Francesca. "If you're gonna do what I think you're gonna, then do it…"

"Right!" said Stan, drawing a card.

"I play Monster Reborn, to raise Fran's Mirage Dragon!"

Mirage Dragon reappeared on Stan's field.

"And then I sacrifice him, to summon Admiral Bobbery the Bomber, in Defense Mode!"

Mirage Dragon vanished, and Admiral Bobbery appeared, taking a defensive stance. (2,200/1,000)

"Heh, heh, heh," said the Queen, drawing a card. "Quite impressive… You've managed to summon all seven of those wretched Companions…

"But what's the point, I ask you?

"None of them are strong enough to defeat me… "What will you do? Use Vivian's effect to dodge my attacks until you run out of cards?

"My only decision now will be which one of your pathetic weaklings to crush first!"

Stan and Francesca looked at her…

Maybe she was right…

"I end my turn," she said, "but I'll be free to attack next turn…"

The clock shattered.

Then a bright light reached the eyes of the two duelists…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

They were in a void of light, and the Seven Companions were in front of them.

"Lovely, you big pieces of cheddar!" laughed Ms. Mowz. "You actually did it!"

"Did what?" asked Stan.

"Summoned us all at once," said Goombella. "And now we can use our secret weapon!"

"Secret weapon?" asked Fran, surprised.

"When Merlee gave us to you," said Koops, "we hid three copies of the Three Heroes' mightiest spell in each of your decks…"

"It's been there invisible ever since, darlins," said Flurrie, "but you could never have drawn it without all of us there."

"But when we're all on the field together," said Vivian, "you'll draw it for sure!"

"It's got enough oomph to blast gruesome there into next week and beyond!" laughed Yoshi.

"Francesca," said Bobbery. "It's your draw… Now use that card, and make the Three Heroes proud! Get Andy out of that place, and take everyone home!"

Stan and Francesca looked in the distance, where a single card was floating into view…

"You got it!" they said.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"My move!" shouted Francesca, drawing.

She drew a card.

_For Andy…_ she thought.

She looked at the card…

It was the same design as their pendants, with one yellow star, one blue star, and one red star…

"I play…" she said.

She threw the card into her Disk.

"Divine Intervention!"

The card appeared, and a brilliant light covered the arena.

"What?" asked the Queen. "What sort of card is that?"

"A powerful one," said Francesca. "First, all seven of our 'weaklings' have to be on the field. Then… well, I'll use small words…

"First, there's a cost to deal with. My partner and I combine our Life Points into one lump sum…"

The number 10,250 appeared.

"Then, we cut that in half…"

It was reduced to 5,125.

"Then we cut that amount in half, round down, and the result becomes our new Life Point totals."

Both of their scores set to 2,572.

"And in exchange for that…" said Francesca with a grin, "we get to summon The Trinity of Light!"

From out of the glowing light came three forms…

One was a young man clad in wizard's robes, holding an arcane staff, who's face resembled Stan's. The second was a woman in golden armor and a cape, holding a powerful sword, who's face was a dead ringer for Francesca. The third was an exotic-looking, muscular man with strange clothing and tattoos in the shape of dragons, wearing a cape and a helmet made from a dragon's skull, whose face resembled Andy. He held a plain quarterstaff.

They glared at Cosmo Queen…

"Not them…" gasped the Queen.

"Yes, them…" said Francesca. "And The Trinity of Light's Attack Score is twice that of whatever Monster they are attacking!"

(5,800/0)

"Go!" she shouted.

"Attack!" yelled Stan.

"Tri-star blast!" they both shouted.

The Trinity of Light flew into a triangular pattern, and put their hands together, forming a light that overpowered the darkness! It blasted forward, and Cosmo Queen screamed! She erupted into flames, and then was blown into shards!

The Shadow Queen fell to the floor of the arena with an "Oof!"

"It's over," said Stan. "You lose!"

The Shadow Queen slowly got up.

"You know…" said the Queen. "Funny… I don't _feel_ like I've lost…"

Her Life Points fell to 7,800.

"What do you mean?" asked Francesca. "The rules say if your Deckmaster dies, you lose, plain and simple!"

"It isn't as 'plain and simple' as you think, Francesca," she answered. "I was well-prepared in case you managed something like this…

"With a very clever facedown card…"

One of her two facedown cards flipped up.

"I activate a Quickplay called A Deal With Dark Ruler…"

With an evil laugh, the monstrous form of Dark Ruler Ha Des appeared next to her in a cloud of black smoke!

"The Deckmaster rules state that this card can be used to save yourself if your Deckmaster is destroyed, on the condition that said Deckmaster has eight stars or more…

"Dark Ruler Ha Des, take the soul of my Cosmo Queen!"

Ha Des rubbed his chin.

"Offering accepted…" he said, in a booming voice.

He vanished, and dark flames started to rise around the Shadow Queen…

"My Cosmo Queen might be gone," she said, with her eyes glowing, "but now I get a new Deckmaster…"

A huge form arose…

"Meet my Berserk Dragon!" shouted the Queen.

What appeared before her was a hideous thing. It was a Zombie dragon, with rotting flesh, torn wings, and broken claws and teeth! (3,500/0)

"You beast!" shouted Francesca. "How dare you mock Andy with an undead Dragon!"

"I dare, and I will," said the Queen. "I find it fitting, actually, the symbol of his fall will lead to yours!"

The Trinity of Light vanished.

"Hey…" said Stan. "What happened to them?"

"They only last for one attack," moaned Fran. "Then they simply go away…"

"Still your turn…" said the Queen. "And if you think you're going to use Flurrie's effect, think again. As a Deckmaster, Berserk Dragon inherits all the abilities of my previous one, including the Immortality.

"Then I'll end, and turn to Stan," said Francesca, in fear.

"Then I draw…" said Stan.

He drew.

"And I'll activate my last Trap!" shouted the Queen.

Her Trap Card activated.

"Life Shaver!"

The cards in both Stan's and Francesca's hands vanished!

"You remember this card, right?" asked the Queen. "Diana used it when she was my slave. It forces each of you to discard one card for every Standby Phase that it was on the field. And it's been there for eight, more than long enough to leave you cold!"

"All right…" muttered Stan. "I'll end my turn… But your Dragon will have to crash through our defenses before it can get to us!"

The Queen drew a card.

_Perfect,_ she thought_. I couldn't have asked for better…_

"I Equip Berserk Dragon with Symbiote Helmet," she said.

She played a card, and a macabre helmet made from bone appeared on the creature's head.

"We'll get to what that does on my next turn," she said. "And as for me having to crash through your defenses, I see no problem with that…

"…seeing as Berserk Dragon has the ability to attack every Monster on my opponents' side of the field at once!"

"No…" said Stan, softly.

"I've wanted to do this for a thousand years…" said the Queen, angrily. "And it's been a long time coming! Berserk Dragon, obliterate their Companions! Berserk blaze!"

Berserk Dragon roared, and then fired seven burning fireballs from its jaws!

With a myriad of screams, the Companions were blown away…

Stan and Francesca fell to their knees…

_How could she? _thought Francesca. _They were almost a part of us!_

_She will pay!_ thought Stan. _Somehow, I'll find a card that will do it!_

"Heh, heh," said the Queen. "You seem to have nothing left, children. And now I end my turn. That means, of course, that Berserk Dragon gets a little weaker…"

The Monster fell to 3,000 Attack.

"…but soon, that won't be a problem…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Francesca reached for her deck.

Then she covered her face with her hands.

_Can't do it…_ she thought. _It's impossible…_

"Don't give up, Francesca," said a voice.

She looked up.

"Andy?" she whispered. "Where are you?"

She looked down, and her pendant was glowing.

"Francesca," he said, "you aren't a quitter! Quitters can't win.

"I don't think I could ever love a quitter."

"What do I do?" she asked. "I have no cards in my hand, none on the field, and her Monster is too powerful!"

"So long as you can still draw a card," he said, "there's a chance. Show me the girl I fell in love with…

"Show me that you aren't a quitter…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_Not a quitter…_ thought Francesca.

She drew a card.

It was Dramatic Rescue.

_No Monsters,_ she thought. _Just one Trap Card that I can't even use in this situation…_

She paused.

She looked at Amazoness Queen.

_She already lost 600 of her Attack Score when I used her to power up Amazon Archer… But I'll have to take a risk, and pray that Stan draws something better…_

"I call my own Deckmaster to the field…" she finally said.

Amazoness Queen walked out in front of her. (1,900/1,700)

"NO!" screamed Drake. "If she's destroyed, she loses!"

"Yeah," said Raven, "but with nothing to defend herself with, that… thing would have roasted her anyway!"

"I end my turn…" she said.

Stan drew.

His card was Cybernetic Magician.

_Totally useless…_ he thought. _He needs a sacrifice to summon…_

_Wait…_

"I use my Deckmaster ability!" he shouted.

Dark Magician Girl waved her scepter.

"_Soul Circle!"_ she chanted.

Images of Goombella, Vivian, Ms. Mowz, and Admiral Bobbery appeared.

"You may have defeated our Companions," said Stan, "But they'll help me one last time, because for each one in my Graveyard, I now get to draw one card!"

He drew four cards.

_Darn,_ he thought. _I was hoping for a Monster… But all I have is one way to stall for one more turn…_

"I'll also call my Deckmaster to the field…" he said.

Dark Magician Girl moved out to the field. (2,000/1,700)

"And I'll place one card facedown," he said, playing a card.

A facedown card appeared.

"I end my turn."

"Look at you…" said the Queen. "You must be desperate to do that!

"Well," she said, "now the effect of Symbiote Helmet activates. By paying 800 of my Life Points during my Standby Phase, I can raise Berserk Dragon's Attack Score by 400!"

Her Life Points fell to 7,000, and Berserk Dragon rose to 3,400 Attack.

"Not that I needed to," she added. "Berserk Dragon, destroy their Deckmasters!"

Flames appeared in the Dragon's mouth.

"Not so fast!" shouted Stan. "I activate my Trap! One of Andy's favorites…"

His card lifted.

"Threatening Roar!"

The card lifted, and the great beast roared, sending Berserk Dragon cowering.

"You've bought yourself a turn, nothing more," said the Queen, placing a card on her Disk.

A facedown Monster appeared.

_So it ends,_ she thought. _If one of them tries to protect their Deckmasters with a Trap next turn, the Monster I just set facedown will foil their plans…_

_Trap Master's flip-effect will destroy any Trap that they set down, no muss, no fuss…_

Berserk Dragon fell to 2,900 Attack.

_This had best be the best draw in the history of dueling…_ thought Francesca.

She drew.

She looked at the card.

"I play a Magic Card!" she shouted. "Go, Recruitment Drive!"

She played the card.

"And never has the artwork on a card been more fitting…" she said.

"Huh?" said the Queen.

The artwork on the card showed Amazoness Paladin shaking hands with Dark Magician Girl, as Amazoness Fighter looked on.

"This card can be played when I have a true Amazon on the field," she said, "like Amazoness Queen, and then all other female Monsters on our side of the field gain the powers of Amazons… Ones like Stan's Dark Magician Girl!"

"How will that help you?" said the Queen with a scowl.

"Have you so soon forgotten Amazoness Queen's Deckmaster ability?" said Francesca, with a grin.

The Shadow Queen turned pale.

"Looks like you remember!" she added. "She can reduce her own Attack Score to increase that of another Amazon! So I'll take 1,800 of her Attack Score, and add it to Dark Magician Girl!"

Amazoness Queen fell to a mere 100 Attack, and Dark Magician Girl rose to 3,800!

"Stan, do the honors…" said Francesca.

In the hallway leading to the arena, Grodus turned tail and ran.

_Fortunately,_ he thought, _someone as smart as me knows when to cut his losses, and find the next departing ship!_

"Right!" said Stan, drawing.

"Dark Magician Girl…" he said.

"NO!" screamed the Queen. "I will _not_ be beaten!"

"You just were," said Stan. "Dark Magician Girl, obliterate Berserk Dragon with dark burning attack!

"This is for Andy…"

Dark Magician Girl aimed, and fired! Berserk Dragon roared, and erupted into flames!

It exploded!

The Shadow Queen fell to her knees…

"Your Deckmaster has perished again…" said Stan. "And this time, you have no way to escape defeat…"

"No…" moaned the Queen. "I was… so close… So… close…"

And then, a bright fiery light appeared above her…

The Trinity of Light appeared again, their faces full of rage…

"No…" muttered the Queen. "Stay back…"

The Trinity aimed their weapons at her, and fire erupted on her skin! She screamed an unearthly scream, as she was seemingly consumed by the holy light!

And after a few seconds, all that remained was a black dress, jewelry, and a Duel Disk with several burnt cards scattered around.

Everyone in the balcony was silenced.

"It's over…" muttered Stan.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**SHIELD WALL (Magic Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Magic/Quickplay  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description:** Image of a statue of a soldier crouching behind a body shield. Special Summon four "Shield Tokens" (Rock/Earth/1 star/1,000 ATK/1,000 DEF) in Defense Position. These tokens are destroyed if they are moved into Attack Position, and cannot be used as Tributes for a Tribute Summon.

_Note: "Shield Wall" was used by Gurimo in the anime episode "A New Evil (Part Two)". All creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0**

**0**

**0**

**SYMBIOTE HELMET (Magic Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Magic/Equip  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description:** Image of a grotesque helmet made from bone and skins. This card can only be Equipped to "Berserk Dragon". On your Standby Phase, you may spend 800 Life Points to increase the ATK of the Equipped Monster by 400.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**DIVINE INTERVENTION (Magic Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Magic  
**Attribute: **-  
**Level: **-  
**ATK: **-  
**DEF: **-

**Card Description:** Image of three stars, one blue, one red, and one yellow, on a black background. You can only use this card in a duel where you have a partner. This card can only be used if "Goombella the Scholar", "Koops the Bashful", "Madame Flurrie of the Fog", "Yoshi the Loyal Steed", "Vivian the Shadow Siren", "Admiral Bobbery the Bomber", and "Ms. Mowz the Tease Thief" are on your and your partner's side of the field. This card cannot be countered or negated by your opponent's cards. Add yours and your partner's Life Point totals together, divide the sum in half, and then divide the result between you (round down). Special Summon one "The Trinity of Light" from your hand or deck.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**THE TRINITY OF LIGHT (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type: **Fairy/Effect  
**Attribute: **Light  
**Level: **10  
**ATK: **0  
**DEF: **0

**Card Description:** This divine manifestation is the essence of the original Three Heroes, and can only be brought forth by the Companions. This Monster cannot be Normal Summoned or set. This card cannot be Special Summoned except by the effect of "Divine Intervention". This Monster is unaffected by Magic Cards, Trap Cards, and Monster Effects. When this Monster attacks an opposing Monster, its Attack Score becomes twice that of the Monster it is attacking. After making one attack, remove this card from play.

**0**

**0**

**0**

"**Berserk Dragon":** Zombie/Dark, Level 8, (3,500/0)

Deckmaster SA: This Monster has no ability if initially chosen as a Deckmaster. If your Deckmaster is destroyed and has eight stars or more, you can use "A Deal With Dark Ruler" to prevent yourself from losing and summon this Monster as a replacement. This Monster inherits any Deckmaster abilities of your original Deckmaster.

_Note: The Big Five used this strategy in the anime episode "Merger of the Big Five". All creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**EPILOGUE**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

The Trinity of Light smiled, and vanished into mist…

As Stan and Francesca fell to their knees, completely exhausted, a form materialized in front of them, also on his knees…

"ANDY!" screamed Francesca.

With the last of her strength, she pulled herself up, and ran to hug him.

"You… you did it…" he muttered. "Good work with that combo…"

"You… saw it?" she asked, kissing him.

Andy nodded.

"The Queen let me watch," he answered. "I heard her voice in my mind, telling me she wanted me to see the two of you defeated… Guess that plan backfired…"

The two of them embraced, and kissed deeply…

Wanda, Chico, Drake, and Raven ran into the arena.

"So where is the bitch?" asked Raven.

"I can field that question," said a voice.

Into the chamber walked Merlee. Behind him was Kyle, rubbing his arms.

"Kyle?" said Stan. "You all right?"

"Yeah," said Kyle. "A little stiff, maybe…"

"Kyle tried to duel the Queen and failed," said Merlee. "She attempted to… coerce him into working for him, but I was able to get him out of her inner sanctum.

"As for what happened to her…"

He paused.

"Losing the duel activated the other condition in her escape clause," he continued. "She's dead now, her immortality and other powers revoked.

"But her punishment won't stop there, and it's her own fault, in a way. Do you remember her telling you about that demon who she sold her name to?"

"Yeah…" replied Francesca.

"Well, there was a part about that agreement that even she didn't know about," said Merlee, "the true reason that those demons take names. Owning a mortal's name gives them complete power over a mortal's soul after death. The Shadow Queen… She's more than likely in Hell, and she'll be his slave forever now.

"And given the tastes of that particular demon, I imagine she's being fitted for a harem girl outfit as we speak… That one demon was notorious for finding the humanoid female form quite attractive…"

"How ironic…" said Chico. "Well, it serves her right…"

"Yeah, she deserves it…" muttered Andy.

"Merlee," said Francesca, slowly, "did you know about the Divine Intervention card?"

Merlee paused.

"Truthfully, no," he answered. "It seemed that the Three Heroes kept some secrets even from me."

"And there are a few more things to do…" said Merlee.

He went up to each of them, and handed all of the duelists a card.

"Thought you might like to own these," he said.

They all looked at them.

Fran's was The Unfriendly Amazon. Andy's was Peten the Dark Clown. Stan's was The End of Anubis.

The others looked at theirs. The Monster duelists they had fought, in card form.

"When you struck the last blow, all those creatures vanished, leaving these cards behind," said Merlee. "My guess is, they all went back to wherever they came…"

"I guess it will make a souvenir for my binder," said Wanda, looking at the Rose Specter of Dunn.

Merlee took from his pocket the orb that held the Shadow Spawn. He gestured, and six wisps of energy came out.

"Reunite," he said.

Six cries of pain echoed in the hall, and the six Shadow Spawn fell on the floor, dazed and confused.

Vladimir was the first to get up, holding his head.

"What…" he said.

Kurtis got up.

"Our bodies… we got them back!" he exclaimed.

"Merlee…" said Melissa, "did you do this?"

The Spawn looked at the three teens.

"Oh no…" muttered Maria. "Does this mean we have to start fighting?"

"Uh, is it just me," said Francesca, "or do they seem less… Well, evil?"

Merlee didn't answer, but he stared at the Spawn.

"Your mother is gone," he said, finally, "so you are free of her wicked taint at last…

"However, you still have blood on your hands, which won't wash away so easily. And I have the power to take back what I just gave to you – namely, your physical bodies."

The Spawn bowed their heads.

"But there is still a chance, Shadow Spawn," he said. "Without your mother, the power of Shadow will eventually leave you. But I can maintain it for at least a while.

"Listen closely, here are the conditions for being allowed to keep your physical forms…

"You will use the power you have left to rescue every soul that you have imprisoned in Shadow Games. And once that is done, you will make restitution, in the form of written apologies, and then with all the rare cards in your mother's collection. Then, we will see if you are truly worthy of redemption."

They paused.

"It seems like a logical path," said Leopold. "I agree to those terms…"

The other Spawn nodded.

"Furthermore," said Merlee, "as the heirs to the throne of Monster Island, you must attempt to establish a better government. I will remain for a while to help with both tasks. After all, the time in the Shadow Realm might have driven some of your victims mad, and I can heal anyone."

"I think Vladimir should be the new king," suggested Maria.

"Actually," said Vladimir, "I think it should be more of a joint effort. After all, we still represent the six basic Attributes – we can be complete if we work together."

"Also," added Merlee, "I'll have to work hard to free everyone that's been buried in the Graveyard. Once that's done, the six of you will have to work with me to find a spell that will destroy the accursed place for good, so that no one will ever fear it again. And speaking of which…"

He bent over the Queen's clothing and looked through it.

He picked up the Soul Release card.

"I'll hang onto this until I figure out how to destroy it," he said, placing it inside his coat.

"Merlee," said Stan. "What will you do once you're finished here?"

Merlee let out a long sigh.

"For eleven hundred years," he said, "my goal has been to avenge my people and destroy the Shadow Queen. That goal has been fulfilled. Thus, my own immortality will be revoked, and I'll start aging normally.

"I figure if I cut down on red meat and starch, I've got about twenty years left… Maybe I'll just do what all retired people do after a long career: Go on a trip… See the world… Visit Europe and the Orient.

"But children, you achieved great things. Cortez left you his treasure…"

The three teens' eyes opened wide!

"We almost forgot!" gasped Stan. "He did!"

"Yes," said Merlee. "And I'll be happy to arrange for you to transport it and secure it in a safe account. Of course, your parents will likely want to put it in trust funds, but I think you'll be set for the future.

"Of course, if you want to keep dueling, the Companions and the Enchanted Cards will no longer function. But keep them close, for they will always be a part of you…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The Thousand Year Door opened.

The three teens, Merlee, and the five other finalists walked out, and were surprised to see a duel in process!

Sir Grodus was dueling… someone. The duelist was obscured by the shadow of a tree. Grodus had Goldd, Wu-Lord of Dark World in Attack Mode, and his opponent had Alpha the Magnet Warrior in Defense Mode.

"Goldd," shouted Grodus, "destroy Alpha with dark gold rush!"

Goldd shot forth a blast of golden energy, and the Magnet Warrior was blown to pieces.

"Thank you…" said a voice. "Now I can activate this…"

A Trap Card lifted.

"Soul Rope! Now I can pay 1,000 Life Points to summon any four star Monster from my deck that I choose…

"And I choose Beta the Magnet Warrior!"

Beta appeared.

"Now it's my move…" continued the duelist.

There was a pause.

"And I sacrifice Beta to summon Dark Magician Girl!"

Beta shattered, and Dark Magician Girl appeared!

_Huh?_ thought Stan. _Someone else with such a rare card?_

"And now I play The Sage's Stone," continued the duelist, "to bring forth Dark Magician!"

A Magic Card appeared, and Dark Magician arose.

"Dark Magician, dark magic attack!"

The sorcerer cast forth his dark spell, and destroyed the Wu-Lord of Dark World.

"Dark Magician Girl, attack directly!"

Grodus screamed, and he was hit by a second blast, and his Life Points tumbled to zero.

"Have you had enough?" said the duelist, "or do you want more of the same?"

Grodus turned, and saw who had come out of the Door.

He turned and fled, vanishing into sparkles.

"Wow," said Stan, turning to the victor. "That was…"

He drew back.

"…intense…" he whispered.

The duelist was instantly recognizable. The special hairstyle, the distinctive outfit… Not to mention the golden pendant on a chain around his neck.

"You…" muttered Stan. "But… Why did you come here?"

"I sensed a problem and came to deal with it," came the answer, "but I found the situation in good hands."

The duelist smiled, and then turned to leave.

"Good luck, duelists," he said. "From this point on, your future isn't written. It is up to you to write it yourself…"

And then he turned and walked away, as the sun broke through the clouds, casting its radiant light on the group.

**FINIS**

_I hope you liked this fic as much as I enjoyed writing it._

_But a sequel to this story is in the works – not written by me, but by my friend, Man Called True. It's called "Yu-Gi-Oh! Tilting the Balance"._

_The Shadow Queen is gone, and now, the forces of Darkness seek to fill in the gap, and overcome the Light. And the hero that the forces of Light have chosen to oppose the Darkness is one of the most unlikely heroes of all…_

_Look for "Yu-Gi-Oh! Tilting the Balance" by Man Called True, coming to fanfiction very soon._


End file.
